Beware Mizon Snail Repairing Foam Cleanser...

I love my snail products, but unfortunately not all of them seem to be oh-so-good...

Product description from packaging:  This cleansing foam with snail's mucus filtrate and its ample and elastic bubble washes the skin cleanly.

In the ingredients, among the famous snail secretion filtrate we will also find:

• Gypsophila paniculata ("Baby's breath" - you know, that bunches of tiny white flower that florists add to bouquets to make the look fuller) root extract, which skin care benefits remain unknown to me
• Papaya fruit extract - source of vitamin A and Papain. Vitamin A acts as an anti-oxidant, while the papain breaks down inactive proteins and removes dead skin cells.
• Ivy extract - It has emollient and itch-relieving properties, as well as anti-inflammatory and pain killing actions. It's also circulatory compound and helps other ingredients to be absorbed by the skin.
• Arnica Montana flower extract - has antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and supports healing process.
• Wormwood Extract - a natural antiseptic and anti inflammatory oil said to help heal bites, cuts, sores, blisters and wounds. It also soothes damaged, red skin.
• Yarrow leaf extract - medicinal herb used topically to speed wound healing and improve other skin conditions such as rashes, abrasions, and calm inflamed skin. Contains i.a. salicylic acid that has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties and flavonoidsthat are vital antioxidants protecting against cell-damaging free radicals.
• Gentian (Bitter Root, Bitterwort) - has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties
• Green Tea Leaf Extract - it's a powerful antioxidant, protecting skin cells from the damage caused by free radicals. It is also known to reduce skin swelling and help soothe and condition sensitive skin. 

Sounds great, but don't get too excited, because cleansing foam doesn't sit on our skin for long enough to let the plant extracts work properly :P

Full list of ingredients: Water, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate. Myristic acid, Lauric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-14M, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Polysorbate 20, Polyquaternium-7, Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, Gypsophila Paniculata Root Extract, Carica papaya, Ivy Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Artemisia Absinthium Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Ethanol, Camellia Sinensis, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance

Ingredients analysis [HERE] 

As you can see on the pictures above, foam comes sealed with foil, there is no extra packaging to it. Under the cap tube is protected with a bit o tin foil. Tube has 60ml capacity.

 

The foam itself is a white, stringy cream with pearly shine to it. As all of the Korean cleansers I tested so far, it behaves like shaving cream - pearly cream with a bit of water and massage turns into rich, thick foam. Product has nice, soapy smell. A little goes a long way - a pea size is well enough to cover the whole face and neck in thick foam.

As for the performance there is nothing special about it. It cleans, leaving the skin squeaky clean, but that's about it. I don't mind squeeky clean, I actually enjoy this feeling as long as it doesn't strip my skin out of all moisture, but unfortunately this foam dries out my skin a little bit. When used on it's own it's bearable, but when used on skin previously cleansed with oil it makes my face really tight and dry. I read couple of other reviews about this product and Cat Cactus in her review said that this cleanser has very high alkaline pH, which is bad for skin. Here you can read her note about importance of using cleansers with right pH for your skin.

Price: from £4 on e-Bay.

Pros:

+ cheap

+ a little goes a long way

+ contains quite a few beneficial plant extracts - even though the foam is not on the skin for long enough to let them work properly, it's nice to know they are there

+ nice smell

Cons:

- dries out skin

- has pH bad for your skin

Summary: I wouldn't recommend this product to anyone. And I'm going to buy myself pH testing litmus papers, so no more harming my skin with alkaline foam cleansers!

