Secret Key Snail+EGF Repairing Eye Cream

Pink Ninja loves good eye cream. Actually the eye cream was my first "serious" cosmetic product, I started using one when I was 15 years old, looking for some solution to my dark circles. Quickly I become addicted to the nice shooting feeling of the eye cream around my eyes and since I felt in love with Secret Key snail products, I couldn't pass the opportunity to check this product out.

Product description: Snail mucus and EGF ingredient helps skin elasticity and increase moisturising power to create healthy skin. Creates elastic and vibrant skin around eyes as it absorbs quickly into sensitive eye area.

Main ingredients:

• Snail secretion filtrate - protects skin from infection, reduces inflammation, effective in treating acne and scarring, anti-wrinkle
• Human Oilgo Peptide-1 (EGF) - known as a "beauty factor" - eliminating scars and speckles by improving the texture and condition of the skin, anti-wrinkle by rejuvenating skin by stimulating cell proliferation 
• Arbutin - skin lightening
• Adenosine - helps prevent wrinkles, reduces UVB sun damage, increases the production of elastin and collagen reducing skin saginess and improving tone
• Beta glucan - a natural compound extracted from plants, that helps to maintain a youthful appearance for skin
• Macadamia Seed Oil - contains Palmitoleic acid that is vital for delaying skin and cell ageing, Oleic acid that has regeneration and moisturising properties, Linoleic acid that helps to prevent skin water loss and Plant phytosterols that are calming and healing
• Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) - offers multiple benefits for ageing skin- can improve skin's elasticity, enhance skin's barrier function, help erase discolourations, and revive skin's healthy tone and texture.
• Squalane (or Squalene)- natural organic compound obtained from shark liver oil or olive oil (this cream uses olive oil one). It’s an antioxidant-rich, age-fighting emollient, that over time can reduce wrinkles, eliminate scars, reverse UV damage, lighten freckles and erase skin pigmentation.
• Jojoba seed oil - it's a unique kind of oil, that has no greasy feel to it, does not have any large amounts of the fatty acids and has no cholesterol. Jojoba oil is used to treat various skin diseases and the prevention of facial and neck wrinkles.

Product arrives in cardboard box, inside we will find 30ml tube. Tube is secured from the bottom with a bit of foil. I have aways problem with thinking in capacities, so I was well surprised with how bit the tube was (almost as long as my palm), however it's not entirely full, I would say that 1/4 of the tube is empty. The tube is opaque, but if I direct it to some source of light I can easily see how much cream is there.

Cream has very light consistency. It spreads easily on the skin and absorbs quickly. There is only a tiny amount needed to cover whole eye area - I use it since mid June and still got half of the tube. What I like most about this product is that even tough is light it's still very nourishing and moisturising. It's lighter than Skin Food Salmon Eye Cream but as much nutritious. Thanks to quick absorbency it's perfect for the AM use, I don't have to wait long to apply my make up. Cream has very subtle floral scent, hardly noticeable.

Price: from £6 on e-Bay.

Pros:
+ lightweight
+ quickly absorbing
+ well moisturising
+ brightens up eye area
+ generous capacity = good value for money

Cons:
NONE!

After two months of use skin around my eyes feel great. It's soft, supple and brighten. I also think my "smiling wrinkle" under the eyes improved. I am very pleased with this product :)

Secret Key Snail + EGF Repairing Foam Cleanser

Today review of the foam that was my first Secret Key's product and started my love to the Snail+EGF series. Enjoy!

Product description: Snail foam cleanser for sensitive skin of snail mucus and EGF ingredient. Deeply cleans up sebum and waste without irritation. Excellent in restoring damaged skin and keeping moisture as it contains natural ingredients.

Main ingredients:

• Snail secretion filtrate - protects skin from infection, reduces inflammation, effective in treating acne and scarring, anti-wrinkle
• Human Oilgo Peptide-1 (EGF) - known as a "beauty factor" - eliminating scars and speckles by improving the texture and condition of the skin, anti-wrinkle by rejuvenating skin by stimulating cell proliferation
• Glycerin - Glycerin is a well known humectant in cosmetics and personal care products. Other functions that have been reported for Glycerin include, hair conditioning agent, oral care agent, skin conditioning agent - humectant, skin protectant and viscosity decreasing agents.
• Betaine - An amino acid also known as Trimethylglycine or glycine betaine. Primarily functions as a humectant and anti-irritant in cosmetic products. It's able to give superior hydration to the skin, without the residual stickiness often associated with glycerin based emulsions. When used in skin care products, it can temporarily decrease the depth of wrinkles, giving the face a much smoother appearance.

