Deinfluencing "Viral" Skincare 

I’m immunocompromised. I avoid anything viral!❤

I absolutely love the Coserex snail mucin . I’m glad the price is lower and I can always have it into my skincare routine.

Another very concerning tidbit is that the reedle shot company is encouraging people to use their mini-medieval torture cream (reedle shot) with a vitamin c concoction that you mix yourself to 'ensure freshness.' It is well known that vitamin C is not supposed to be used with microneedling since it can cause granulomas. I imagine that danger is even more prevalent with tiny barbs that stay impaled in the skin at all different depths and directions...it's just asking for it.

It’s refreshing to see a deinfluencing video that’s actually giving criticisms and genuine opinions. There’s so many products that get pushed as ‘holy grails’ (especially on TikTok) or even touted as skin soothers that just don’t work for people with reactive skin.

I'm actually using VT reedle shot now and I love it since it brought me clear-cut result. My skin texture definitely has been changed and it feels like helps my skin get healthier compare to other skin products. The stinging feeling doesn't bother me anymore😂

I’m sorry the VT Riddle shot didn’t work out for you. I absolutely love it! Seen results in texture and pore. Tip after applying the serum follow up with a calming sheet mask. Alice another great video! thank you! 😊

Alice, you are such a great skinfluencer. You’re creative and practical and I really really appreciate your videos!

I actually like the VT Reedle. I use the 300 on nights I don’t use tret. You definitely can feel it and it’s not exactly a comfortable sensation but I apply it in the evening after double cleansing and follow it with a peptide serum and moisturiser. My skin looks great the next morning. My skin doesn’t like the snail mucin no matter how much I try and force it to. Guess it just confirms different strokes for different folks 🤷🏻‍♀️

thank you for talking about the ethics of snail mucin, lets be honest we cant ever farm animals in a factory farming system without cruelty, its inherently treating them like machines and they want to produce a profit from these animals and that becomes before the well being of the animals. they are never going to be treated well and thats just the reality.

I just tried the VT Reedle Shot on my inner elbow. The rash, bumps and pimples that erupted made me grateful I didn't just put it on my face!!! I love Cosrx and their snail and Propolis products. Thank you for all the hard work you put into every video, Many blessings!!!💖💖💖

I don't buy many viral products, but I did buy the CosRx snail mucin essence and I love it. I can feel the difference when I don't use it and it's a part of my routine going forward. I have extremely sensitive and reactive skin and I'll take anything that works and doesn't cause me to react. From what I've read, if they harm or stress out the snails, the mucin is no good and I'm going to accept that since the mucin works so well for me. I love mini's! Great way to test products, my first snail mucin was a mini lol

Yes, that reedle shot is a popular subject. I know dr dray did a video on spicules a year ago and she's doing an actual review on the reedle shot this coming week. The problem with a product like this is people will be too harsh in using it on their skin. Dr. Jenny Liu did a video on upcoming trends for this year and one of them was the hope that the FDA would be willing to approve more SPF filters (we'll see). But as always, beauty is individual.

Loved this video! 💗

Loved that last note about trying the minis! If it's something new to you, it's never a bad option to try the mini first! I've had situations where I made that same decision and ended up with something I gave away because it didn't work for me or I simply didn't like it. Getting the mini and then buying full size if you like it is way better than being stuck with a full size of something you don't like/use. Thanks for that reminder haha

Thank you for this vid! I was so close to be suckered into buying the reedle too. The ads and vids were getting to me... and I also self microneedle so I was like wait, I'm already doing this harharhar. I'll wait for the hype to die down and see what happens. TY!

I didn't know i needed you until i found this channel. Where have you been all my beauty product life???

Thank you Alice❤

Thank you for the honest review of the Reedle Shot. I have a feeling it might be too irritating for my skin. I keep hearing its uncomfortable to use. I like my skincare to be a pleasant experience. Might have to give this one a pass.

