Finding the right serum for oily, acne prone skin can be tough, particularly if you’re still battling active breakouts. The last thing you want is a thick, syrup-y serum that’s going to clog the pores and aggravate pimples.
If you’re still looking for a product that has the benefits of a traditional serum, without the traditional serum-feeling, read on for our Benton Snail Bee Ultimate Serum review.
Benton Snail Bee Ultimate Serumis a cruelty-free serum that comes in a dark 35ml container with a handy drop dispenser. The packaging is lightweight but well-made and easy to travel with, thanks to the size.
It has a slightly acidic pH level of 5.5.
What Does It Claim To Do?
Benton claims that its serum is healthy, with a recipe that avoids harmful ingredients, and that it works to give you the “supplest skin you’ve ever had”.
The serum claims to provide a “boosting effect”, “outstanding hydration”, and protect the skin’s barrier with a dual functionality that targets both wrinkles and brightening.
Like the other products in Benton’s iconic Snail Bee line, the first ingredient in this Serum is snail secretion ferment filtrate – the trail secreted by snails to help protect their delicate bodies when they move over hard surfaces. The snail slime is collected without any harm to the snails (as the product is cruelty free) and is packed with skin-friendly ingredients like mucin, collagen, glycolic acid and more to help skin regenerate. Benton’s Serum contains 70% of this wonder beauty ingredient, which is high by any standard.
Other notable ingredients include green tea extract, which offers cooling benefits for the skin, aloe leaf juice powder, which hydrates and soothes, and niacinamide and adenosine, which work to brighten skin, and keep it supple.
Two other interesting additions, both of which are very popular in K-Beauty at the moment, are willow bark extract, which helps to curb oil production, and beta glucan, which soothes skin.
All in all this a very solid formula, and it also skips out on the alcohol and artificial fragrances as well.
How Do You Use It?
After cleansing and toning, take a few drops of Benton Snail Bee Ultimate Serum and spread it over your face. Pat it in until fully absorbed.
As you might expect, it plays especially nicely with the other products in Benton’s Snail Bee line, including the Essence, Lotion and Steam Cream, although it is by no means necessary to use them all together. The light texture of this serum makes it ideal to use as part of a layered skincare routine.
What Does It Actually Do?
The first thing you’ll notice when using the serum is that despite the key ingredients, it is both scentless and non-sticky. It doesn’t feel at all like your typical serum, but rather has a lot of slip to it.
Also unlike many other serums, particularly of the snail variety, the texture of this one is light and immediately sinks into the skin. It isn’t heavy or weighty – making it perfect for oily skin types. The serum is light enough to be applied under makeup and used night and day.
Although Ultimate Serum plays nicely with dry and mature skin types, (and Benton recommends it to all skin types), in our experience it won’t provide all the hydration you need if you are very dry; it does however work nicely layered with other skincare products.
Who Should Use It?
Oily skin types
Anyone with acne or post-acne scarring
Those with sensitive skin – it’s free from alcohol and artificial fragrance
Skin marred by hyper-pigmentation and unevenness
Final Verdict
Benton Snail Bee Ultimate Serum is the perfect match for oily, acne-prone skin, particularly skin that has been damaged or is experiencing pigmentation, loss of elasticity, dehydration and roughness. The serum is a dream to use, gliding on easily and lightly and lives up to its promises of brightening, hydrating, smoothing and soothing.
"Benton Snail Bee Ultimate Serum is the perfect match for oily, acne-prone skin, particularly skin that has been damaged or is experiencing pigmentation, loss of elasticity, dehydration and roughness."
