Skin & Tonics : Skincare Guides & Product Reviews

The other day I was trying out some new mineral makeup and yelled to Liz (my sister/roommate) in the other room, “Hey! I wonder what would happen to this makeup if I sprayed snails on it!” and then immediately picked up my Mizon Snail Repair Hydro Mist and sprayed it on. Liz came out of her room laughing, and when she could finally catch her breath enough to talk she said, “This is the only place I’ve ever lived where someone would not only ask that question, but I would also hear the sound of snail slime being sprayed from a can immediately afterward.” Psssssssssssst, mofos! That’s the sound of snails on my face! By the way, in case you were wondering, the Mizon Snail Repair Hydro Mist ($15) set my makeup perfectly.

I’ve been going bananas with facial mists this summer. I find them to be a great way to experience a skincare line without having to integrate a new thing into my regular routine. Plus, they’re an easy way to add moisture throughout the day, and many of these mists, including this Mizon Hydro Mist, work beautifully as makeup setting sprays.

What is it?

Mizon Snail Repair Hydro Mist is a facial mist that promises to reinforce skin repair and protect skin from outside stimuli.

Ingredients:
Snail Secretion Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Aqua Phytosqualene, Citrus Noble (Mandarin Orange) Fruit Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Angelica Archangelica Leaf Extract, Houtuynia Cordata Extract, Acorus Calamus Root Extract, Foeniculum Vulgare (Fennel) Fruit Extract, Artemisia Princeps Extract, Cinnamum Cassia Bark Extract, Cridium Officinale Root Extract, Chammomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Adenosine, Phenoxyethanol 1/2, Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone, Disodium EDTA, Parfum

Pretty decent ingredient list! Most of the sprays I’ve had in the past have contained some form of alcohol, which is no bueno for my dry skin type. I was very happy to see that it’s not included in this particular mist. Ingredients that piqued my interest include:

Snail Secretion Filtrate – This formula contains 90% snail secretion filtrate! Nice! For those who aren’t yet familiar with snail slime as a skincare ingredient – antioxidants, proteins, elastin, and glycolic acids. It’s also antimicrobial, and in addition to being shown to effectively promote wound healing in a couple of in-vitro studies, there was a newer study released in April of this year that showed snail secretion to be effective when it comes to repairing photodamage. (Study: Effects of Snail Secretion Filtrate on Photoaged Skin)

Mandarin Orange – Antioxidant and moisturizing

Cinnamum Cassia Bark Extract – Contains antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Helps reduce the appearance of pores.

Chamomile – Listed as Chammomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract in this ingredient list, Chamomile is an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant. It’s fantastic for sensitive skin, and helps a lot with the symptoms of conditions such as acne, eczema, an psoriasis.

Running this list through COSDNA didn’t raise any red flags for acne triggers or irritants. There was only one ingredient that scored at all, as a matter of fact – Butylene Glycol, but all it got was a 1 out of 5 as a potential acne trigger.

Performance

Application
I pretty much just spray this on my face whenever I feel like it. I have multiple cans of it, all strategically littered throughout my house – on my desk, on the end table by my couch, my nightstand, my bathroom – you get the idea. Sometimes I spray it on at night, long after I’ve already done my skincare routine. Not because I need it, but just because it’s there. I also frequently use it to set makeup, or to cool off my face after I’ve come in from the suffocating, NC summer heat. I spray it three times total across my entire face, with each spritz lasting approximately a half second. I let it soak in on its own; no patting required!

Packaging
It’s a canister with a very well-functioning nozzle. The product comes out in a fine mist, similar to an aerosol product.

Smell
This product has a very subtle scent that resembles citrusy flowers, which disappears within seconds of application.

Results
I like this mist a lot! It absorbs quickly – within 60 seconds usually, and sometimes even less. As a setting spray, it gives my makeup a nice, natural finish. I don’t think it helps immensely with longevity the way a bonafide setting spray such as Urban Decay All-Nighter does. It also hasn’t made any visible difference in my skin in terms of brightness or clarity- all the credit for that goes to my skincare routine. However, it feels great on my skin, and it is a welcome burst of moisture and refreshment. It also does help calm down any redness I experience from being overheated. It has never caused my any breakouts or irritation either.

Of all the facial mists I’ve tried this summer – and there have been many – Mizon Snail Repair Hydro Mist is by far my favorite one.

Pros:
+ Hydrating
+ Sets Makeup
+ Cooling
+ Refreshing
+ Reduces redness caused by heat
+ Alcohol-free

Cons:
– No long term, dramatic skincare effects
– As a setting spray, does not greatly increase the wear time of makeup (though, makeup setting is not actually a product claim, so please keep that in mind).

Skin & Tonics Rating:
Performance: 4/5 – It’s nearly perfect on all counts! I docked a point only because of the lack of long term skincare effects. However, that might be a lot to ask from any facial so I don’t actually begrudge this product for not single-handedly treating all of my skincare woes.

Quality: 5/5 – Great ingredient list, no irritants, fantastic packaging with a spray nozzle that performs very well.

Value: 4/5 – Prices vary for this product depending on where you buy it, but it’s usually somewhere around $15. It’s a little high for a facial mist in general, but not outlandish, and certainly justifiable given that this is the best mist I’ve found so far.

Overall: 4.4/5

Where to Buy

I purchased mine from f2Plus1 (eBay seller) for $13.99 + $2.00 shipping.

Other Skin & Tonics approved sellers that carry this item include:

Bring Bring Shop (eBay seller, $15 + free shipping)
Ruby Ruby Shop (eBay seller, $15 + free shipping)
W2Beauty ($26 + free shipping, get a $5 voucher by entering my sponsor code at sign-up: 025605)

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