Ok just finished- great video btw, as always! Wrt this lip balm/product trend, I've definitely noticed it! And before I went into this current no-buy phase, I was interested in the colored lip oils and balms because I'm all about the "no make-up" make-up look. Or more usually, simply no make-up lol. It's one reason I'm obsessed with skin care, because I can't stand basically everything about foundation, so my skin had better look as nice as it can. At most I will do a tinted sunscreen sometimes. But anyway, a slight pop of lip color is something I like to do so I dont look entirely plain or washed-out. Speaking of viral- it's been funny to watch Clinique's Black Honey get so trendy, like it keeps getting "discovered" over and over again, but I've been a dedicated fan and user for...gosh, it feels like decades! But definitely for several years. And the original Benetint from Benefit has been my constant, my HG, for at least 25 years! Oh but my favorite of the *newer* ones is probably the universal sheer deep plum shade of the Versed lip oils at Target. And it's like less than $10, IIRC

Thank you for this. I’m constantly feeling FOMO from all of these viral products and it never ends!

Great video ! Can’t resist viral products !

your video came at the right time, I was about to buy another colour lip balm! if summer fridays lip balm works well for me, maybe the ole one will work better. also yes im going to get sample sizes to try going forward before committing the full size.

Yayyy for the minis 😄😄🥳! I usually buy them a) when trying something new and I'm not sure if it's going to work out for me, b) it's cheaper to buy smaller size than bigger (€/ml).

Love deinfluence videos ❤️

You’re so pretty!💕

“What in Tarnation” lol I love it

Absolutely fantastic video Alice!!! You made some excellent points which have REALLY got me thinking! Also, your complexion is just flawless!! BTW what concealer do you use?? Do you use concealer?? Xx

Hi Alice. I feel like I agree with you on viral skincare since I do enjoy the physical exfoliation with St Ives before my scaly patches appear and I have to step back using chemical exfoliation. I have yet to try out VT 100 micro needling serum but I am used to certain discomfort that doesn't cause after effects irritation. 😊 Snail mucin serum is an old favorite of mine but I prefer something less sticky and tacky from applying Corsx snail mucin serum... I have moved on from the Beauty of Joseon sunscreen and now applying other Korean sunscreens that is more light weight moisturizing texture.

I love the snail mucin cream. Have been using it since 2017. Never tried this version of the product

thank you for being thorough and honest about VT Reddle, after watching ur video and Dr Dray,, i completely deinfluence by this product!

Sad to hear that VT Reedle Shot was not working for you.😂😂 It's changed my skin texture to very smooth! They said the key difference is Cica reedle comparing other Spicule products.

Thank you for fully explaining what the VT Reedle shot is!! I was so confused watching other videos that didnt really talk about the ingredients. Influencers are making it sound just like retinol benefits, but the effects dont seem worth it - I'd rather go with a retinol! 😂

What is that burn book thing in your background? I’ve always wondered. 🤔 Love your videos so much!! ❤️

I have used every hydrating lip balm I ever received in subscription boxes on my cuticles (no real reason and I don't buy cuticle oil, but I realized long ago that the only time I'll ever use lip balm is when I'm stuck in prolonged periods of travel in below freezing locations). As far as minis... I'm really on the fence about that. In the standard MSRP I often will try a mini because the prices are comparable to what your mention 15/25. I even see value in having mini/travel sizes since I can actually use them for travel. My problem is that I often don't have appeal to try specific products I have no experience with. More often I toss something in my card b/c it was on a ridiculous sale and that's very rare with the minis other than luxury brands. As far as the VT cosmetics influencing inconsistencies, have you paid attention whether it's the same influencers who yelled about apricot scrub who are promoting the VT serum? I wouldn't be shocked if it was, just curious as to whether it's a different segment as I really stick to YT for skincare content and several people didn't seem to love the VT serum. Either way I agree with you about treating the product as an active. Either the product doesn't do what it says it does, or you need to be very careful with using actives in conjunction as their efficacy could shoot up (can be a good thing but warrants care).

