Turns out snail mucin isn't just a viral fad - this unconventional ingredient is the key to my hydrated and calm skin

With so many beauty products out there these days, it's difficult to know which viral ones are actually worthy of our attention. But that's where we come in to sift through hundreds of products to find the best foundations for oily skin, the best toner for dry skin and everything in between. One product that consistently does the rounds on TikTok and continues to be one of Amazon's bestselling beauty products is Cosrx's Advanced 96 Snail Mucin Essence. So I decided to give it a trial and report my findings.

I first tried a snail mucin product about eight years ago. It was sticky and far from a pleasant experience, but the results were incredible. As someone with rosacea and extremely reactive skin, I could slather it on at night and wake up to bouncy and hydrated skin that was calm - redness visibly reduced. However, I stopped using it a few years ago because, well, beauty editor life means having about 84 products on the go at all times.

That's why when I first tried Cosrx's Advanced 96 Snail Mucin Essence, I knew my skin was in for a good time. Here's what you need to know about it.

Snail mucin explained

As you've probably already guessed from the name, the main ingredient and USP of this product is snail mucin - in other words: snail slime (the scientific name is secretion filtrate). To confirm, you shouldn't go home this evening, pop into your garden and put snails on your face - that's disgusting and unhygienic, please don't do that. However, the purpose of the snail's mucus is to protect the its skin and keep it from drying out. It has been found that it works in a similar way for humans, as it contains complex glycoproteins, which are beneficial for the skin. The mucin is rich in antioxidants, super hydrating and antimicrobial.

Cosrx extracts the mucus it uses in its products from giant African land snails, which are farmed so that their health can be controlled. The brand explains that the "snails are placed over a mesh net in a dark and quiet room. As nocturnal creatures, this provides them with a comfortable space to roam freely. After about an hour, the snails are transferred back to their homes while the mucin is collected and processed for use." The brand is clear in its messaging that no snails are harmed in the harvesting but it's obviously up to your judgement whether or not to introduce the ingredient into your routine. You'll want to steer clear if you like your beauty products vegan.

Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence texture and application

The texture of the essence is unique as it's fairly sticky. This might put a few people off trying it, but in my opinion lots of the high-street hyaluronic acids are stickier. The essence is designed to be followed by a moisturiser so the sticky feeling should go away fairly quickly. I also find that if I'm wearing make-up over the top then it works quite well as a primer.

To apply it, I dropped about a 5p-sized amount onto my palms and then gently massaged it into my skin before my moisturiser and SPF in the morning. Thanks to its calming ingredients, it's a product that's super easy to incorporate into an existing skincare routine and can be used alongside other actives like retinoids.

Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence results

Even after just a few days of use, my skin felt and looked so much calmer and hydrated. I find that it lessens my redness and reduces dryness dramatically when I use it. It's a product that'll remain in my rotation.

I'm not the only one who loves it, I chatted with Marie Claire staffer, Dami Abajingin, about her love of CosRx and this is what she had to say: "I initially purchased it to repair my skin barrier after an adverse reaction to a tretinoin product over a year ago. Not only did it repair my skin barrier, but it has significantly improved my skin texture overall. I have combination skin and have previously struggled with dehydration (on my forehead in particular) now my skin is softer, smoother and plumper."

My only gripe is that I wish they did smaller bottles. The 100ml expires in 12 months and although you might think that's a long time to use it all up, a little goes a very long way with this essence. You only need the smallest amount for the face, neck and chest. I think if they did smaller, cheaper bottles you might get more use from it.