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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary "Buffet" versus COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence .

Last updated on March 07, 2024. Published on March 14, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, sensitive skin and scar healing

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens, silicones or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Serum Canadian Brand Canada
Essence South Korean Brand South Korea

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Essence

Essences are used to prep skin for further treatment and may provide extra skin benefits. They are usually used before serum and moisturizers. Essences are thought to have originated in either Japan or Korea and is an essential step in K-Beauty.

Price

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Buy "Buffet"

Starts at $19.90
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Buy Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

Starts at $12.87

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
ph level
6.5

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture
Scar Healing
Brightening

Concerns

Drying
Acne Trigger
Rosacea (2)
Eczema

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Redness Reducing (3)
Reduces Irritation (3)
Scar Healing
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 12.

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence contains this as ingredient number 7.

2
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Soothing
Community Rating: Loved

Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.

Some studies have shown this ingredient can promote wound healing with higher concentrations.

Allantoin is derived from the comfrey plant but produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Learn more about Allantoin

The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 13.

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence contains this as ingredient number 8.

3
What it does: Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Arginine is an amino acid that is important for human development. Your body uses is it to produce hair keratin and skin collagen.

As a cosmetic ingredient, Arginine has antioxidant properties and can also help repair damaged skin. This ingredient is derived either synthetically or from animals.

Arginine isn't fungal acne safe when used in the presence of other lipids (fats, fatty acids, oils, esters, etc). Oils and fats occur naturally within the skin, so take caution when using Arginine if you're prone to fungal acne.

Learn more about Arginine

The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 23.

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence contains this as ingredient number 12.

4
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.

The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 37.

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence contains this as ingredient number 3.

5
What it does: Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming
Community Rating: Disliked

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.

Carbomer is commonly found in many types of cosmetics products. It is found to be safe in concentrations up to 15%. However, a high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Most products contain 1% of less of carbomer.

The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 41.

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence contains this as ingredient number 10.

6
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

The Ordinary "Buffet" contains this as ingredient number 50.

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence contains this as ingredient number 6.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

61% are loved or liked
12% have mixed ratings
22% are disliked or very disliked
6% have no rating yet
50% are loved or liked
33% have mixed ratings
17% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

The Ordinary "Buffet" 51 ingredients

4.2 /5
from 5 reviews
MikaylaSmith_706's Avatar'
Aug 29, 2023

Everything you need in one bottle!

Everything you need in one bottle!

matab_172's Avatar'
Sep 1, 2023

Plumbed skin

Plumbed skin

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence 12 ingredients

4.1 /5
from 170 reviews
elinstrandh's Avatar'
Feb 1, 2024

I enjoy the super hydrated glowy effect that this gives on the skin, also that it is unscented.
However, over time my skin does not appreciate this product. After a few days my skin feels like it’s thinning and getting more and more...

I enjoy the super hydrated glowy effect that this gives on the skin, also that it is unscented.
However, over time my skin does not appreciate this product. After a few days my skin feels like it’s thinning and getting more and more responsive. Also contains phenyoxyethanol, something to watch out for if you use a lot of products containing it in your routine.

Irritating
No Scent
cgi's Avatar'
Jan 28, 2024

this snail mucin essence really is one of the best ones out there— it's a holy grail. this product was my very first impression of cosrx, and the short ingredient list is very surprising with how effective it is. i've been using it for...

this snail mucin essence really is one of the best ones out there— it's a holy grail. this product was my very first impression of cosrx, and the short ingredient list is very surprising with how effective it is. i've been using it for about a year now, and it's become a staple in my routine. after my first couple weeks of use, a lot of my dark spots disappeared and calmed down my hormonal acne & redness like magic. makes my skin looks like glass, so smooth and supple. it has a sticky texture (obviously), but it immediately absorbs like water and leaves my skin feeling so soft. i only need one pump for my whole face and pat it in. i don't use too much not only to save product but also because it'll feel a bit heavy on my oily skin. i love how hydrating it is for my dehydrated oily skin and has hyaluronic acid as an ingredient, locking in moisture. doesn't leave a greasy feeling or oily film, just pure hydration. i use it daily, morning and night. my only con is how expensive it is, which is why i'm glad i only need to use a little amount each time. absolutely in love, never taking this out of my routine.

Expensive
Hydrating
Light
Absorbs Well
Sticky
No Scent
Zenoviah_679's Avatar'
Oct 25, 2023

Fungal Acne Discovery
didn’t realize i had fungal acne until using this and then also found out i was allergic to snail mucin after purchasing the whole snail line for COSRX 🥲 face completely broke out in pimples and super itchy… never...

Fungal Acne Discovery
didn’t realize i had fungal acne until using this and then also found out i was allergic to snail mucin after purchasing the whole snail line for COSRX 🥲 face completely broke out in pimples and super itchy… never again.. so expensive too wish i didn’t waste my time and money

Alternatives

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Our Dupe Finder has found 24 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence.

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