Despite years of trying, I’ve accepted the fact that I will simply never be a minimalist. This is true of my wardrobe, my apartment (my decor style is closer to your grandma’s attic than the curated bookshelves on Instagram), and my skin care routine. Undeterred by warnings from my dermatologist to pare down and keep things simple, I’m always taking a more is more approach in pursuit of smooth, glowy skin. It’s led to some disasters, sure, but it’s also how I stumbled onto CosRX’s Advanced 96 Snail Mucin Power Essence, the cult K-Beauty product that did the impossible and streamlined my skin care routine.

If you’re unfamiliar, essences are popular in Asian skin care routines for their extra moisturizing powers, and have made their way Stateside in recent years (SK-II’s is a more obvious, well-known favorite). They can range from a really watery texture, to a thicker jelly, and are used after toning and before serums or moisturizers to add extra hydration. They also help your following products absorb even better.

CosRX has a lightweight texture, but sits closer to the jelly end of the spectrum and feels a little sticky to the touch. Not going to lie: the texture takes some getting used to (mostly because the name of the product and the tackiness made me think of snails crawling on me; a lovely visual), but I got past it quick once I saw the results. Literally overnight, it transformed my tired, dehydrated skin into a plumper, more dewy complexion I almost didn’t recognize. This was not the skin of someone who stays up late weeks on end to re-binge Sex and the City. I actually looked like a woman who sleeps.

The Snail Mucin Power Essence claims to target wrinkles, acne, dry skin, scarring, and overall brightness—and it’s no lie. I’ve been using it for a little over a month, and it’s continued to significantly fade the hyperpigmentation left over from pre-Accutane breakouts, (my top skin concern). Not to mention it’s been great at fighting off winter dryness.

Now, about the snail. As you’ve probably gathered, the hero ingredient is snail mucin a.k.a. snail slime. It sounds gross, but its a beloved K-beauty ingredient thanks to its superior healing properties, which help calm breakouts and fade. It also contains panthenol, a form of vitamin B5, to hydrate and plump up your skin, which explains my dewy complexion.

As for finally becoming a minimalist, I’ve found this so effective that I’ve been skipping other serums altogether. In the morning I’ll just wash my face, apply the Snail Mucin Essence while it’s still damp, and throw on a simple moisturizer before applying makeup. At night I’ll do the same, adding in an oil after the essence and swapping Skin Food for my lightweight moisturizer. I’ll use Pixi Glow Tonic every other night to exfoliate and will add in a Vitamin C serum when I remember, but for the most part the Snail Essence is doing the heavy lifting when it comes to pigmentation and hydration.

I’m sure I’ll slip back into my old ways eventually and return to the hunt for the next best thing, but for now, this essence is all I need to keep my skin on track.

CosRX Advanced 96 Snail Mucin Power Essence](https://sokoglam.com/products/cosrx-advanced-snail-96-mucin-power-essence){: rel=nofollow}, $19, sokoglam.com

Related Stories:
–Essences: The Korean Skin Care Product You’re Not Using but Should
–20 Korean Beauty Products Every Woman Needs to Try
–At the Korean Spa, $40 Gets Me a Body Scrub and Self-Acceptance

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