The product arrives in cardboard box, inside which we will find 100ml squeezy tube, secured with a bit of foil on the bottom. The whole packaging is nice and simple.
Similarly to other Korean foam face washes, this product has a consistency of thick, smooth cream, pearl white in colour. Cream glides easily on slightly wet skin and creates very rich foam. Considering the amount and thickness of foam it actually reminds me old fashioned shaving cream xD Product has a nice, floral scent, the same note that we can come across with other products from Secret Key's Snail + EGF range.

This foam cleans very well, removes all the make up, even mascara. Face feels refreshed and squeaky clean afterwards and all of that without any drying side effects - brilliant! Product is also super efficient, as you only need a pea size amount to clean the whole face and neck. I use it since beginning of May and still got at least 1/3 of the tube.

Price: from £6 on e-Bay.

Pros:
+ rich foam
+ skin clean and refreshed, removes make up
+ doesn't dry out skin
+ a little goes a long way = good value for money
+ nice smell

Cons:
- completely opaque tube, so I can't see how much exactly I have used up

Summary: a good product for reasonable price. Highly recommended :)

Secret Key Snail+EGF Repairing Essence

I am in love with Secret Key's Snail products. Prestige Snail+EGF Ampoule was good, but the least efficient from all the series, so when I ran out of it I decided to replace it with the essence.

 Product description: Snail Slime Extract together with EGF (Cell Regeneration Factor) act as a skin stain remover, healing and repairing wounds and scars, it also boots your skin's ability to stay hydrated and bright.

Ingredients:

• Snail Secretion Filtrate - protects skin from infection, reduces inflammation, effective in treating acne and scarring, anti-wrinkle
• Human Oilgo Peptide-1 (EGF) - known as a "beauty factor" - eliminating scars and speckles by improving the texture and condition of the skin, anti-wrinkle by rejuvenating skin by stimulating cell proliferation
• Macadamia Seed Oil - contains Palmitoleic acid that is vital for delaying skin and cell ageing, Oleic acid that has regeneration and moisturising properties, Linoleic acid that helps to prevent skin water loss and Plant phytosterols that are calming and healing
• Oryza sativa (rice) extract - increases synthesis of collagen, also provides both short- and long-term hydration to the skin.

Oryza sativa (rice) extractSnow fungus (Tremella Fuciformis) Extract - has anti-aging properties due to allowing the skin to retain more water and helps prevent senile degeneration (the breaking down over time) of micro blood vessels within the skin and keep blood flowing through the skin optimally.

From all the series this product has the most snaily structure. It's gooey and during the application it tends to stretch what is a little annoying, as I like to apply products by first dotting them on the face and then massaging in - this essence creates "strings" between the dots, so it's easy to accidentally apply it in some silly place like eyebrow :P but the good side of this essence is that it doesn't feel sticky on the skin as it absorbs very quickly. It leaves skin slightly moisturised and smooth and it's very lightweight - perfect for oily skin. It has very subtle smell, some floral notes similar to the ones in Snail+EGF Repairing Gel Cream. Product is quite efficient - one pump is enough to cover entire face.

Price: around £6 on e-Bay.

Pros:
+ lightweight
+ fast absorbing
+ affordable
+ a little goes a long way

Cons:
- gooey texture

Overall I am quite pleased with this product, I like how light and quickly absorbing it is. I use it twice a day, AM under the snail gel, PM under the Prestige snail cream.

Secret Key Lemon D-Toc Peeling Gel

My summer is all about the Secret Key. I have already reviewed for you some of Secret Key's Snail Products, now it's type for my favourite type of Korean product - peeling gel.

 

 

Product description (from the front of product): Fresh lemon leaves rich in vitamin C moisturise the sensitive or problem prone skin caused by external environment or imbalance between moisture and oil to keep it soft, supple, refreshed and healthy. Lemon D-toc peeling gel removes dead skin layer and helps skin turn over.

