COSRX Oil-Free Moisturizing Lotion with Birch Sap Review

COSRX Oil-Free Moisturizing Lotion with Birch Sap is an ultra lightweight moisturizing lotion that hydrates skin without leaving a greasy residue, and calms acne-prone skin without causing more breakouts. 

When I’m looking for new skincare products to try, I’ve now started to look at the ingredient list. 

First I want to see if there’s anything in there that could potentially irritate my skin and second, I try to determine how much of an active ingredient a product contains. 

Remember the Mugwort Essence from I’m From, which only has 1 ingredient (100% mugwort extract) or Klairs Fundamental Water Gel Cream that has 63.7% green tea water? More is better.

COSRX Oil-Free Moisturizing Lotion with Birch Sap contains 70.85% Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice or birch sap, which is powerhouse skincare ingredient known for its calming and soothing properties.

COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion Ingredients

In addition to Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, this moisturizer also contains (source):

Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Allantoin, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethyl Hexanediol, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil

This formulation promises not only hydration but also calming properties. A moisturizer that is lightweight, non-greasy and absorbs fast. One that will leave your skin feeling fresh, soft and smooth.

How I use COSRX Oil-Free Moisturizing Lotion

I use this moisturizer as my day and night moisturizer in the summer. I apply it before sunscreen in the morning, and it’s the last step in my skin care routine in the evening.

Note that I use this product primarily as a moisturizer and not as a calming lotion or acne treatment. I like using Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream to calm my skin and ByWishtrend Sulfur Gel to zap zits away.

Other things to note about this product

• Smell. While I prefer fragrance-free products, COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion has a slight fragrance right out of the bottle which I don’t really mind. It smells fresh and minty, sort of. It disappears almost immediately upon application.

• Colour. It’s a creamy white colour in the bottle but applies clear.

• Not Really Oil-Free. If you look at the ingredients again, notice that there’s lemon peel oil and tea tree leaf oil in there, despite the “oil-free” claim. However, even though this product is technically not oil-free, it still delivers a non-greasy feel on the skin.

• Packaging. It comes in a 100ml / 3.38 fl.oz slim bottle.

According to COSRX, this moisturizer is also: hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, cruelty-free, parabens-free, sulfates-free, phthalates-free, alcohol-free and vegan.

What I like about COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion with Birch Sap 

• Texture and Consistency. First, this product is a joy to apply. It’s nice and silky on the skin and gets absorbed fast. It leaves no greasy residue and so lightweight I sometimes forget if I already applied moisturizer lol.

• Very hydrating. Because it’s so light, it’s sometimes tempting to put more but you really don’t need a lot of product. This moisturizer is very hydrating without ever feeling heavy. My skin always feels smooth, soft and plump after application.

• Non-Greasy. And even if I use it on a 30C / 86F day, my face doesn’t feel greasy or oily. It works great under my sunscreen and make up too.

• Gentle. This product is gentle enough for me to use on my sensitive skin twice a day everyday. I’ve never had a bad reaction and it also plays nicely with my other skincare products.

• Application. The moisturizer comes in a bottle with a pump, which I find so easy to use compared to other pumps. It dispenses just the right amount of product and I can even control it enough to get half a pump if I need more.

What I don’t like about it

I mentioned that this is my go-to moisturizer in the summer, when my skin is combination oily. It provides the perfect hydration I need in the warmer months. 

However, when winter comes around, I feel it’s not hydrating enough for my skin, which turns combination dry. So I usually switch to Hada Labo Gokujyun Moisture Milk when the weather starts getting cooler.

This doesn’t change the fact that this moisturizer from COSRX works great for me in the summer, and would most likely be perfect to use year-round if you live in warmer, more humid climates.

Do I recommend COSRX Oil-Free Moisturizing Lotion?

In a rating scale of 1 to 5 — 5 being awesome — this product is a 5 for me.

It delivers on its promises of hydration without greasiness, lightweight and fast absorption, and no irritation. This product is also recommended for all skin types, whether you have sensitive skin, dry skin or oily skin. 

If you have acne prone skin, this formulation won’t clog your pores and has soothing effects to help calm your irritated skin as well. 

You can buy COSRX Oil-Free Moisturizing Lotion at Wishtrend by clicking this link [affiliate link].

Use discount code JOLINA15 when shopping at Wishtrend and enjoy 15% off your purchase! Valid until December 31, 2023.

Here are more options if you’re looking for lightweight moisturizers.

As always, remember that every person’s skin and skin type is different so what might work for me might not work for you, and vice versa.

So before trying a new product, it pays to do a little bit of research first. Pay special attention to ingredients that you might have a reaction to.

And doing a patch-test is always a good idea. Unsure? Best to consult your dermatologist.

And practice good skincare habits always.

Happy skin experimenting!

Have you tried this moisturizer? Did it work for you? Will you recommend it? Would love to hear from you in the comments section below!

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