COSRX Snail Mucin Cleanser Review

COSRX Snail Mucin Cleanser is a gentle gel cleanser that delivers a deep and thorough clean. It’s also packed with 10,000ppm of snail secretion filtrate for renewed, hydrated, youthful skin.

Do you use snail mucin in your skincare routine? Snail mucin is a powerhouse ingredient that’s a big part of Korean skin care culture.

I’m a huge fan of COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence myself. I’ve been using it for a while and it’s definitely changed my complexion for the better. 

So when I saw that COSRX also has an Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser, I immediately snatched it up and gave it a try.

Is it as good as the snail mucin essence? Let’s find out.

What is snail mucin

Snail mucin is an excretion from the snail. It’s also referred to as snail slime and often appear on ingredient labels as snail secretion filtrate, or SSF.

It comes out of the snails when they’re stressed as a way to protect themselves and contains properties like glycoproteins, hyaluronic acid and glycolic acid, all of which are great for the skin (source).

You might be wondering if the cute little snails are hurt during the process of extracting this ingredient and that’s a very valid question.

Especially when you think about the vast amounts of snail extract needed to meet the high demands of the skincare and beauty industry these days, snails must be constantly stressed into releasing their slime. 

It’s worth noting though that COSRX is a cruelty-free brand. They say that their snail mucin products are 100% cruelty-free, causing no harm to the animals throughout the production process.

Which is great, but this is definitely something worth thinking about when you’re buying snail mucin products.

Snail mucin benefits

Some of snail mucin’s skin benefits include (source):

• Providing moisture and hydration. Snail mucin contains moisturizing agents that not only work to repair the skin’s moisture barrier but also work to block environmental irritants that can damage our skin.

• Stimulating and boosting collagen production. It also contains growth factors that help trigger the growth of new skin cells and collagen, resulting to fewer fine lines and more youthful skin.

• Soothing irritation. Snail secretion filtrate contains allantoin, which has healing properties that help calm irritation and stimulates cell regeneration.

COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser benefits

So in addition to providing a gentle but through cleansing, COSRX Snail Mucin Cleanser also promises to:

• Hydrate the skin and protect the skin barrier
• Rejuvenate skin for a more radiant, youthful complexion
• Provide a soft and smooth lather that minimizes stimulation, perfect for those with sensitive skin prone to irritation or redness

COSRX Snail Mucin Cleanser ingredients

In addition to snail secretion filtrate, COSRX Snail Cleanser contains (source):

Water, Acrylates Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Coco-Glucoside, Lauryl Betaine, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Arginine, Tromethamine, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Fragrance, Carbomer, Sodium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Disodium EDTA

Other things to note about COSRX Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser

• Packaging. The cleanser comes in a 150-ml, 50-ml and 20-ml plastic tube.

• Smell. It has a strong floral-ish scent that tends to stick around for several minutes, even after you’ve applied other products on top of it.

• Colour. The gel is not 100% clear; it looks slightly cloudy and is a very light grey.

• Texture and Consistency. Snail mucin has a very distinct texture — thick, sticky, slimy. And this gel cleanser has that familiar feel.

• Lather. This cleanser lathers extremely well; you only need a pea-sized amount each time so a 150-ml tube will last a while.

• Skin type. This product is recommended for all skin types, including sensitive skin and acne prone skin.

How to use COSRX Snail Mucin Cleanser

You use this product much like how you would use other gel cleansers:

• Apply a small amount to your hands and gently massage onto your wet face
• Make sure to get into every nook and cranny, from your forehead to the sides of your nose, to your chin
• Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water

I’ve used this cleanser as my morning cleanser, and as a my second cleanser in my double cleansing routine at night (double cleansing is an awesome way to remove makeup).

What I like about Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser 

• Lathers well. I was pleasantly surprised at how much and how well this product lathers. A small amount is more than enough product to properly cleanse my face, and it feels luxurious to use.

• Rinses easily. Even though it feels somewhat slimy, it’s easy to rinse and doesn’t leave any residue.

• No irritation. After a few weeks of using it, I’ve had no breakouts or irritation. It’s gentle enough to use everyday on my sensitive skin.

What I don’t like about it

• Scent. I have a sensitive nose too so the scent here is a little too strong for me. I wish it was unscented, or at least not that cloying.

• Tightness. I noticed that after cleansing, my skin feels a little tight and on the drier side. When I use other cleansers, my skin feels soft and smooth…not so much here.

Do I recommend COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser

In a rating scale of 1 to 5 — 5 being awesome — this product is a 2 for me.

I’m really disappointed, being such a big fan of the essence. But sadly, it’s not compatible with my skin type; I’m a combination-dry in the colder months and combination-oily in the warmer months.

My skin is just not happy when I use this. It feels tight and dry, and the clarity and radiance I’m used to seeing after using a facial wash is just not there. I’ve had much better results with COSRX Low pH Cleanser.

And while I like that it lathers so well and makes for a pleasant cleansing experience, the smell is just way too strong for me. 

It is a great and gentle way to introduce snail mucin into your skincare routine, though. So if you’ve ever been curious but still on the fence, a cleanser is a fairly safe way to know how well your skin tolerates it.

You can buy COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser at Amazon (affiliate link).

Looking for other types of cleansers? Try these:

Foam Cleansers	Oil/Balm Cleansers	Others
Rovectin Skin Essentials Conditioning Cleanser	Klairs Gentle Black Fresh Cleansing Oil	Rovectin Clean Marine Micellar Deep Cleansing Water
Hada Labo Foaming Cleanser	Banila Co Clean It Zero	By Wishtrend Green Tea & Enzyme Powder Wash

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.

Happy skin experimenting! 

If you’re looking to add new products to your routine, consider sheet masks. I talk all about sheet masks here: what is a sheet mask, how to use it, is it effective, and more. Check it out.

Have you tried COSRX Snail Mucin Cleanser? Did it work for you? Will you recommend it? Would love to hear from you in the comments section below!

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