Baviphat Urban Dollkiss Snail Teraphy Sleeping Pack Review

Ladies and gentleman, let me introduce my magic apple from Baviphat!
I wanted to try Baviphat's sleeping pack for a long time, originally I was aiming for the lemon whitening one, but the moment I discovered that they have new series and I saw THIS product I just had to HAVE IT.
Why?
First of all: my skin loves snail.
Secondly: this packaging! OMG! Just like ma favourite Nina Ricci's perfumes. I'm instantly in love.
Thirdly: there is not much information about this product anywhere, the descriptions on different seller's pages are very vague and there is no reviews, which makes me want to try it even more. I'm just such a curious creature ;)
Also the price is affordable, so as soon as I ran out of my Secret Key Prestige Snail Cream, which I was using as a night cream, I ordered my apple.

Product description:  Double function sleeping pack, whitening & anti-wrinkle. You will find magically moisturised and elastic skin in the morning. Calming and revitalising stressed skin. Smooths complexion all over the night while you're sleeping. Colourants, surfactants, talc, parabene & mineral oil free. Hypo-allergenic.
How to use: Apply at the end of your evening skincare routine and leave overnight. In the morning wash off with warm water. 

Contains:

• Snail secretion filtrate - protects skin from infection, reduces inflammation, effective in treating acne and scarring, anti-wrinkle.
• Propolis - has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, may be effective in acne treatment. Emollient and antioxidant, helps to restore and maintain skin structure.
• Mistletoe - a powerful antioxidant 
• Adansonia Digitata (Baobab) Leaf Extract - contains high levels of calcium, protein, vitamins A & C. Has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
• NMF (Neutral Moisturising Factor) - Found in the cells of the stratum corneum (horny layer, top layers of epidermis), this complex has significant water-retention capabilities and plays an important role in keeping skin hydrated.
  NMF is actually not a single ingredient, but an expansive group of substances including amino acids, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, cholesterol, fatty acids, triglycerides, phospholipids, glycosphingolipids, urea, linoleic acid, glycosaminoglycans, glycerin, mucopolysaccharide, and sodium PCA (pyrrolidone carboxylic acid). These substances are naturally produced in our skin during desquamation, sweating or sebum production. When the lipid and NMF content of skin is reduced, we experience surface roughness, flaking, fine lines, and a tight, uncomfortable feeling. Incorporated in skin care products this ingredients help to support natural skin functions and improve the skin’s moisture content.

Baviphat's apple arrives in oh-so-cute cardboard box, with clear apple-shaped "window" at the front. Inside the box we will find plastic apple-shaped bottle with generous 150ml capacity. It actually surprised me how big the apple is - I can never imagine the actual size of the product knowing capacity. This bottle is as big as real juicy apple. Yum!

Baviphat Urban Dollkiss vs Nina Ricci Nina L'eau

There is a lot of descriptions around the packaging, unfortunately all in Korean. Sides of the box:

There is also some description inside the box:

Unfortunately the bottle's pump is not protected in any way, so even though my parcel was well packed and product was wrapped in bubble foil it has spilled a little in the inside of the box. So packaging is cute, but completely not travel friendly.

The sleeping pack itself has a creamy and a little bit stretchy consistency. It's basically unscented - if I spread it on my palm and sniff it intensively I can smell some kind of floral scent, but it's very subtle. It spreads easily on the skin and absorbs quite well, leaves a bit of a film on the skin, but I actually like this in my night cream. After application skin is slightly dewy, but again - since it's a bedtime product, I don't mind.
The pump dispenses rather small amount of product: I use 4-5 pumps every night, one for my cheeks and chin, one for my forehead and nose, one for my neck and one for my decolletage. But even though it may seem a lot, I actually hardly used 1/5 of the bottle right now and I've been using it from over a month!

