I know that snail secretion in skin care is so 2010, but if it’s been around this long, there must be some merits to it, right? I got to try some items from the Nature Republic Snail Solution line, namely the Skin Booster, Emulsion, and Cream. They’re to be used in that order.
What is secretion filtrate anyway, and what makes it so special? The snail secretion filtrate is the trail of muck that snails leave behind on the ground. This is what they use to coat their delicate underbellies from getting torn or scratched when they crawl. The snail secretion filtrate in these products are procured by Nature Republic “from pristine areas.”
The Skin Booster is a toner that has 90% snail secretion. It is used for “Revitalizing & Moisturizing,” with a boosting function that improves damaged skin. It supposedly brightens the skin and reduces wrinkles, and makes the skin look healthy and luminous by providing vitality to distressed skin.
As the first step, the Skin Booster is to be applied first, right after washing the face. You put it on with a cotton pad and let the skin absorb it. It’s the lightest solution of the three and was easiest to coax out of the bottle. All three have varying degrees of stickiness, but this absorbed into the skin the fastest.
The Emulsion is also for “Revitalizing & Moisturizing” but it contains 80% snail secretion filtrate. It goes on after the Skin Booster and it improves damaged skin while brightening and reducing wrinkles. I don’t know what the need is for this extra step, but it is thicker and more opaque than the Skin Booster. This is also to be applied down the neck as well.
These two “steps” are housed in a small sample bottle, much like most of the Korean sample bottles I’ve come across. It’s HARD plastic that you can’t squeeze, which is actually pretty nice in terms of durability, but a little fiddly when you try to get slimy gunk out.
The last step is the Cream which comes in this tub that has no business being as big as it is. There is a smaller tub inside that has the product in it, and there is just a big moat of air around the smaller tub. Anyway, the Cream contains 70% snail secretion filtrate, and it is the last step of this system that I got. It is meant for “Brightening and Wrinkle-Improving.” It improves damaged skin by providing vitality to distressed skin, and brightens and reduces wrinkles as well.
You just apply it all over your skin and pat down gently for better absorption, supposedly. I’m happy it came with a spatula! This was quite sticky and took a while to fully absorb into the skin.
After initial application of the system, I did notice an improvement in the drier parts of my face. This system is especially moisturizing, though I don’t know how it will fare with oilier skin types, as mine is quite dry. I think it’s meant for a nightly treatment, since it does leave your skin quite tacky and sticky for a while, but not unbearably so. The stickiness does go away after a while, though I personally don’t want to think of my face as a snail trail throughout the day.
For the most part, it doesn’t smell like snails! The cream is probably the snailiest, but I didn’t really notice it when it was on my face until after about the third use. Unlike my fellow bntgirl, Kine, I didn’t find it that offensive. I was really bracing myself for a snail poop smell or something horrid! I’m not that sensitive to scents, so if you are, maybe it’s better to take her word for it. 🙂 I think this may be another reason why I wouldn’t wear this in the day.
If you want other perspectives on this system, check out the blogs of the other bntgirls. 🙂 Visit Kine, Joanne, Rini Cesillia, Alene, and Mariana.
After the second day I used this, I think I kept exclaiming how nice I thought my skin was (I know, so humble!), which prompted my sister to assault me and say, GIVE ME THE SNAILS. And so I did! I have yet to see how she’s liking it, but so far, so good. 🙂
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Softly Sometimes 
I’m also using a Snail Gel cream from Mizon and did wonders for my dry skin too. Although hands down, It’s Skin Prestige snail cream was the very best I tried because it got rid of my pimples overnight. At first I was a little iffy using snail secretion, I mean it sounds so yucky (haha) but the creams I tried were not slimy and the scent has no snail-y scent so I’m hooked! Hooray for Korean brand skin care. 🙂
This may not be for oily skin though, a friend of a friend had break outs with this very cream.
The cream jar looks bad ass haha but no spatula right?
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Mizon is awesome, from what I’ve tried! Korean skin care is pretty freaking great. There’s a spatula. 🙂 It’s in the photo at the top.
I am so freaked out that snail secretions are used. LOL. I think I am too scared to try it.
Aw, that’s too bad, but I get you!
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This sounds great 😀
It’s been awesome, thank goodness!
Ohh I just cant bring myself to try it, just the idea of it… Made an interesting read though! Thanks for sharing. Steph x
Haha! Strangely enough, it’s been working out extremely well for me. Thank you for reading, Steph! x
I LOLed when you wrote my sister said “give me the snails.” This product is honestly my cup of tea but it does leave the skin moisturized. 🙂
LOL she really did demand for them, though! 🙂 Is your skin more oily or dry? I think mine’s on the dry side.
……is there no end to what we will use our fellow creatures for?? They say snails are crushed to get trail from them! Its cruel and a disgrace, what we do for vanity (as with fur eg),…there are so many products out there that don’t involve any cruelty, like olive oil/other plant and flower oils, and aloe vera, there is no need for this!
Hi Sarah, thank you for your comment. I don’t know where you are getting your information from. From my understanding, the secretions are natural mucus from snails obtained through specialized farms in places like Chile. Please email me more information about your claims.
I take these accusations very seriously and am trying to reduce and eliminate personal use of animal tested products (and ingredients).
Hi Carina. Where did you obtain your info that Nature Republic does not test on animals? I sent them an inquiry to ask if they test products, ingredients, or have someone else test, and if they sell in China and no one has responded.
Hi Mars, I don’t think I ever said that Nature Republic doesn’t test on animals.
Ok I see. I read that you were going cruelty free or wanting to and assumed!
I am, this was sent for a review. 🙂
I see…I have some things I wanted to delete as reviews or not finish that arent cruelty free. I deceided to mark old ones that are not tested but not cruelty free as such. I just didnt feel comfortable promoting them.
conflicted.
Phyrra is a blogger who has acquired a lot of MAC and stopped buying them when they started selling in China. She continues to use her products up but stopped reviewing, purchasing or featuring them unless she has to, and when she does, their animal testing policy is explicitly stated in the post. I think that’s one way of doing things.
NYCGeorgette on YT completely stopped featuring any non-CF items
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