If you’ve been paying attention to the beauty community in the last couple of years, you might have stumbled on a handful of viral videos wherein people would go to get “snail facials”. It’s exactly what the name says it is: during the treatment, live garden snails are allowed to roam free on someone’s face and/or chest, spreading their slime all over. But does it work?
Snail mucin is hot property in Korean skincare and is said to provide a variety of beneficial effects to the skin. We break them down for you below:
Snail Slime, Really?
Mucus, mucin, filtrate, extract – whatever you want to call it – is the thick, slimy fluid snails secrete in order to protect themselves against cuts, bacteria, and ultraviolet rays from the sun. This is the primary ingredient that goes into snail cream and other snail skincare products. While it may sound strange (and downright revolting!) to use snail secretion in your skincare, keep in mind that humans themselves secrete oil in order to protect the skin from external damage. You can find snail slime in products such as CosRX’s Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream, which contains a whopping 92% of snail secretion filtrate.
Snail filtrate is said to contain antimicrobial peptides, skin-friendly enzymes, and hyaluronic acid among others — the very same stuff you’d find on the ingredient list of your favorite products. The use of snails in skincare reportedly dates as far back as ancient Greece. Hippocrates, the famed physician of the Hippocratic Oath, treated skin inflammations with a mixture of sour milk and crushed snails. More recently, it was discovered that South American snail farmers and handlers carrying the mollusks to France have notably smoother skin. This led to the use of snail filtrate in snail creams.
So what makes it so great?
Reason #1: It Has Several Anti-Aging Properties
The proteins in snail mucin have been found to increase the production of collagen and elastin. This can result in firmer, plumper skin and a more youthful appearance. While there may not be a significant effect on deep-seated wrinkles, using snail mucin will improve the texture and quality of your skin dramatically.
Reason #2: It’s an Effective Chemical Exfoliant
Snail mucin contains glycolic acid and high amounts of hyaluronic acid, both of which are used extensively as chemical exfoliants. They break down the surface layer of skin cells, making it easier to slough off dead skin and reveal the new skin underneath. Exfoliating is a necessary skincare step that not only gives you a smoother complexion, it also allows other active ingredients to penetrate better into the skin so that you get the most out of your products.
Reason #3: It Can Reverse Sun Damage
The skin’s number one enemy is the sun. Harmful UV rays can cause sun spots, blemishes, and premature aging that can result to sagging and dry skin. Snail mucin can reverse sun damage. This substance protects snails from those rays, so there’s no reason for it to not do the same for humans.
Reason #4: It Can Improve Scarring
A study has found that snail mucin helps facilitate the correct assembly of the extracellular matrix. This just means that the substance can promote wound healing and improve the appearance of atrophic scars — scars that are commonly found on those who suffer from chronic acne and other related skin conditions.
Reason #5: It’s an Effective Moisturizer
Snail mucin is about 91-95% water. Combined with other nourishing ingredients found in snail cream, it can soothe irritation, even out skin tone, and provide intense moisture to parched skin for a dewy finish that’s lovely to behold.
Snail cream may have a less-than appealing origin, but using it regularly has promising results. Once you get past the snail part — if you don’t like insects, that is — try using this cream and see its effects for yourself.