How often should you use sleeping pack? This is a controversial matter: some say it's a treatment and you should use it only from time to time, others that it's equivalent to night cream and can be used every day. I say: use it as often as you like, just see what's works best for you. For me this sleeping pack felt a little bit heavy on the beginning, so I used if for two-three nights in a row and then had one night break. However recently I bought myself Darsonval device (I will write about it soon), which I use basically every evening and it makes my skin absorb all cosmetics like crazy, so I am using this sleeping pack everyday. I have oily skin and even though this sleeping pack leaves a bit of a film it works well for me and doesn't break me out. My favourite part is how soft and well moisturising my skin feels in the morning. Honestly, I don't think my skin was ever so soft since I was a baby, lol!
I actually did a mini-facial on two of my friends using Darsonval device, then applying Hada Labo lotion, Secret Key snail essence and topping up with this pack. One of them has dry skin and she really liked the feeling of it, the other one has dry skin and eczema - she hated the idea of snail on her face, but her skin was moisturised and eczema caused redness on her forehead was reduced significantly.

Are you dreaming to be the Snow White? ^^

Price: from £12 on e-Bay.

Pros:
+ very moisturising
+ leaves skin wonderfully soft
+ a little goes a long way
+ so cute!

Cons:
- the bottle's pump is not protected in any way, so packaging is not travel friendly - pump cannot be blocked/closed, so we are risking product spillage
- the pump itself feel a little bit dodgy, like it's going to break at some point...

Summary: I am really pleased with this product - it makes my skin soft and moisturised. Except of the poor quality pump I don't have any issues with this product and I would definitely recommend it :)

The Urban Dollkiss series contains (from left):
I Love CC Cream Pure Aura - whitening CC Cream
I Love CC Cream Luminous Pure - moisturising CC Cream
I Love CC Cream Colour Change - whitening & anti-wrinkle CC Cream
AC Therapy Sleeping Pack - sleeping pack for acne prone skin
Snail Therapy Sleeping Pack
White Sleeping Pack - skin whitening sleeping pack with rice and ginseng extracts - me want *.*
Galactomyces First Essence - essence with fermented yeast extract to be used as a first skincare step after cleansing. Since I loved Missha First Essence I really want to try this *.*
Hinoki Total Solution Gel Cream - All in one (to replace toner, lotion, essence, cream and pack) type of product with 50% Hinoki extract (skin soothing)
I Love Secret Dress - it's a type of massage cream/mask: massage it on face for couple of minutes, then rinse of
+ I Love Triple Lips (not on the pic) - lip tints available in 5 colours.

Purebess Snail School Recovery Gel Cream Review

Product description: Natural cosmetic science with snail & EGF to moisturise and regenerate your skin. Contains 90% of Snail Secretion Filtrate. No artificial preservatives, artificial colour, alcohol, mineral oil and paraben. Minimum skin irritation while skin tightening and softening, moisturising and regenerating.

Here it goes, I'm about to say the words that will probably appear in many of my reviews: I wasn't planing to buy this BUT... I actually kept my eye on Benton snail line, but then I read Purebess snail gel ingredients analysis on this blog and it made me wanting to try it This budget snail gel, contains not only the secretion filtrate, but also:

• Tremella fuciformis (also known as snow fungus, silver ear fungus or white jelly mushroom) - a species of fungus, one of the most popular fungi in Chinese cuisine and medicine. It provides several skin care benefits: increases moisture retention in skin, prevents senile degradation of micro-blood vessels in the skin, has anti-inflammatory properties, brightens skin. Anti-oxidant. 
• 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.
• Althaea Rosea (common hollyhock) Flower Extract - emollient, antibacterial, and possible anti-inflammatory properties.
• Aloe vera leaf extract - moisturiser and anti-irritant used for it's rejuvenating, healing and soothing properties.

Full ingredients list: Snail Secretion Filtrate 90%, Water, Glycerin, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Sodium Polyacrylate, Betaine , Human Oligopeptide-1, Butylene Glycol, Althaea Rosea, Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Carbomer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance
Ingredients analysis [HERE]

Product arrives in cardboard box, inside we will find soft tube with 50g capacity. Tube is sealed.
Gel is clear and unscented. It spreads easily on the skin and take a few seconds to absorb, bu once it's absorbed it leaves skin matte. It's very light - too light to be used on it's own, I use it on top of Hada Labo Kiwamizu lotion and Secret Key Snail+EGH Essence. I have oily skin and this set is just about right for me - moisturising, but not too heavy. It's a bit too light for the nightime though, I like to give my skin a bit more to absorb while I'm sleeping, so I top up my set with Baviphat Snail Sleeping Pack (review coming soon).

