If you follow skincare trends at all, you’ve probably heard of CosRx Snail Mucin Essence, or, as it is sometimes known, CosRx Advanced Snail 96 Power Essence, or maybe just: “that snail cream stuff everyone’s talking about.” A longtime K-beauty sensation, CosRx entered the U.S. skin-care scene in 2017. Since then, its slick snail serum has amassed more than 40,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, consistently topped “best of” beauty lists and repeatedly gone viral on social media, where it has more than 75 million (and counting!) TikTok views. Today, it’s an in-the-know skin-care staple with staying power — makeup artists, dermatologists and even actresses like Emily Ratajkowski have been singing its dermis-healing praises for years.
COSRX
This best-selling serum has more than 60,000 Amazon reviews. We found it made a significant difference in the overall glow of our skin.
ProsLightweightMoisturizingSafe for most skin typesUsers report overnight results — including dewy skinConsStickyTexture may be too slimy for someOur honest CosRx Snail Mucin Essence review
I came to the snail slime party late by years with more than a little skepticism. The first thing I noticed is that the CosRx snail mucin product — unlike the buzz surrounding it — is completely low-key. There’s nothing fancy here, no over-the-top brand designer showing off. The packaging is simple, with a minimal label affixed to a pump bottle that’s efficient and works well.
This snail mucin is most similar to an unscented, lightweight serum. When applied, it quickly absorbs into the skin — a big selling point, at least for me. I never had pilling nor that kind of tacky skincare residue that makes putting on makeup afterwards a total drag.
The texture of CosRx Snail Mucin is slimy for sure, but not in a way I found offensive or gross (though note: those with texture sensitivities or slime-aversions may not love the sensation of putting snail mucus on one’s face).
The first night I used the CosRx Snail Mucin, I patted it on after washing my face before bed. When I woke up the next morning, my face was noticeably dewier, my skin felt softer than it usually does.
I’m 52 with combination skin, sometimes new products cause me to break out. But this snail mucin was ultra-gentle, making it easy to rotate into my skincare routine. It literally felt like I had nothing on. Over the course of my two-week trial, I layered it under sunscreen during the day and under moisturizer at night. By the end, it had already improved the texture of my skin, particularly my crow’s feet and the fine lines on my cheeks. My complexion looked more even. While I was working on this review, two friends my age told me they use snail mucin in combination with their retinol creams — it makes, according to these 50-plus women, the retinol less harsh.
Does CosRx Snail Mucin work?
I’d honestly expected to find CosRx Snail Mucin disappointing. It’s been so over-promoted, the claims so far-fetched, it seemed impossible that it could live up to all the hype. But my most honest review is I saw a noticeable improvement in my skin’s texture within the first day and even more so after two weeks. My skin was more supple, my fine lines appeared less deep and my face appeared generally more even and had a sort of glow. I’m going to keep trying it, especially since the real results are meant to come after 90 days.
COSRX
An easy, lightweight, affordable skincare product that, when used consistently, delivers real results.
CosRx Snail Mucin alternatives
Though CosRx’s version is the current star of the snail mucin show, there are dozens of products like it on the market, some with the slime as a hero ingredient, some adding it to the mix of other skin-healing favorites, many from the K-beauty world. If you’re looking for a luxurious, dermatologist-recommended splurge, Biopelle’s Tensage Growth Factor 50 is often recommended by dermatologists.
Lesser-known brands like SeoulCeuticals, Mizon and Peach Slices offer nighttime treatments, creams and even jelly-like masks. Whatever you buy, make sure to look for a high concentration of the main ingredient — above 90 percent is ideal. And for first-time snail-slime novices, I’d recommend trying the CosRx version, which worked for me and is most-loved by true mucin heads.
