'This $26 viral beauty product is a 2-in-1 ticket to glass skin.'

If your TikTok feed is anything like mine, you've no doubt been bombarded with videos raving about the viral Mixsoon Bean Essence (No? Just me?) 

Essentially, this internet-famous K-beauty product is an exfoliator AND a hydrating serum-like treatment, with a consistency that's been likened to Nattō, a traditional Japanese fermented soybean dish characterised by its unique sticky, slimy and stringy appearance. (Trust me, it tastes better than it sounds.)

But this single product is more than just a fun slime — it promises a slew of benefits, like strengthening the skin’s moisture barrier, improving skin tone and smoothing out rough texture. 

Naturally, I Googled an Australian stockist as soon the Korean skincare girlies told me it's currently one of Korea's best-selling glass-skin products, added it to cart and patiently sat waiting for my multitasking essence to land on my doorstep. Here’s what happened after three months of religiously testing one of the most hyped products of 2024…

What is the Mixsoon Bean Essence?

If you’re somewhat of a skincare enthusiast, you would’ve heard of or used the viral K-beauty COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Musin Power Essence. This lightweight, non-greasy formula gained immense popularity a few years back and is often regarded as the product that put K-beauty on the Western world’s map because of its strange goop-like texture and incredible hydrating properties. 

But while this snail mucin has received hundreds of thousands of five-star reviews, some users have experienced irritation from its long list of ingredients while others simply haven’t seen the “game-changing” hydration benefits after continued use… which is where Mixsoon’s vegan-snail version comes into play. 

Mixsoon is a relatively new minimalist and cruelty-free Korean beauty brand that aims to eliminate unnecessary ingredients from products and instead, focus on core ingredients. To achieve this “less is more” concept, their extraction process involves a low-temperature high-frequency method.

What is Mixson’s Bean Essence made of?

Following the brand’s minimalist ethos, the ingredients list of Mixsoon’s best-selling Bean Essence can be counted on a single hand — four fingers, to be exact. As a sensitive-skin girl, this is music to my ears. 

Ingredients include soybean extract, barley, pomegranate and Korean pear (tbh, it sounds good enough to throw into a Nutribullet and drink). Each ingredient serves its own purpose, too — the soybean extract rebalances moisture and oil levels, the barley revitalises lacklustre skin, the pomegranate is infused with natural AHA components to gently exfoliate and the antioxidant-rich Korean pear forties the skin’s barrier. 

What you get is a vegan, cruelty-free formula devoid of artificial fragrances and other nasties, that’s kind enough to be used on all skin types — even the most acne-prone. 

How do you use the Mixsoon Bean Essence?

The beauty of this product is that it’s multifunctional and can be used as both an exfoliator and a hydrating essence, which was something that stumped me. From my experience, an exfoliator is an exfoliator and an essence is an essence — one is supposed to be a tad harsh while the other should be nothing but gentle. You can’t have your cake and eat it, too, right? Well, that’s what makes this product particularly impressive. 

How to use it as an exfoliator two to three times a week

After cleansing your face, take about three pumps of the essence into your palms and gently massage in circular motions until you can see residue building. You can continue adding more essence and massaging for as long as you like, although around the five-minute mark should do just fine. Then, you’ll want to wipe your face down with a cotton pad soaked with toner and proceed with your regular skincare routine. 

How to use it as a daily essence

After cleansing and toning, apply a thin layer and tap the essence in until it's fully absorbed. Follow this with your eye cream, moisturiser and if it's your AM routine, an SFP. 

Where can you buy Mixsoon Bean Essence in Australia?

A single 50ml glass bottle of the Mixsoon Bean Essence retails for around $46 in Australia, however, you can pretty much always find it at a better deal. For instance, you can shop it on sale at Lila Beauty for $25.70, Nudie Glow for $30, Amazon Australia for $31.50, K Beauty Australia for $25.80 and W Cosmetics for $30.40. 

Our Mixsoon Bean Essence review.

I relate essences to more of a thinner toner-like consistency but to my initial dismay, this product looked and felt slimy, sticky and thick — words I steer clear of with any product that comes into contact with my skin. In fact, it was so slimy and sticky that I could rub my palms together and stretch it out to expose a web of essence. 

But all that initial scepticism quickly exited. After a few minutes of using it as an exfoliator and massaging it in circles, I could see it working its magic as sebaceous filaments (read: dead skin cells, blocked pores and blackheads) were spotted all over my palms. Gross but SO satisfying. 

Then, applying it as an essence felt even better — my sensitive, combination skin quickly absorbed the non-scented formula without any residual stickiness.

The Mixsoon Bean Essence sits beautifully under makeup. Image: Supplied.

The verdict.

Only one week after exfoliating every second day and using it as a daily essence, I noticed the stubborn pores around and under my nose were no longer visible, pigmentation around my chin began to subside and any signs of prior dryness were eliminated. These results only improved over the following weeks and just like the skincare girlies told me, that glass-like skin started to shine through.

Three months after adding Mixsoon's Bean Essence to my skincare routine and I’ve already repurchased it — along with three additional bottles — during a sale, thank you very much. It’s one of the very few products I’ve stocked up on, simply because I can’t see myself letting go of it anytime soon. To me, it’s more than just a dual-functioning product — it works as an exfoliator, essence, serum, makeup primer and moisturiser.

Actually, come to think of it, there is a massive downside to this essence. My skin has been left so hydrated and problem-free since consistently using it that it’s made all the hundreds of other skincare products I’ve invested in completely redundant. My condolences to my once-loved 12-step skincare routine. 

Aside from Mixsoon’s Bean Essence’s effectiveness, its affordability is another reason why it's worth the social media hype. As a single girl trying to live in one of the world’s most expensive cities, the low price point of this product is definitely attractive, especially since you’re basically getting two (or more) products for the price of one. According to girl math, investing in this essence means you're making money with every pump.

Have you tried the Mixsoon Bean Essence before? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Feature image: Supplied.