What I like most about this product is how calming and healing it is - during the first few days after I got it I had terrible cold and blocked nose, that I have to blow every five minutes. As you know the skin around nose get's quickly irritated, so normally everyone can tell at the first sight that you're sick, because your nostrils are so red. Well, not with this product! As an experiment I was applying it few times daily around my poor nose and guess what - not a sign of red, irritated and dry skin! I was well impressed.
This is another product (next to Secret Key snail gel) that in my opinion completely beats famous Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream. It costs roughly the same, but has more snail secretion filtrate in it (Mizon - 74%, Purebess - 90%) and performs better - my main issue with Mizon's gel is that my skin is really really shiny after using it, while Purebess leaves my skin matte. Overall gel is rather neutral for sebum control.

Price: from £5 on e-Bay.

Pros:
+ absorbs completely into skin, no residue left
+ leaves skin matte
+ calming and healing for irritated skin
+ simple ingredients list with high snail secretion content
+ cheap

Cons:
- not enough to be used as only moisturiser - has to be backed up with some other moisturising products, for example essence


Summing up: a good basic skin care product. Definitely worth trying if you are looking for some soothing and light day moisturiser - with that price you can't go wrong ;)

New snail cosmetics from British company!

Among the Korean cosmetics there is a lot of snail products to choose from, so many companies have something to offer: Mizon, Missha, Secret key, Tony Moly, Skin Watchers, Shara Shara, Mypu, Etude House, Benton, Skin79... Thanks to growing popularity of  Korean cosmetics we tend to think that snail products are characteristic for Asia, however snails have been present in Western and European cosmetology as well. I remember that as a kid I saw on some QVC-style home shopping channel advert for miraculous wrinkle erasing snail cream (my access to the TV was restricted, so as soon as I got a chance to watch TV I was watching anything, including these stupid commercials :P). Once you start to search for it, you will find quite a few non-Asian snail cosmetics - Chilean Elicina cream (probably the very first snail cream ever), German Schnecken gel, Portugeese Baba De Caracol or Polish Snails Garden. Recently in a magazine I came across review of Britain's very own snail gel from Dr Organic, a newbie released in April this year.

Dr Organic is cosmetic series created by Holland & Barrett - company producing supplements (vitamins, mineral, herbs) and natural cosmetics.

I'm normally quite sceptic for all the organic products, but I must say that ingredients of Dr Organic cosmetics were a pleasant surprise. At the moment Dr Organic's snail line contains six products:

Gel Face Serum
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Carthamus tinctorius (Safflower) seed oil, Aqua, Olea europaea (Olive) fruit oil, Snail secretion filtrate, Glyceryl oleate citrate, Rosa canina (Rose) fruit oil, Glycerin, Magnesium aluminum silicate, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Moringa oleifera seed oil, Persea gratissima (Avocado) oil, Benzyl alcohol, Xanthan gum, Sodium phytate, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic acid, Cymbopogon flexuosus (Lemongrass) oil, Levan, Olea europaea (Olive) leaf extract, Decyl glucoside, Zizyphus jujuba (Jujube) seed extract, Alcohol, Phenethyl alcohol, Citric acid, Citral, Linalool.

Face Gel
Snail Filtrate, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Lime Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Litsea Cubeba Oil. Aloe barbadensis lead juice, Aqua, Snail secretion filtrate (Helix aspersia muller), Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 cocoate, Sodium hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium sorbate, Ethylhexlglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium hydroxide, Litsea cubeba oil, Cymbopogon schoenanthus oil, Citrus aurantifolia oil, Citral, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool.
 
