By now it should be clear to, well, the entire world, that K-Beauty brands know good skin.
For the better part of this decade they’ve been leading the charge with innovation, routines and products (read about beauty-editor approved faves here) and our skin has reaped the benefits.
The secret sauce is of course the ingredients they use in their products.
From unique traditional Chinese Medicine botanicals, to herbs and exotic mushrooms to the now-infamous snail mucin, these are what sets K-Beauty apart from the rest of the world.
So, in the name of glass-like, hydrated, glowing skin let's get to know the A-team a little better shall we?
Snail Mucin.
The lowdown: Probably the most well-known of all K-Beauty ingredients, not so long ago the thought of putting snail anything on our faces might have made us squeamish.
Now, we can’t get enough of snail mucin benefits (see also one billion views on the TikTok hashtag). So what is it?
Well, exactly what it says on the box. Snail mucin is the excretion (mucus) from snail glands that they use for lubrication, hydration and adhesion.
How it works in skincare: It contains proteins that help promote collagen and elastin production, as well as glycolic acid (which you know is great for exfoliation and improving texture), plus allantoin which can moisturise, hydrate and even have potential anti-inflammatory properties (great for scarring etc).
The COSRX snail mucin is one of the most iconic K-Beauty products (and one of our best-sellers).
Find it in: COSRX Advanced Snail Radiance Dual Essence