5 Free System: No paraben, no mineral oil, no Benzophenone, no Phenyoxyethanol, no artificial colour.

Main ingredients:

• Lemon extract -  a natural source of Vitamin C and antioxidants, protects skin against sun damage and works anti-inflammatory, recovers fatigue, brightens skin
• Centella (also known as Gotu Kola) - an effective anti-photoageing agent, mainly due to enhancement of collagen, which amount in skin decreases with age
• Hibiscus - has anti-oxidant properties, contains  flavonoids that are helping to maintain the skin's elasticity, contains acids that are one of the best natural peeling ingredients, also improves skin tone (rich in vitamin C)
• Aloe vera leaf extract - moisturiser and anti-irritant used for it's rejuvenating, healing and soothing properties
• Witch hazel extract - a strong astringent & antioxidant, has antibacterial & anti-inflammatory properties, effective in acne treatments
• Chamomile - soothes skin

Product arrives without any extra packaging, just thermo-wrapped in foil. Tube is secured with a piece of foil as well. The tube has 120ml capacity.

How to use: apply certain amount on dry skin, then massage until it rolls up with the impurities from your skin, then wash off with warm water.

This gel has a smooth texture, without visible cellulose bits like in Skin Food's Pineapple peeling gel, but it's also not as jelly-like as Ginvera Marvel Gel.

To check if product is really taking of impurities from my skin, not just rolling by itself I did a little experiment with clean plate and rubber glove:

I've squeezed a little bit of product on the clean plate...

...and massaged product into the plate for good couple of minutes.

As you can see gel didn't roll up on the plate - which proves for me that it indeed reacts with my skin impurities and dead skin cells.

The product is very efficient, as I use it every day from over 2 months and still have good 1/3 of the tube. You can also use it to remove you make up, but I like to use it in the morning, when my face is only a bit oily, to make sure it targets my pores. After use pores are minimised, face brightened and feeling fresh. In long term of regular use I can see improvement in my skin clarity - my nose used to be covered in blackheads, now they re-appear only on the nostrils.
Products has a bit chemical lemon scent, but it's not unpleasant and doesn't bother me at all.

Price: £6.66 on e-Bay.

Pros:
+ very efficient and generous capacity - good value for money
+ minimises pores
+ helps to fight blackheads
+ refreshes and brightens up skin

Cons:
- a bit chemical scent

Summary: I am very pleased with this product, from all the peeling gels I used so far, this is definitely the best value for money - it offers twice the capacity of Ginvera Marvel Gel for half the price. There is still few brands I want to try after I use up this one, but so far this is my favourite :)

Secret Key Snail + EGF Repairing Gel Cream Review

Review of another Snail Product from Secret Key ^^ Enjoy!

Product description: Take control of your skin, keeping it lightweight, cool and refreshed! Low irritation skin therapy with added hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) extract.

Contains only natural preservatives: extract from Chinese pepper, pasque flower and usnea are good natural preservatives and have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.

Main ingredients:

• Snail secretion filtrate - protects skin from infection, reduces inflammation, effective in treating acne and scarring, anti-wrinkle
• Human Oilgo Peptide-1 (EGF) - known as a "beauty factor" - eliminating scars and speckles by improving the texture and condition of the skin, anti-wrinkle by rejuvenating skin by stimulating cell proliferation
• Witch hazel extract - a strong astringent & antioxidant, has antibacterial & anti-inflammatory properties, effective in acne treatments
• Aloe vera leaf extract - moisturiser and anti-irritant used for it's rejuvenating, healing and soothing properties
• Beta glucan - a natural compound, extracted from plants, that helps to maintain a youthful appearance for skin
• Lemon extract -  a natural source of Vitamin C and antioxidants, protects skin against sun damage and works anti-inflammatory

 Product is a 50ml plastic jar with extra security lid under the plastic screw cap. It comes in cardboard box.

Product is a clear gel with nice floral scent. For me it looks and smell a little bit like a hair styling gel :P The consistency is light, but not runny.

