COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser for oily acne-prone skin
Snail Mucin
Glycerin
Butylene Glycol
Coco-Glucoside
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
High
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Highly suitable for your oily skin as snail secretion filtrate provides humectant action and arginine offers mild keratolytic action, supporting skin hydration and turnover without over-stripping.
- The cleanser offers excellent cleansing for your oily and acne-prone skin due to Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate and Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, effectively cleansing pores and providing hydration.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it daily to help clear your breakouts.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in the morning and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow it with your toner and moisturizer.
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help clean deeply and remove excess oil. This works best for oily skin types.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 1.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this cleanser is highly regarded for its hydrating and non-stripping properties, making it ideal for dry and sensitive skin. Many users report a radiant complexion and improved skin texture. A small number of users experienced breakouts, found the fragrance strong, or disliked the slimy texture.
Highlights
Hydrating & Non-Stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “didn't dry out my skin”
- “leaves skin soft and bouncy”
- “face feels hydrated after washing”
- “no tight feeling”
Gentle & Soothing Often Mentioned
- “ultra-gentle formula”
- “calmed my redness”
- “didn't sting my eyes”
- “great for sensitive skin”
Improves Skin Texture Sometimes Noted
- “reduced my texture”
- “skin looks smoother”
- “gives a nice glow”
- “helped with dark spots”
Rich Lather & Texture Sometimes Noted
- “lathers very well”
- “a little goes a long way”
- “creamy foam”
- “thick gel texture”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “smells like old lady perfume”
- “fragrance is too strong”
- “wish it was unscented”
- “smells flowery/soapy”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “broke me out bad”
- “caused bumps on forehead”
- “aggravated my acne”
- “gave me whiteheads”
Drying for some Rarely Noted
- “made my skin drier”
- “left my face feeling tight”
- “stripped my moisture barrier”
Slimy consistency Rarely Noted
- “texture is too slimy”
- “feels weird to apply”
- “slippery and hard to wash off”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, iherb.com, nykaa.com, skinsort.com, sokoglam.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because snail mucin keeps your skin hydrated while arginine gently supports skin turnover without over-stripping. It also uses mild cleansers that effectively clear out oily pores while remaining gentle and very unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Snail mucin and arginine make this cleanser a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin because they hydrate and help clear pores without over-stripping. It is very unlikely to irritate your skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
What does Snail Mucin do for oily acne-prone skin?
Snail mucin helps calm breakouts and keeps oily skin smooth by reducing redness and soothing irritated areas. It may also help your skin heal from blemishes while keeping it balanced and clear.
What does Glycerin do for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily acne-prone skin hydrated without feeling heavy. It draws moisture into the skin while supporting the skin barrier so it stays soft and balanced.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser goes in the morning and evening routine steps for oily acne-prone skin, helping clean pores and keep hydration balanced without stripping. Using a mild cleanser twice a day is unlikely to irritate your skin and supports overall clarity.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this cleanser with retinol by washing your face with it before applying your retinol treatment. It is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin because it cleanses pores and helps keep your skin hydrated without stripping away moisture or causing irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. Using a gentle cleanser daily helps wash away excess oil and clear pores without stripping your skin.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for your oily, acne-prone skin because it cleans pores effectively without over-stripping and has an excellent safety profile with a low risk of irritation. Snail Mucin and arginine help support hydration and skin renewal, which is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for most people.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but the thin skin around your eyes may need a gentler formula. The body's skin is generally thick enough to handle standard cleansing ingredients, while the eye area is much thinner and more easily irritated.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A Tris/Arg-formulated cleanser significantly decreased noninflammatory and inflammatory acne and pore size with keratotic plugs compared to an AEC/AC cleanser in male Thai subjects with mild to moderate acne over 4 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020A facial serum containing snail secretion filtrate, Calendula officinalis, and Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract significantly reduced inflammatory acne lesions compared to placebo in 66 participants with mild-to-moderate maskne over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Cruelty-free extracted snail slime promotes fibroblast viability, triggers recovery through Erk protein activation, reduces cyclooxygenase-2 expression, and increases angiopoietin 1 gene expression and collagen I release in skin cell populations.
Molecules, 2023Sodium cocoyl isethionate micelles are too large to penetrate stratum corneum aqueous pores, resulting in significant steric hindrance that prevents skin barrier perturbation and explains its skin mildness.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007HelixComplex snail mucus protected human keratinocytes and reconstructed human epidermis models from ozone-induced oxidative damage and pro-inflammatory response following exposure to 0.5 ppm ozone for 2 hours.
PloS One, 2020Topical treatment with Snail Secretion Filtrate significantly improves the speed and percentage of wound area closure, enhances proliferation and tissue remodeling, and reduces inflammation in a full-thickness excisional wound model in mice compared to untreated controls.
Veterinary Sciences, 2021Topical application of 48% and 96% snail mucus increases angiogenesis during wound healing in Wistar rat skin compared to lower concentrations and control.
F1000Research, 2021A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Coco-glucoside powered emulgels containing probiotics and prebiotics demonstrated stability without phase separation and preserved probiotic viability for up to 11 days, supporting the skin's natural barrier.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2025
Ingredients
Water, Acrylates Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Coco-Glucoside, Lauryl Betaine, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Arginine, Tromethamine, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Carbomer, Sodium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Disodium Edta
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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