I absolutely liked the reedle shot. Actually in my country we use sponge powder a lot - pure powder with some water. It has excellent anti inflammatory and brightening properties.

I tried newer spfs but in the end my skin just loves BoJ spf 😅 I'm not a BoJ fan (the only other product I liked from them is the Retinal serum) but the sun cream is a real jewel that is surviving even against newer products for me

👋I highly recommend watching Dr Drays video on the VT Reedle shot. Thanks for another great video!

I use the vt reedle 100 with a bunch of serums and moisturizer and the boj retinal every night but it didnt irritate my skin. I love it. Oh and this product is popular here in Japan

Omg this shade of pink os soo ur color alice!!!

Torriden and Skin1004 have sample sets and both have been a great way to try the products!

I loove your eyelashes! Should really add lower ones too, I hope you’ll have some for the next video lol

You're so right! I was so bummed when I realized I was allergic to round lab brich juice sunscreen 😢my eyes where almost swollen shut!

Your honest video are very realistic and are more targeted it for what viewers needs and Alice I really do appreciate that we need to be reminded ourselves and what products that our skin actually need to be healthy

I absolute love the Beauty of Joseon sunscreen, but I also love the other 2 Korean sunscreens that I’ve tried. So I get whatever is easiest to get/cheapest at the time.

I've been loving trying minis for awhile. For example, Ulta just had their BOGO on select mini sale so I used it to try some new dry shampoos. It's great for that reason but also it'd take me a long time to use up a full bottle. That being said, I'd buy a jumbo sized Cosrx snail mucin in a heartbeat.

Thanks Alice! What do you think of the Milk stick? It does look really cool! Do you know of any good Asian tinted sunscreens? My coloring is similar to yours.

I will try the reedle shot after its used more. I just worry if a spicule doesn't break down and gets invested in the skin. A micro needle won't get imbedded.

Chinese skincare update: I kept seeing 377 on brightening products and I had no idea what it was. I discovered that it’s a brightening agent that is supposed to be 10x stronger than arbutin and works faster too. I can’t seem to find any products with 377 in the U.S. So far, I’ve only seen this ingredient in Chinese and Japanese skincare. For Japanese skincare, it seems to be mostly in pricier skincare products. I’m sooo excited to try it because I haven’t had much luck with other ingredients.

I really like the Scinic but I find that the BoJ reduces my redness, so I come back to it more often. I really want to try the Numbuzin. I'm almost immune to the lip balm madness because of my love for the Aquaphor Lip Repair with SPF, specifically the one in stick format (the squeezy tube is sticky and moves around too much). There is no experience, no aesthetics, no scent. But it works.

So many good conversations packed into one video! The bonus one, though really spoke to me. I'm someone who's always looking at the price per ounce (or ml) and then I get burned buying a full size of something I'll never use, instead of choosing the mini. At least I have friends to pass products along to, but my wallet needs me to show some discipline 🤣

Sensible points and humorous video ! My first set of K beauty produ ts included the snail mucin lotion and cream. I was worried at the pace I was using it. But halfway through the bottle I had already moved on to other products and never resched for it again. I have been eyeing the tirtir cushions after falling in love with the milk toner. I am outside the shade range on most. One of them is supposed to be very long-lasting and mask proof. Would love to have your feedback after use 😊

I’ve been using the cosrx essence before it went viral. Like it’s essentially been my favorite product for…God…years now. I hate in a way that it went viral because it made it more expensive and I love K beauty because it works and it’s also a lot cheaper. Same with J beauty and a313 pomade from France. But I’m 34 and this product does wonders for my skin and I’ve used expensive essences and it’s an essential skincare step for me personally 🤷🏻‍♀️

