COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

Hydration Skin holds water better, so it looks plump instead of flat and tired.

After acids Calms skin down after you have overdone it with acids, retinol or too much sun.

Redness Red patches look less angry.

Dry patches Dry, flaky bits soften up.

Glow Skin looks glowier, mostly because well-watered skin bounces light better than dry skin.

Routine Nothing in here fights with anything else, so it fits into a routine you already like.

Simple Twelve ingredients and no fragrance, which makes it a safe pick for skin that reacts to most things.

01 Cleanser, then toner, then this. Wash your face. Use your toner if you use one. This goes on next, while your skin is still a little damp.

02 A small amount, patted in. Put a small amount on your fingertips and pat it over your face. Do not rub it around. It is stringy at first. Keep patting and it goes away in about ten seconds.

03 Moisturiser on top. This is a water step, not a cream step. It pulls water in. Your moisturiser goes on top to keep the water there. Skipping that part is why some people say it does nothing.

04 Morning and night, with anything. There is no acid and no retinol in here, so it does not clash with anything else in your routine. Use it on the days your skin feels raw from other products. That is what it is best at.

What does the work.

Snail Secretion 96%. This is the whole product. Snails make a slime to move around and to patch up their own shells. That slime is filtered and put in a bottle. It naturally holds glycoproteins, hyaluronic acid, allantoin and zinc. COSRX says the snails are not harmed and are kept in a habitat they like. That is the brand's statement, not an outside inspection.

Betaine Pulls water into skin and holds it there. Comes from sugar beets.

Sodium Hyaluronate Hyaluronic acid in a smaller size, so it sinks in instead of sitting on top. Holds a lot of water for its weight.

Allantoin A calming ingredient. Good for skin that feels tight or looks red. Snail mucin has some of this in it already, so this is a top-up.

Panthenol (Vitamin B5) Softens skin and helps the barrier hold water.

Arginine An amino acid. Skin uses amino acids as building blocks.

Not inside No perfume. No essential oils. No alcohol. No dye. No silicone. No parabens. Twelve ingredients, and that is the entire list. This is the shortest list of any product we sell. If your skin gets upset easily, fewer ingredients means fewer things that can upset it. Not vegan. This is a snail product.

Full list Snail Secretion Filtrate, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Ethyl Hexanediol, Carbomer, Panthenol, Arginine. For outside use only. Keep out of eyes. Stop using it if your skin gets irritated. Keep away from children.