Holy Snails Shark Sauce Serum

Today I’m sharing my Holy Snails Shark Sauce Serum review. I bought Shark Sauce in early June and I’ve been using it for about 3.5 weeks at this point. Now, don’t worry! Shark Sauce doesn’t contain any bits of sharks, shark extract or anything from sharks! It’s named Shark Sauce after one of the company’s muses. I’ve been using the Paula’s Choice Calm line for over 7 months at this point (see  my video), so I decided it’s time that I try some new things. Many of you have asked me for recommendations for other skincare brands too, so here’s an indie brand that I do recommend.

Holy Snails Shark Sauce Serum Review

About Holy Snails

Chel is a skincare blogger with a background in Chemistry and Biology. She has a passion for DIY and KBeauty (Korean Beauty). All products are made in micro batches with powerhouse ingredients at useful concentrations. Holy Snails is her indie skincare company. It is well loved on reddit’s asianbeauty and Instagram.

Where to Buy
Holy Snails

Price
$29 for 1 oz (30 ml)

Ingredients
(Distilled Water, Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid), Lactobacillus/Nereocystis Luetkeana Ferment Filtrate , Niacinamide, Licorice Root Extract, N-Acetylglucosamine, Sodium Lactate, Panthenol, Green Tea Extract, (Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben), Disodium EDTA

The Packaging

So the only thing I’m not entirely fond of with Shark Sauce is the packaging. On the one hand, I love the art. I think it’s a really cute design. But the bottle is clear, and I think it would be better if it was kept in a dark bottle to help protect the sensitive ingredients. It is recommended that you keep your Shark Sauce in the refrigerator or in a dark, cool medicine cabinet where the sun will never see it to help prolong the shelf life.

About Shark Sauce

Shark Sauce is touted as being a hydrating serum that also fights hyper-pigmentation. It has 5% Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) and 3% N-Acetyl Glucosamin, both of which are supposed to fight hyper-pigmentation. Licorice Root extract is also an ingredient for fighting hyper-pigmentation and helping to brighten the skin. Green Tea Extract is included to help sooth and brighten the skin. I look for products that have Green Tea Extract in them because my skin loves it.

One of the main ingredients in this serum is Hyaluronic Acid. This is one of the best ingredients for my skin because it helps to hydrate and it’s another ingredient I seek out.  Sodium Lactate is in it, which is an AHA. One of the ingredients that I’ve never heard of is Sea Kelp Bioferment. The former helps to hydrate while the latter helps to form a film on the skin to lock in moisture.

I’m always nervous when I try a new skincare line. I’m afraid things will break me out. I started using this in place of the Paula’s Choice Calm Serum. This product does not contain fragrance, which is the number one culprit in things that break me out.

My Experience with Shark Sauce

The serum is clear and somewhere between a gel and water in texture. If you put a drop on the back of your hand it will sit there without spreading around, but the moment you go to spread the drop around, it spreads out easily and absorbs quickly into the skin. What I love about this formula is that it’s not too watery and I don’t feel like I’m losing product in between my fingers. Because of this, I think a bottle will last 2 to 2.5 months. During the 3.5 weeks that I’ve used this bottle, I’ve gone through slightly less than half, and my husband has tried it once or twice too.

The Paula’s Choice Calm Serum shares several of the same ingredients in almost the same order: Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Licorice Root Extract, Disodium EDTA, and Sodium Lactate. In fact, the notable difference to me is that the Shark Sauce has Green Tea Extract, 5% Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) and 3% N-Acetyl Glucosamin, while the Paula’s Choice does not.

Now, I don’t believe you can get rid of hyper-pigmentation 100% without a serious skincare regimen or without using prescription retinoids, prescription azelaic acid or laser treatments like IPL. Things like AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), such as glycolic or lactic acid, can help by gently exfoliating the skin. The Shark Sauce has lactic acid in it.

Additionally, you must be vigilant with your sun protection! Don’t ever skip a day of using SPF. I use either Paula’s Choice Calm SPF 30 or Supergoop Soothing SPF 40. Wear it every single day, 365 days a year, 7 days a week. No matter how pale or how deep your skintone, if you don’t protect your skin, using things like this won’t matter. The sun will undue all that hard work. Additionally, you don’t want to put yourself at risk for skin cancer. Between 40 and 50% of Americans who live to age 65 will have either basal cell carcinoma (the most common form of skin cancer), or squamous cell carcinoma at least once (source). That’s a staggering, scary number.

I have seen a noticeable difference in my skin from testing it out for 3.5 weeks. My face feels smoother to the touch and my hyper-pigmentation around my eyes, on my cheek, and by my chin are lighter. They’re not 100% gone, nor do I think they will ever go away completely, but the fact that they’re less noticeable than before makes me happy.

If you have normal to dry skin, I think you will love this serum. If you have oily skin, this might actually be moisturizing enough to work as a moisturizer for you. I love how it feels on my skin.

What do you think of Shark Sauce? Would you give it a try?

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