Gel Cream
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Aqua, Snail secretion filtrate, Cetearyl alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl stearate citrate, Cera alba (Beeswax), Isoamyl laurate, Butyrospermum parkii (Shea) butter, Theobroma cacao (Cocoa) butter, Sodium hyaluronate, Argania spinosa (Argan) kernel oil, Prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil, Macadamia ternifolia seed oil, Persea gratissima (Avocado) oil, Vitis vinifera (Grape) seed oil, Punica granatum (Pomegranate) seed oil, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (Sweet almond) oil, Glyceryl caprylate, Tocopherol, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) seed oil, Chondrus crispus (Carrageenan) extract, Xanthan gum, Chamomilla recutita (Chamomile) extract, Tilia cordata (Linden) extract, Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) extract, Melilotus officinalis (Sweet clover) extract, Altaea officinalis (Marshmallow) extract, Malva sylvestris (Mallow) leaf extract, Litsea cubeba (May chang) oil, Cymbopogon schoenanthus (Lemongrass) oil, Citrus aurantifolia (Lime) oil, Sodium phytate, Sodium benzoate, Potassium sorbate, Citral, Limonene.
 
Gel Eye Serum
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Aqua, Carthamus tinctorius (Safflower) seed oil, Olea europaea (Olive) fruit oil, Snail secretion filtrate, Glycerin, Aleurites moluccana (Candlenut) nut oil, Glyceryl oleate citrate, Magnesium aluminum silicate, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Moringa oleifera seed oil, Benzyl alcohol, Xanthan gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium phytate, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic acid, Levan, Olea europaea (Olive) leaf extract, Decyl glucoside, Zizyphus jujuba (Jujube) seed extract, Alcohol, Phenethyl alcohol, Citric acid.
 
Moisture Mask
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Aqua, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Cetearyl alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl stearate citrate, Snail secretion filtrate, Glyceryl stearate, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) seed oil, Macadamia ternifolia seed oil, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) oil, Isoamyl laurate, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (Sweet almond) oil, Prunus armeniaca (Apricot) kernel oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) seed oil, Xanthan gum, Glyceryl caprylate, Glucose, Sorbitol, Sodium glutamate, Urea, Sodium PCA, Glycine, Lactic acid, Hydrolyzed wheat protein, Panthenol, Chamomilla recutita (Chamomile) extract, Melilotus officinalis (Sweet clover) extract, Malva sylvestris (Mallow) leaf extract, Tilia cordata (Linden) extract, Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) extract, Altaea officinalis (Marshmallow) extract, Plantago lanceolata (Plantain) leaf extract, Artemisia umbelliformis extract, Litsea cubeba (May chang) oil, Cymbopogon schoenanthus (Lemongrass) oil, Citrus aurantifolia (Lime) oil, Sodium phytate, Sodium benzoate, Potassium sorbate, Citral, Limonene.
 
Gel Hand & Nail Elixir
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Aqua, Olea europaea (Olive) fruit oil, Carthamus tinctorius (Safflower) seed oil, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) seed oil, Snail secretion filtrate, Glycerin, Glyceryl oleate citrate, Magnesium aluminum silicate, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Benzyl alcohol, Xanthan gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Litsea cubeba (May chang) fruit oil, Cymbopogon schoenanthus (Lemongrass) oil, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic acid, Sodium phytate, Alcohol, Citric acid. 
 
One of the main ingredients in the series is soothing and moisturising aloe, we will also find many various oils and plant extracts. The face gel has much better ingredients than the famous snail gel from Mizon, but it's also adequately more expensive  - £19.99 for 50ml while Mizon is around £4 for 45ml. Anyway, as soon as I finish off my current face gel and eye cream I'm going to try Dr Organic.
You can buy Dr Organic products from their shops across the UK or on their official website. Good news for people form outside the UK - company is shipping to European countries for  £6.95.
 

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 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 :)