When I realized I bought the mini of the BoJ sunscreen I was upset. Then it arrived and I don't like how it looks or wears on my skin. So glad I got the mini! I didn't even know that Numbuzin 1 was an updated version of those main ingredients, but I found it not long after and it is now my favorite sunscreen.

i have a dustmite allergy and i use the cosrx snail mucin without a reaction, despite having sensitive skin. Its one of my holy grail products that really made a difference for my skin so im suprised that it works now that i know this. Guess im pretty rare case and thank god cus i cant live without it now

Great video, I am seeing that microneedle product everywhere on youtube, and already was thinking how to buy it (I live in south America) an I am not sure if I know what it does!! What do you think about Good Genes? I bought the mini and love it but it is so expensive and I am not sure if I loved the experience (smell, texture and even a pretty bottle) or if it is really good. Thank you for this video.

What is the brand of the cushion foundation you mentioned at the end?? That packaging is so pretty 😍

I’ve been reducing my products because of redundancy. My daughter got the snail mucin and loves it - but she doesn’t use all of the products I use. I’ve gotten more Beauty of Joseon products lately and am rotating them in as I run out of others. But I’m avoiding viral products if I see that my current routine covers that area.

I use Reedle 100 a couple of days a week, and I've definitely noticed a huge difference in my skin texture. I started with using it in my night routine 4 times per week, on the days I don't use retinol. Now that my skin texture is much smoother, I only use it twice per week.

I used to have extremely dry cracked lips. I've tried all of the lip balms and the only thing to ever work is a hyaluronic acid serum (currently The Ordinary's) topped with Aquaphor. Super cheap up front and will last way longer than any other lip balm.

What are your thoughts on the TirTir cushion foundation? :)

I received my bottle of VT Reedle 100 today. I was so excited to try. I did and followed it with my usual serums and a sheet mask. My face is now hot and as red as a tomato 🍅. I feel like I have a sunburn and hope it goes away overnight. 😑

Hello Alice, I hope you are okay, that you were able to fix the hole in the roof and that it wasn't so expensive. Moving on to the topic of snail slime, it is interesting that it has such restorative properties that the divided components on their own do not have the same, it is actually a question that I ask myself. A while ago I saw some dermatologists who read many studies on the subject and recommended it even after medical procedures. And about the reedle shot, the truth is I wouldn't buy it if there were strong studies that work exactly like microneedling, and maybe not even then and I'm not interested in the other products, because I prefer the traditional blush technique and tinted balms don't last , so I prefer to put a cream on at night. A big hug Alice 😘

Truly no judgement to anyone using snail mucin, I have for years. I am switching to the ordinary multi peptides + copper peptides instead in my routine. Even if it’s not exactly the same it’s fine. I just feel like snail is no longer essential to my personal routine.

omg YES I'm so tired of influencers saying "you're throwing your money down the drain buying mini sizes" like no I'm not because 15 dollars will always be less than 25 no matter how you put it. Yeah yeah whatever, price per unit and all that, i get it, but if you only use the product once and never again because you didn't like it, then you just paid 25 bucks for one use, how's that for price per unit. My mother is so bad about this especially with milk, which is probably really specific and a little weird, but when we buy milk, we don't use more than a half gallon before the expiration date but she buys the full gallon "because its cheaper"......no its not! (and its wasteful but that's a different topic) this concept applies EVERYWHERE

This is an odd compliment I know lol.. but your eyelashes look so pretty in this video! I zoomed in trying to figure out if you had on fake eyelashes even. What mascara did you use?!

Hi Alice, the Numbuzin sunscreen is superb in many ways, but there is one major problem which made me decide to stop repurchasing it. The design of the top is the problem. The top breaks easily. I have bought 5 bottles and 2 tops broke. I was really upset and did not want to waste the sunscreen inside, but I had no choice but to dispose of the 2 bottles. Since then, I have been using the BOJ one and Haruharu WONDER Black Rice Moisture Airyfit Daily Sunscreen. Both are cool, whereas the BOJ one is more expensive. As for the snail mucin, I love the texture and the hydration, but I am not sure if it makes a significant difference to my skin. I guess I will keep buying it, but is it a must? No maybe.

