
Shark Sauce — Reddit Reviews
by Holy Snails
Updated October 10, 2026
Watery niacinamide serum for redness, hydration, and brightening; breaks some people out.
What the community says
A watery niacinamide serum with N-acetylglucosamine, licorice root, panthenol, and hyaluronic acid that people used for redness, hydration, and fading marks. Redditors loved it on dehydrated, sensitive, and eczema-prone skin; others got breakouts fast.
What this means for you
What people love
- Watery niacinamide + NAG brightening
- Redness and hydration support
- No fragrance, layered well
Watch out for
- Niacinamide can trigger breakouts
- Not every sensitive-skin user got along with it
- Discontinued, so finding a replacement is the whole game
Product details
Skin Type
Key Ingredients
Skin type data limited
Where to buy
What the science says
Acne
Some evidence
Niacinamide: 6 studies tested it on its own. See all 17 studies
Hyperpigmentation
Some evidence
Niacinamide: 5 studies tested it on its own. See all 20 studies
Anti-Aging
Some evidence
Niacinamide: 3 studies tested it on its own. See all 9 studies
What the studies found
- All 3 studies that tested it on its own found it helped with signs of aging
- Studies found it improved the look of wrinkles and made skin seem firmer
- Studies also found it helped dark spots and reduced redness and yellowing
- One study found it helped skin hold more water and lowered water loss through the skin
- Used with another ingredient, it improved dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles, and firmness more than niacinamide alone
Skin Barrier
Not proven yet
Few or mixed studies. This claim isn't established.
Niacinamide: 1 study tested it on its own. See all 17 studies
Dullness
Not proven yet
Few or mixed studies. This claim isn't established.
Niacinamide: 1 study tested it on its own. See all 4 studies
Texture/Pores
Not proven yet
Few or mixed studies. This claim isn't established.
Niacinamide: No study tested it on its own. See all 4 studies
What the studies found
- Its own effect has not been measured because no study tested niacinamide on its own for texture or pores
- Some studies found smoother skin when niacinamide was used together with other ingredients
- Some studies found improved pores and oiliness in products that included niacinamide with other ingredients
- Some studies also found more even-looking skin texture in products that included niacinamide with other ingredients
Research context, not treatment advice. Studies are about the ingredient, not necessarily this exact product.
Real Reddit threads — 11 mentions across 9 threads
Holy Snails Shark Sauce on Reddit, in one place — 9 threads from r/AsianBeauty and r/tretinoin, summarized.
“Shark Sauce”
Mentioned
“Cosrx Snail 96”
Mentioned
“Cosrx Snail 92 AIO”
Mentioned
“I started breaking out almost as soon as I started using Shark Sauce back in the day”
Cautionary
“then I went through maybe 5 bottles of the stuff trying to fix the never-ending breakouts”
Cautionary
“Also maybe some serum like Holy Snails Shark Sauce”
Mentioned
“or Stratia Rewind, or something similar, to repair the skin.”
Mentioned
“I used to have a truckload of severe allergy issues until I started to take much better of my skin.”
Mentioned
“I also apply u/holysnails Shark Sauce either 30 min after C20 or on nights I don't take a full bath”
Positive
“I really saw a difference after starting to use this and it's helped my skin heal wonderfully!”
Positive
“I think the niacinamide is the biggest thing for me!”
Positive
“During the month of trying out Holy Snail's shark sauce and snow bang, my skin was the most well behaved thing.”
Positive
“I ran out a few days ago. And now this reaction happens.”
Positive
“Slathering on snails seems to help.”
Positive
“In that case, you'd want to a niacinamide/n-acetyl glucosamine product like Shark Sauce or Skinlex”
Mentioned
“a combination that is very effective for fading.”
Mentioned
“If you don't see improvement with that, nacinamide alone probably won't be sufficient.”
Mentioned





