Battle of the Slime: The COSRX Snail 92 Cream vs the Snail White Cream
Snail secretion filtrate is a popular ingredient in a lot of Korean skincare. The snail’s mucin (aka, the slimy trail they leave behind) contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid and humectants, and is scientifically proven to have anti-aging benefits. It is also an ancient remedy for burns and wounds as it helps skin repair itself. Apparently, brands like AmorePacific harvest the mucin by “letting snails crawl around a mesh net in a darkened room for half an hour, and then transferred back into their natural habitat to rest.”
Though I’m a fan of all things K-beauty, learning about snail skincare freaked me out because I’ve had many traumatic childhood experiences involving lizards and toads. Anything small, slimy, and crawling sends me running to another room! But my mind was changed when I mistakenly bought a Tony Moly Pure Eco Snail Moisture Gel a few years ago, thinking it was an aloe-based gel. As grossed out as I was by the idea of putting snail slime on my face, it felt like a waste of money to not use it.
I was so surprised at how nourishing the snail gel was, and how healthy it made my skin look! I’ve tried other snail skincare products since, and my oily skin just loves it. So I volunteered myself to test out two popular snail creams and find out: which cream is the slimy best?
The COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream (P1100 for 100ml at theskincarecurator.com) claims to contain 92% snail secretion filtrate that deeply moisturizes the skin and nourishes the moisture barrier. This looks translucent and has a gooey consistency. It feels quite thick upon application and you’ll need to give it some time to absorb.
Once absorbed, my skin immediately feels plump and bouncy. I love how the moisture is retained throughout the day, and in the morning when I wake up. Continued use has left my skin feeling so soft and nourished. Even if this claims to be best for dry skin, us oily-skinned folks would benefit from it, too, because it feels like a more substantial gel cream. If you’re heading somewhere cold, this would also be a great addition for a winter skincare routine.
I first spotted the SNAILWHITE Snail Secretion Filtrate Moisture Facial Cream (P990 for 30ml at Watsons) during my Bangkok trip but didn’t pay attention even if it was top shelf in most beauty stores. Because it has “white” in the brand name, I dismissed it as another whitening product. Maybe I judged it too hard; Tita Krissy endorses the brand, so it must be good, right?
After getting to try it for this story, I now understand why this moisturizer has good reviews in BeautyMNL. It has a gel-like consistency that sinks easily into the skin, and the pump packaging is so smart and convenient. It claims to help brighten the complexion and improve skin texture, and it has niacinamide in its ingredients list.
This would be a great moisturizer option for those with oily skin, or those who prefer a gel-type moisturizer. My only complaint is that it absorbs too quickly on the skin that I feel like the moisture just disappeared. The hydration seems fairly short-lived because my face feels dry as the day progresses.
So, which snail cream should you get?
Price-wise, COSRX will give you more bang for your buck. The P1,100 seems steep, but you’re getting 100ml of product. On the other hand, you’re only getting 30ml at P990 with SNAILWHITE.
Then there’s the snail filtrate secretion content. COSRX claims to have 92% snail filtrate secretion. I believe this because my skin feels so nourished with every usage. I haven’t found the exact percentage of the SNAILWHITE’s filtrate secretion content but it only places second in the ingredients list. I expected to get the same nourishing feeling from SNAILWHITE, but I was let down.
What really cemented my decision was when I reintroduced acids into my routine. I find that COSRX complements the acids that I use, and my skin feels softer and smoother after. When I moisturize with SNAILWHITE, it just does not feel hydrating enough.
The COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream is the clear winner of this slimy battle. If you’ve tried both, do you agree with our verdict? What snail skincare have you tried so far?
Sources: The Strategist, Fifty Shades of Snail, National Center for Biotechnology Information
COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream: Snail Secretion Filtrate, Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cetearyl Alcohol, stearic acid, Arginine, Dimethicone, Carbomer, Panthenol, Allantoin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Ethyl Hexanediol, Adenosine, Phenoxyethanol
SNAILWHITE Snail Secretion Filtrate Moisture Facial Cream: AQUA, SNAIL SECRETION FILTRATE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, PROPANEDIOL, DICAPRYLYL CARBONATE, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII BUTTER, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, NIACINAMIDE, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERIN, WATER, CENTELLA ASIATICA EXTRACT, HYDROGENATED LECITHIN, CHOLESTEROL, SODIUM POLYACRYLATE, BISABOLOL, ZINGIBER OFFICINALE ROOT EXTRACT, DIPOTASSIUM GLYCYRRHIZATE, LAVANDULA STOECHAS EXTRACT, FRAGARIA VESCA FRUIT EXTRACT, MORUS NIGRA FRUIT EXTRACT, RUBUS IDAEUS FRUIT EXTRACT, PRUNUS AVIUM FRUIT EXTRACT, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, PHENOXYETHANOL, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, SODIUM STEAROYL GLUTAMATE, CARBOMER, XANTHAN GUM, HYDROLYZED HYALURONIC ACID, SODIUM POLYGLUTAMATE, TRIETHANOLAMINE, PANAX GINSENG CALLUS CULTURE EXTRACT, FRAGRANCE, PEG-90M
