Truth About Snail Mucin: Benefits, Side Effects, if COSRX Is Worth It

E! Illustration/Amazon

According to Dr. Farhang, snail mucin tends to take form as a serum in skincare, meaning it has some seriously potent ingredients. In the case of COSRX's snail mucin essence, you can use it in the morning or evening, depending on your individual preferences. All things considered, she noted that the biggest benefit that snail mucin offers is its "hydrating and soothing aspects."

Offering a more in-depth look at the ingredients, Dr. Farhang added, "It has a whole bunch of properties, kind of naturally, which is really cool. It has hyaluronic acid, which we all know is a great hydrator. It pulls in a thousand times its weight in water; it helps plump up the skin. It has proteins and peptides, which are really good to help build up the structural part of the skin."

Another potential benefit of the essence is its anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. Dr. Farhang clarified that this is not necessarily why people are primarily using it, but it can help explain why their skin and acne seem to get better after usage. Sounds like a win-win situation to us!

Knowing how great the essence is for your skin, this would be the next logical question to ask to ensure you're getting all the beauty benefits. Dr. Farhang walked us through her preferred application method and the science behind her recommendations.

One of the primary ingredients in the snail mucin essence, apart from snail mucin, is hyaluronic acid. According to Dr. Farhang, "That's the product that we usually say, "OK, apply it on a damp face and then put your moisturizer on top so the hydration capabilities are optimized," because with hyaluronic acid, it's pulling in moisture."

However, she added, "If your skin is dry and you also live in a dry climate — like where I live, in Arizona — it could potentially dehydrate the skin because it doesn't have any water to pull from so it's going to pull it from your own dehydrated skin, basically. So, that's why we say apply it on a damp face. It doesn't have to be wet."

In fact, Dr. Farhang advises against applying this on a wet face, equating it to an "oil-and-water phenomenon." Instead, she recommends that after washing your face, you should lightly (lightly!) pat it dry so it's slightly damp, after which you can apply the snail mucin and your other skincare.

But wait, there's more! If you're a fan of facial tools, the COSRX snail mucin is the perfect medium for providing the necessary smooth glide over your skin so it's not being tugged and traumatized. According to Dr. Farhang, you can use tools like a gua sha, jade roller, or the cult-fave Solwave skincare wand, which she "really like[s]."

Repeat after us: "It's always thinnest to thickest."

According to Dr. Farhang, you would first cleanse and then apply toner, which has a water-like texture (although it's worth noting that she doesn't usually recommend toners for skincare).

Following that, "You apply serum, and then you would apply your cream, whatever that is, and then if you want to apply your moisturizer, you can do that, and then you apply your sunscreen last." Dr. Farhang also noted that if you're wearing makeup, that would go on after sunscreen.

When asked about whether we have to wait for each skincare product to fully absorb into your skin before applying the next step, Dr. Farhang said, "This is debatable. I mean, yes, maybe in the perfect world, you would want to let it all absorb in before you put on the next." But because we don't live in a perfect world where snooze buttons are never pressed, Dr. Farhang noted,

"As long as it feels kind of tacky and you feel like you've rubbed it all in, I'm OK with not waiting and just putting the next step on, just because it's a little bit more practical." The important thing to remember in these cases is to apply from thinnest to thickest, and you should be A-OK.

Because everyone's skin is so different, Dr. Farhang noted that it may be more helpful to first consider what your personal skin concerns and goals are.

The question she recommended asking yourself is, "Why am I using snail mucin?" Additionally, Dr. Farhang advised, "It's the properties and ingredients that people should look for, and then they can look backwards and see, "OK, what other serums may have this?" and then work from there."

For example, say you're looking for products to soothe your irritated or deeply hydrate it. In this case, you "could use a product with just hyaluronic acid or a product with panthenol, which is vitamin B5," according to Dr. Farhang.

With that being said, COSRX has a full line of snail mucin-infused skincare that are widely loved and referred to as "holy grail" products by Amazon shoppers. Check them out below, along with some of the many, many five-star reviews they've earned on Amazon.

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