The product is really lightweight on the skin - on the beginning I had problem with finding the right amount to apply and I was using too much , but even generously applied it doesn't make skin feel oily. It's moisturising and refreshing, non sticky. I use it with Secret Key Prestige Snail + EGF Ampoule & Cream (cream at PM and gel for AM) - after two weeks of regular use I noticed a great improvement in my skin elasticity and moisture level. The gel is getting used up a bit quicker than Prestige Cream - I use the series for a month now and I already used up half of my gel and only 1/3 of the cream.
What I like most about this product and what makes me like it much more than Mizon's Snail Gel Cream is that it doesn't leave skin shining. Mizon's gel was well moisturising and took good care of my skin, but after application my skin was madly shining which was soooo annoying. Secret Key's gel absorbs to almost-matte finish:

The other thing that makes Secret Key's snail gel beat Mizon's snail gel is the fact that latter contains silicone (a lightweight one, but still). Secret Key's snail gel has quite impressive no-nonsense ingredient list and contains a few ingredients good for skin. The downside is that in Secret Key's product snail secretion filtrate is not on the first place in the ingredients list and we don't really know how much of a snail there is in a snail product, when Mizon tell us on the label that their gel is made in 74% of snail secretion filtrate.

Price: from £6 on e-Bay.

Pros:
+ lightweight
+ well moisturising
+ doesn't leave skin shiny
+ nice smell
+ cheap

Cons:
- the manufacturer doesn't say how much of the snail secretion filtrate actually is in the product

Summing up - I really like this product and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for lightweight moisturising and improvement in skin elasticity :) All the Secret Key's Snail Products are working really well for my skin and I am planing to continue using this series to see what it can do in a long term. Snail secretion filtrate is supposed to be good in scar healing as well, so I hope it will help me beat my acne scars, but it's a ling term process so I just have to continue use and see how it goes.

Ingredients: Water, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Human Oligopeptide-1, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Babadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Beta-Glucan, Nonoxynol-12, Disodium EDTA, Arginine, 1,2 -Hexanediol, Fragrance
Ingredients analysis [HERE]

Double Review: Secret Key Snail+EGF Prestige Ampoule & Prestige Repairing Cream

I was looking for some Snail products to help my skin heal my acne scars. While I was browsing my favourite e-Bay seller's shop I came across the Secret Key - it was affordable and I couldn't find any reviews about the cream, so I just decided to try it and make one myself ;)

 Snail+EGF Prestige Ampoule

Product description: Snail muscus filtrate acquired from nature keeps hydration and protects skin from outer harmful substances.
5 free system: no mineral oil, no benzophenone, no coloring, no animal oil, no animal test
 
Major ingredients:

• Arbutin - skin lightening
• Human Oilgo Peptide-1 (EGF) - known as a "beauty factor" - eliminating scars and speckles by improving the texture and condition of the skin, anti-wrinkle by rejuvenating skin by stimulating cell proliferation
• Adenosine - helps prevent wrinkles, reduces UVB sun damage, increases the production of elastin and collagen reducing skin sagginess and improving tone
• Snail Muscus Filtrate -  protects skin from infection, reduces inflammation, effective in treating acne and scarring, anti-wrinkle
• Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract - optimizes and reinforces collagen synthesis, rich in potassium and therefore regulates the intercellular pressure and retain the water content in the skin
• Viscum Album (Mistletoe) Leaf Extract - a powerful antioxidant 

The ampolue comes in a 30ml glass bottle with glass pipette applicator, packed in golden cardboard box. The packaging is quite simple yet elegant, making it look like a high end product.

The ampoule itself is a clear, runny liquid with nice, but very subtle smell, I literally have to stick my nose into the bottle to smell it. It's only a little bit sticky when we try it between two fingers and doesn't feel sticky on the face at all. It is very lightweight and well moisturising, absorbs into skin very quickly. I have an oily skin and this works well both as an only moisturiser and underneath some cream. I use it all over my face, including eye area and I noticed a big improvement in my skin, especially under my eyes. I have problem with bags under my eyes since like always, tear through is very visible. After approx. 3 weeks of using this under my eyes I noticed great improvement in my skin elasticity, skin is firmer, appearance of the tear through improved. Of course my bags didn't completely go away, but there is an improvement :)

Price: from £9 on e-Bay.