I haven't convinced myself to try the vt needle thing. I just medical micro needle tonight. And throw in peptides. As far as lip stuff. I love summer Fridays. They last an eternity and I have lawless and laniege then I lip baste with illyoon ATO cream on top.

Hello Alice 😄 I don't consider myself a viral skin care follower - and I haven't heard of Reedle Shot (I know, I am not a tik tok person) - anyways, I do love a new lippie! Yes, I have tried many of the new viral lip products and only to be very disappointed, and for me, especially disappointed with the OleHenriksen. I am a sucker for a new lip product, because I only wear mascara and lip gloss. Have a lovely day! 🌸💮🌸I do still use Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun and I have tried a handful of products from Cosrx.

Can you recommend a sunscreen just like the beauty of Josef one that doesn’t have niacinimide?

What did you think about the tirtir foundation after getting the mini? I noticed that you bought the red cushion which is different than the pink cushion (more dewy).

You are great and so honest! I never bought any snail products because I just can not get over the thought having snail slime on my face. I also seen another video about that VT Riddle wich didn’t work out for her either. I don’t think I ever bought anything viral other than the sunscreen. I do love korean sunscreen and have way to many of them. I never had any bad reactions or any weird white cast. Any way … keep it up Alice. Great videos !

I try hard to avoid fragrance even in my lip balm. I remember trying a new food for dinner and tossing it out only to realize it was the the scented balm making it taste so off. Way to go me!

So funny, I was just thinking how good the Scinic sunscreen is. That, the skin 1004, mermaid sun gel are my current faves.

I've been loving the P.Calm sunscreen, my holy grail is the D'Alba waterfull essence gteat for my dry wkin but pricey, the some bi me is w good one too❤

I have a sensitive, rosacea skin. I decided to try the Reedle Shot anyway, and I’m glad I did !! My skin has never been smoother and softer…. I use it with copper peptides and tretinoin, no issues so far. But it hasn’t been very long, so I may eat my words in a week, or two, who knows 🤣 Love ya Alice ❤

Alice you are amazing. I loathe the very idea of CosRX snail mucin. I loathe it!

Re: lip balm, if you have a Trader Joe's near you, they have a lip mask that gives laniege vibes, same feel for a fraction of the price. Vanilla was $5 for .7 oz jar, or smaller strawberry and chocolate 2 pack for about $7. Or if you prefer a squeezy tube, pantenolips was maybe $3 on iherb, haven't checked kbeauty retailers. Kopari is awesome, I wasn't aware til I bought it, VERY heavy on coconut oil. I love it, but if you're sensitive be aware.

of course i don’t like a lingering white cast on sunscreen, but for the BOJ sunscreen i like it bc i find it helpful to make sure i’ve applied properly/all of my face! also yeah im not buying 50 lip balms hahaha - my lips have gotten much drier and ive tried a whole bunch (including the cosrx ceramide lip mask, laneige lip mask, etc) and you know what does the job like no other? lanolips! (doesn’t smell as nice though of course hahah)

Geek and gorgeous stress less serum has completely changed my skin for the better. My breakouts are almost non-existent. Have you tried it? Mucin from stressed snails is all but useless. Snails secrete it all the time just moving around. There's no need to stress them to extract the mucin. From what I've researched most companies do not stress the snails out to get it.

I use the snail mucin along with the Reedle shot. I use it as a barrier for my sensitive skin.

Very thoughtful discussion, thank you.❤❤❤

You look great❤

I am loving the VT reedle serum. And I can use it with Tret (first week in)…but I just saw Dr. Dray’s video on this and it is alarming. As a researcher yourself, what do you make of her concerns? She doesn’t have proof, but do you see the same danger in specules years down the road? Dr. Dray tends to be very conservative and cautious in general, so I’m not ready to toss this product just yet because it does give me an instant overnight smoothness and pore refining. But do you think it’s possible to suffer any unintended consequences years down the road?

