Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence Review
Written by: Swati on:
My journey into the wonderful world of essences started with the Cosrx Snail Essence which also happened to be my first snail based product. It was love. I watched my skin become supple and the barrier stay healthy while I finished 2 bottles back to back. After having such a wonderful experience with snail mucin, I wanted to try out others & the Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence was my next pick. I finished the bottle a few months back, so it's the perfect time to share my experience. Read on!
What the brand says : Transform the look of your skin with Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence, a moisturising and reparative solution infused with Korea’s best-kept beauty secret, Snail Secretion Filtrate. Rich in protein and vitamins, Snail Filtrate helps to smooth and improve skin texture. Combined with 2% Bee Venom, EGF (a Nobel prize ingredient) and a host of botanical-based natural ingredients, the filtrate-infused essence delivers skin-lifting and age-fighting benefits; it melts into skin to hydrate, repair and relieve rough, damaged patches whilst diminishing the appearance of wrinkles and reinforcing the skin’s natural barrier. Cooling and moisturising, the all-in-one formula lends the complexion a brighter, smoother look. Apply after toner and before your serum/moisturizer step.
Ingredients : Aqua (Water), Snail Secretion Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, sh-Oligopeptide-1, Bee Venom, Plantago Asiatica Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract (seaweed), Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract (persimmon), Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Ulmus Campestris (Elm) Bark Extract, Althaea Rosea Root Extract (hollyhock), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Beta-Glucan, Betaine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Adenosine, Panthenol, Allantoin, Pentylene Glycol, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, Polysorbate 20, Lecithin, Arginine
Essential oil-free ; Fragrance-free; Alcohol-free ; pH balanced (5-7)
I believe this was reformulated recently. The older formula had Arbutin & Azelaic acid, both of which are now replaced by Niacinamide. While I haven't tried the older version, I wish they had kept the former ingredients since it's rare to come across products with them compared to a ton of products that have niacinamide.
The essence comes in a sturdy brown plastic bottle with a pump making it easy to dispense the product.
* Note - PAO is 6M. You need to finish the product within 6 months of opening.
It's a light gel, which holds its shape when dispensed but turns more fluid once you start spreading it. It doesn't have the stringy slimy texture you would expect traditional snail mucin products to have. Once you pat it in, it absorbs quickly & doesn't feel greasy or heavy.
My skin type : Combination - Slightly Sensitive - Dehydrated - Prone to acne & congestion.
Current concerns: Hormonal acne (lower jar & chin area)
How do I use it?
I was using it every morning & evening (most days) after cleansing & a light later of toner/watery essence. This is almost like a serum in my routine. I follow it up with a moisturizer. Since it was winter, I needed to use 2 full pumps. I think I will be able to get away with 1-1.5 pumps during the hot summer months.
- It adds decent hydration. I like to build some more hydrating layers on days when the weather it's drier or my skin is feeling more dehydrated. But for most days, this paired with a light toner/essence & moisturizer is enough.
- It improves skin texture with regular use - I felt my skin become smoother & soft. Snail mucin in general makes the skin very supple. You might not see a huge transformative result while using it, but once you take snail out of the routine you will notice a difference. I found the same when I was using the Cosrx snail essence. But this went one step further and my skin looked & felt a lot smoother. It wasn't instantaneous, I used the essence consistently for 3 months and I started noticing changes after a month. I'd attribute this to the niacinamide, bee venom & peptide in the formula.
- Helps maintain a healthy skin barrier.
- I'm not sure what's the % of Niacinamide in the formula, but it high up in the ingredient list (5th) so you can expect slight brightening & sebum regulating benefits. It can also help slightly with breakouts, although I didn't notice a lot of difference in this aspect
- Layers well with other products.
- Compared to plain snail mucin, the Benton Snail Bee Essence has additional benefits: Bee venom & Adenosine help with fine lines. Bee Venom has also been found to be soothing ; Niacinamide offers acne soothing benefits along with some brightening ; Aloe is soothing, protects & moisturizes the skin.
Price : ～1450 INR for 60ml
It will work for all skin types but will work especially well for mature skin and oily-combination skin, acne prone skin
* I recommend doing a patch test just to rule out allergies to any of the ingredients (particularly snail mucin & bee venom).
So which Snail Essence should you pick up?
It comes down to your skin condition & concerns.
- Well, the Cosrx Snail Essence (reviewed here) is a 100ml bottle that lasts 6 months easily if not more. The 60ml Benton bottle lasted ～3 to 31/2 months for me with twice a day everyday use. Which makes the Cosrx Snail Essence better value for money. It is also pretty much pure snail mucin - 96% & has a minimal ingredient list. So if you just want plain snail & more hydration or have sensitive/irritated/sensitized skin then Cosrx Snail Essence is a good option.
- However, if you want to incorporate snail mucin in your routine but don't want or like the slight stringy texture of snail mucin or have oily skin, the Benton one is great. It's also the better pick if Hyaluronic Acid doesn't suit your skin. Additionally, if you want added benefits for well-ageing brightening, anti-acne benefits & post-breakout care then Benton gives you that since it has other beneficial ingredients in the formula.
Both the products are fantastic & I will keep switching between them depending on my needs & skin condition. I have finished one bottle, I am on my 2nd one and I have a backup already.....if that doesn't say how much I like the Benton Snail Bee Essence, I don't know what else will :)
xoxo,
Swati
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