Pros:
+ lightweight
+ well moisturising
+ helps improve skin elasticity

Cons:
- the manufacturer doesn't say anywhere about how much snail muscus is actually in the product
- very opaque bottle, so we can't see how much of the product we got left

Snail + EGF Prestige Repairing Cream

Product description: Snail muscus filtrate acquired from nature keeps hydration and protects skin from outer harmful substances. Snail beauty ingredient penetrating through dermis, activating cell proliferation, reproducing damaged skin.
5 free system: no mineral oil, no benzophenone, no coloring, no animal oil, no animal test.

Key ingredients:

• Snail Secretion Filtrate - protects skin from infection, reduces inflammation, effective in treating acne and scarring, anti-wrinkle
• Human Oilgo Peptide-1 (EGF) - known as a "beauty factor" - eliminating scars and speckles by improving the texture and condition of the skin, anti-wrinkle by rejuvenating skin by stimulating cell proliferation
• Arbutin - skin lightening
• Adenosine - helps prevent wrinkles, reduces UVB sun damage, increases the production of elastin and collagen reducing skin sagginess and improving tone
• Macadamia Seed Oil - contains Palmitoleic acid that is vital for delaying skin and cell aging, Oleic acid that has regeneration and moisturizing properties, Linoleic acid that helps to prevent skin water loss and Plant phytosterols that are calming and healing
• Birch sap - traditional herbal medicine that is antiseptic, anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory
• Shea butter - helps with dry skin, eczema, skin problems; deep moisturizing, skin regeneration, skin healing properties.

Full ingredients: Purified water, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Macadamia Seed Oil, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Arbutin, Microcrystalline wax, Beeswax, Birch sap, Sodium Hyaluronate, Shea Butter, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, C14-22 Alcohol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Polysorbate 60, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Human Oligopeptide-1, Adenosine, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Anisate, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance
Ingredients analysis [HERE]

  
 The cream comes in glass 50ml jar, packed in golden cardboard box. Packaging altogether is simple yet elegant, making it look like a high end product. I really like the lid of the jar, that is smooth and glossy on the top and rough and matte on the side, easy to grab and open. I know that a lot of people consider jar packaging as a unsanitary, but I like jars the most - I can always use up the whole product without the struggle. Just make sure you apply the cream with clean hands and you will be fine.

The cream has rich consistency and lovely smell, same like ampoule but much stronger - we can smell it immediately after opening the jar. Smell is hard to describe, it's a combination of floral and herbal notes, a little bit medicinal, but my nose likes it ;)
The cream is super moisturising, rich, but not oily. I have an oily skin and rather use it at nightime, but I used it couple of times in the morning and it was fine, I just had to be careful with amount used. I think people with normal/dry skin could easily use it both AM & PM.
As for the performance - this cream is my cosmetical discovery of the year. The first effects I noticed were after a week of PM use, on my neck & neckline. I have sensitive skin and skin allergy that makes my whole upper body dry and itchy. I am taking antihistamine, that helped a lot, but my neck and neckline were still very dry, after every shower I was literally runing from the bathroom to the bedroom to apply some moisturiser on my itchy skin. After week of using this Repairing Cream my skin calmed down, became well moisturised and smooth again. I honestly can not belive how good my skin is - now I can even ocasionally skip my neck moisturising in the evening and it will be still good in the morning. Miracle! I also notice improvement on my face, skin is smooth and well moisturised, no breakouts at all. My acne scars are still there, but I realize that I will take a long time for them to fade - that's just the nature of the acne scars.

Price: from £8 on e-Bay.

Pros:
+ well moisturising
+ rich, but not greasy and not sticky
+ skin is so nice and smooth after it
+ lovely smell
+ a little goes a long way

Cons:
- for AM us on an oily skin I would recommend very little amount or just use some lighter product
- the manufacturer doesn't say how much of the snail secretion filtrate actually is in the product (in opposite to for example Mizon, where we can find percentage on the label)

Summing up: I really liked both of the products. I also use Secret Key Snail + EFG Cleansing Foam (review yet to come) and Secret Key Snail Repairing Gel, so I use ampoule + gel in the morning and foam + ampoule + cream in the evening. After couple of uses I noticed improvement in my skin moisture level, after couple of weeks elasticity of my skin improved. They are definitely good value for money - after I used them up I am planning to buy them again at least once, to see what they can do during long time use. I would strongly recommend them to anyone :)