What was the dupe for the Beauty of J sunscreen. Thanks. X

The snails are very crowded together in this dome that is heated up, causing stress and the snails to secrete more. Not a kind practice. I bought the Vegreen Nature Mucin serum instead...the Mini!....also the I'm From Rice Toner in a Mini. Great way to try a product.

I paid no attention to lip care until I got a dark patch on my lips that I can't get rid of (due to perpetually dry, cracked lips). If I could, I'd buy lots of lip balms to sprinkle around the house especially the Dior lip glow.

Im not understanding the Riddlle, do the spikey needles stay in your skin or do they fall out?

Actually, I have experienced boosting and my pimples disappeared after using this! reedle shot has become my fav item. They say cica-reedle come out along with dead skin cells after 2-3 days! Sad to hear that😅😅

Snail mucin burns my skin. I remember using a foudation that had this, and I had no idea why it burned at the time. I used it recently, and my skin started to burn immediately. It's very strange, but im happy without it.

Your thoughts on the Reedle Shot mirrored mine, exactly. If these sponges are so little, how is it possible to induce a controlled injury on the skin with them? And, I, too, thought of the St. Ives microtear scandal (wasn’t that disproven?). There’s no consistency!!!

I have oily skin but snail mucin made my face very dehydrated and more oily. I don't know if that makes sense. Haha. I used it for a month but it didn't make my skin glow.

So snail mucin is best applied to somewhat DAMP skin or DRYER skin? I'm assuming it's the first but i've seen so many say otherwise. I have the coxrx snail mucin (missing bottle cap just like all my other products that ha(d) caps.) I remember there being alot of people saying that they believed it was best to let skin dry before applying as first step (after optional toner-ence's? For whatever reason, it just doesn't seem to hydrate ME as well as using straight-HA as fist serum (when partially damp) and then layering the rest. Not gonna lie i'm kind of an inkey fanboy and I wonder if the fact the products pill or don't work well with the snail mucin is *scratches head* something to do with "silicones vs ____'s" someone was explaining how some products have silicone or are compatible with it and others are not and should not be used with silicone. I can take this to reddit if it's a pain in the tush to address, but if any of you can fill me in LMK!

I didn't react to anything except the Clarin's products. Thirty years later my twenty year old daughter who went to college sent me a photo of her face reaction to Clarin's. So proved my daughter has my genes.

Can u please list the alternatives like the snail mucin alternative please

Alice is coming for my cushion! 🏃🏼‍♀️ Lip products are an area where we are okay with owing many of them and use them up with many times of use per day and it’s easy in comparison to other makeup to formulate. Good business decision for manufacturers.

I know I don't need all the balms. I want all the balms.👀❌️⭕️

Love snail mucin. I've noticed that recently beauty influencers try to discredit everything to draw attention...not even hialuronic acid has been spared from critical reviews and I've heard also that niacinamide is the next target😮 By the way;if you're not sure how snail mucin is made in Korea...how can you be sure if SPF creams are actually legit? Yep, you don't live in Kore! I do need snail mucin, I see tremendous difference in my skin when I use it. I'll stick to it (not so sure about Korean spf, though)

Hi Alice. I have been thinking about your house. We had a leak and I was very stressed. Hope everything is getting better. ❌️⭕️

Hey Alice! I just thought of another question about ulta points. If I used points to knock a product down say $10, if I returned that product would I get the points back? I’m wondering bc I wanna try a new product to replace one of mine, but if I wouldn’t get my points back In case my skin doesn’t like it then I’ll just stick to my usual.

K beauty products contain a lot of "extra" botanical ingredients that just increase the chance of skin rashes/irritation.Also porecloging ingredients...