In the beauty world, Korean skincare products are often seen in ‘must try’ lists, with almost every beauty influencer listing one as a ‘holy grail’ product.
Having never tried any of the popular products before, I decided to put them to the test – trying out everything from overnight masks and pimple patches, to the viral gel infused with secretions from SNAILS.
Kicking things off with the one everyone is most interested in: the COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence Gel.
I’m not the squeamish type, so trying something with a less-than-desirable ingredient doesn’t necessarily put me off – but I was still dubious that anything that came out of a snail could work wonders on my skin.
But, in my case, at least, the rumours are true.
I let the gel sit while I worked (remotely – that wasn’t a view I’d force on my colleagues!), and it was surprisingly light-weight.
I’d expected something akin to the sliminess a snail leaves in its wake, but it instantly sunk into my face and left it feeling bouncy and glowing.
I followed it up with my normal moisturiser (Clean & Clear Dual Action) and the duo worked nicely together, leaving me really hydrated.
The gel doesn’t come cheap, at £24.99 for 100ml, but after a couple of weeks of use, I’d recommend it for anyone with dry skin and, if you’re like me, combination skin that struggles to find a nice balance with products.
Top tip: once you’ve applied the gel, use your fingertips to press the product in – this helps it absorb better.
After seeing success with that product, I tried a few more COSRX samples.
Hyaluronic acid is all the rage, so I gave their The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum a try – which promises deep hydration for plump, dewy skin.
This delivers instantly, and is fast-drying. The serum spreads beautifully and leaves a slight tackiness and glow.
My skin isn’t particularly dry, so I can imagine this works wonders on those with drier skin than mine.
I also sampled the Vitamin C 23 Serum, which targets dull and rough skin.
My skin naturally has colour to it, so this isn’t a concern, but texture definitely is.
Whether from this product alone, or a combination of the skin-smoothing samples, after a month of use my skin is noticeably less rough – a win!
I’m prone to hormonal spots, so another must-try was the BHA Blackhead Power Liquid.
This targets pimples and is meant to be exfoliating to clear clogged pores – although the product itself didn’t feel like a traditional exfoliant (the liquid is smooth).
While I haven’t noticed much difference in breakouts, I have an oily T-zone which this product seems to markedly reduce, balancing oil production in areas it is applied.
For me, this isn’t a miracle worker in terms of blackheads, but I’m pleased with the shift it puts in for oilier areas.
Moving on to my two top recommendations from the line: the Acne Pimple Master Patch, and the Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask.
I’ve tried my share of spot patches, and these are by far the best I’ve come across.
They aren’t as lightweight as others I’ve tested, but their density is due to them being packed full of goodness to protect and nourish your skin underneath a spot – highly recommend.
And the overnight spa mask is just what it says on the tin – a spa-like experience.
Thick and creamy, slathering this on before bed has become a ritual I thank myself for the following morning – I have never woken up so dewy and hydrated in my life.
If there’s one product you need to add to your skincare staples, this is it.
I couldn’t try out Korean skincare staples without trying out another viral product: WONDERBALM.
The concept is simple: an all-purpose, and all natural balm that can be used for almost anything skincare-related.
It works particularly well at hydrating and restoring damaged skin.
I’m a Sudocreme girl through and through, but decided to swap it out for WONDERBALM to put it to the test on spots and smaller patches of damaged skin.
I was pleasantly surprised by the results.
I left the balm to sink in overnight in both cases, and woke up to find the redness almost completely gone, and the skin on its way to repairing – just as promised.
I’ve also used this as a lip balm, and under my eyes after taking my makeup off a little too roughly, and had good results.
A little goes a long way, and the small pot looks set to last a long time – making it worth its £29 price.
