The COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence Review.

 

I gave in the hype and got this essence when it was on the Nykaa Pink Sale and honestly I do not regret the splurging. 

    If you are not new to skincare and have watched people talk about K-Beauty skincare then you would know that every other influencer and skincare consumers in general rave about this COSRX Snail essence. Right from youtube to reddit everyone seemed to love this product so I decided to get it when the product was on sale and in stock. Also, if you do not know this product is extremely difficult to get your hands on as it is always almost out of stock. 

Before we get into the post here is a disclaimer ~

    This post is meant for review and educational purposes only. I am not a dermatologist or a skincare expert and this post is not meant to treat anyone of any skin issues.

What is Snail Mucin and how is it good for your skin?

    In recent times if any ingredient is making a lot of noise it has to be snail mucin. It has been made pretty popular with everyone getting into K-Beauty trends and with Korean brands being the star of the current skincare trends. 

    According to Dr. King, snail mucin is an excretion from the snail. It can often be referred to as snail slime and may be labeled as snail secretion filtrate on ingredient lists. “It's made up of properties like glycoproteins, hyaluronic acid and glycolic acid, all of which have long-documented benefits for the skin,” says Dr. King.

    And while we can thank Korean beauty for bringing this hydrating ingredient stateside, Dr. King says using snail mucin for skin care originated with the Chileans. “In the 1980’s Chileans snailbreeders found their hands to be very soft after handling the snails, leading to the Chilean snail cream, Elicina.”

(Paragraph extracted from here!)

What does it do for your skin?

    From what I have read snail mucin helps hydrate and soothe your skin. It promotes collagen and helps calm irritated skin. 

Before you start using any new skincare product do patch test to avoid skin irritation. 

What does this product claims to do?

[Paragraphs extracted from Nykaa]

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence comprises of 96% skin friendly snail secretion filtrate that is effective at repairing damaged skin, improving skin elasticity and maintaining hydration level all day long. It only contains essential ingredients, that nourish, repair and revitalise the skin. Snail mucin has the ability to repair everything from dry patches, to acne breakouts while helping zap hyperpigmentation, so with loyal use your skin will glow.


Features:

Lightweight essence that absorbs in the skin and imparts a natural glow

Loaded with 96% snail mucin extract to replenish and repair damaged skin

Helps prevent moisture loss and keeps the skin hydrated all day long

Suitable for all skin types

This product is free from fragrance, paraben, ethanol, surfactant, artificial colorant, triethanolamine and phthalein

COSRX products are cruelty-free

Ingredients: Snail Secretion Filtrate, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Arginine, Allantoin, Ethyl Hexanediol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol.

As you can see from the ingredient list itself this essence is packed with humectants and it is excellent for all skin types.

My experience: I was pretty skeptical when I purchased this product as it does has an animal based ingredient and sometimes it can cause irritation for some people. Well I took the risk and purchased it as soon as the sale started and you guys the product was out of stock within few minutes of the sale. 

    With every new product I do patch test it behind my ear and I did not get any reactions from it so I started including it in my night routine every night. One good thing about the packaging is that the pump actually pumps out very little product so as someone who mainly uses budget friendly products only I feel less guilty of not using a lot of product and finishing this expensive product fast. Well thats enough rambling and let us see how the texture of the product is.

Texture: It has a slimy texture and when you touch the product it comes off like a string. After intital application it does make your skin feel sticky but don't worry it settles in your skin pretty fast and with that the sticky feeling should go away too.

How I use this in my routine?

    I like to use this essence after my serums as this does has a thicker texture. So in my night routine after double cleansing on damp face I like to go in with my deconstruct Hyaluronic acid serum, followed in by my Minimalist 5% Niacinamide serum and once it gets absorbed into my skin I take two pumps of the snail mucin and rub it in my palms and then apply it evenly on my face and neck and then massage it in. It takes a minute to settle in and once absorbed there is no sticky feeling. But beware that this is a humectant based product so irrespective of your skin type top it off with your moisturizer. I use the ponds super light gel moisturizer as my last step in the routine. 

What was the effect of using this product on my skin?

    Since its only been less than a month since I started using this product I do not know what the long term effects of this product will be on my skin but for quick and short term results that I found in my skin it was instant plump feeling of skin and a long lasting hydration. This essence is packed with humectants and hydrating ingredients so it will make your skin barrier strong and also help heal irritations fast. I do find my skin feel so bouncy the next mornings. This is one such ingredient which can be used after literally any product and will not irritate most skin types from what I have seen. 

But for safety DO PATCH TEST ANY PRODUCT YOU GET BEFORE APPLYING IT ON YOUR FACE!

Link: COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

(This is where I got the product from but it is also available on other websites like Maccaron, beauty barn, etc.)

That is it for today. I am taking a short emergency break for a week and I will be back next week with two more review posts of the Simple Facewash and Deconstruct Hydrating serums so stay tuned for that. I hope you guys enjoyed this post and do comment your opinion below and also let me know if you are interested in any post related to any specific topic. Bye and stay safe everyone :)