One of my most treasured products in my skin care routine is the Cosrx snail mucin essence, a profoundly effective serum that does indeed include snail “slime” and is probably one of the most internet-viral (and HuffPost reader-favorite) products in recent memory. But this story isn’t about snail mucin, nor is it about skin care at all. It’s about the K-beauty brand’s freshly launched line of bond-repair hair care products aimed at transforming damaged tresses.
This may be Cosrx’s first foray into hair care, but based on its reputation for formulating a slew of high-quality, reasonably priced and well-performing products (I can personally attest to this), I can’t help but put my trust in this new endeavor.
The new line features three products, each one formulated with Peptide-132, a patented ingredient that can perform intensive bond repair on damaged strands. According to Cosrx, this tripeptide complex “acts like a puzzle piece… [and] bonds to weak keratin structures,” thus minimizing split ends, dryness and frizz, while also adding shine and reinforcing strands that otherwise may be prone to breakage.
Now, if this whole “bond building” verbiage sounds familiar, it’s because it’s very popular with hair care brands like Olaplex and K18, whose products offer similar promises. In previous interviews with hair care experts, we’ve been told that these bond- or chain-repair products are, in fact, very effective. Of course, each product and brand is different, but generally speaking, there are three different things that bond-repair products can do to make your tresses look their best.
“First, they stabilize the protein chain in the horizontal disulfide bond of hair, which can be broken any time hair is damaged,” hair stylist Jamie Wiley previously said. “Then, they actively build the hydrogen bond, which is responsible for holding texture and shape. Finally, they strengthen salt bonds, which are responsible for balancing the acidity and alkalinity in the hair.”
As I mentioned earlier, the Cosrx Peptide hair system includes three products that are meant to be used together or separately, and claim to be suitable for all hair types. The gently clarifying shampoo, in addition to strengthening weak hair, removes buildup and impurities from the scalp and also helps to soothe itching or flaking.
Next in the three-step lineup is the deep conditioning hair mask, meant to replace your regular conditioner twice a week. This intensive treatment is enriched with collagen and hyaluronic acid to dramatically soften and hydrate brittle strands. And finally, the oil serum, which is applied to damp hair post-wash to tame frizz, add shine, without leaving a greasy finish like some hair oils. The keratin-infused formula also contains argan and jojoba oils to offer lasting hydration and protect against heat styling and other environmental factors.
When purchased individually, these products range from $20 to $21 each, or you can purchase the entire system for less than $60, a price that’s significantly more affordable than the offerings from Olaplex or K18, which, in some cases, can cost $75 for just one product alone.
The Cosrx hair care line is still fairly new to market, but already there have been scores of user approvals from Amazon customers, which you can read for yourself below. It even “blew” one licensed hair stylist away, while others are calling it “magic.”
Promising Amazon reviews:
“What kind of sorcery is this? I skipped hair treatments for months due to pregnancy and my hair became brittle and dry. Split ends everywhere! It’s hard to find time when you have a toddler and a newborn. So I’ve been scouting for a home remedy based treatment products. Stumbled across this on my homepage, and gave it a shot. Followed instructions. I left it for 5 minutes and rinsed it. Dried it with a towel and put on some heat serum. I then used a hair dryer. After one use, I see a little to no visible split ends! I always hated seeing the split ends that are too obvious! Hair also feels moisturized and manageable! Affordable, easy to use and not time consuming! If you have damaged hair like me, get this now!” — The Thomasas
“I’ve tried countless hair serums, but the COSRX PEPTIDE 132 Hair Bonding Oil Serum truly stands out. My hair is naturally dry and tends to get frizzy—especially after heat styling and coloring. From the very first use, this serum made my hair feel noticeably smoother, shinier, and healthier without weighing it down once I got the application amount refined.
(The one caution I would have for anyone using this oil is start with one pump on initial application. A little goes a long way. Besides you can always add more after your blow dry if needed.
Another huge plus is the travel size—super convenient to toss in a bag, and a little goes a long way, so it lasts longer than you’d expect. There’s also no greasy residue, and the scent is light and pleasant—not overpowering. If your hair is dry, frizzy, or damaged, this is absolutely worth trying. I’ll definitely be repurchasing!” — JKS
“THIS STUFF IS MAGIC!!!! I don’t know the ingredients (besides peptides), and I don’t really care. I purchased this because I love this brands skincare. Used it for the first time and omg, my hair is SO SOFT. Way better shape than it’s felt in a long time. I struggle with oily scalp and dry ends. It didn’t make my scalp overly oily, and my ends feel SO soft and moisturized. Still feels soft the next day after washing. I’ll continually repurchase this stuff because it’s the best conditioner I’ve ever tried I believe. 5 stars.” — Mary Davis
“Absolutely amazing.I am a licensed hair stylist and I have to say this line blew me away. I have naturally fine and mostly straight hair but a lot of it. I would definitely say this leans more towards a clarifying shampoo but the conditioner is super hydrating. It also the shampoo is very concentrated I have long hair and I would say I used about a us quarter size amount of shampoo twice and about a 1/2 dollar worth of conditioner. If you have somewhat fine hair I will say the oil can be heavy. I would use 1-2 pumps of oil on ends when your hair is towel dried. I layered just a simple heat protectant over it and blew out my hair and wow wow wow I love it!” — Mackenzie
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