Beauty writer Adele Miner delves into the world of snail mucin, and how it can be a hero product in your skincare arsenal.
Any good journalist approaches most things in life with a touch of both curiosity and skepticism. And as a chronically online beauty writer, you can assume that I’ve seen my fair share of beauty products and trends come and go. So when the beauty ingredient snail mucin burst onto the skincare scene around 3 years ago, my skeptic spidey senses tingled.
Of course, the name of the ingredient alone was enough to put me off – I like snails, I respect them, but do I need their gunk on my face? No. However, that skepticism was replaced with deep curiosity earlier this summer when an episode of Clarkson’s Farm hooked me in. In season five of the reality farming show, Lisa Hogan, Jeremy’s Irish partner, shared her latest venture on the Diddly Squat farm – harvesting snail slime for skincare purposes.
As a fan of Lisa myself, I thought – maybe there’s something more to this than I originally thought.
What is snail mucin?
Firstly, snail mucin, or mucus is a thick, gel-like substance that snails naturally secrete, used to retain moisture, protect their bodies and heal wounds. In terms of being a beauty ingredient, snails are now widely harvested for their mucin as it is packed with humectants, glycoproteins and peptides, great for hydrating and repairing compounds.
What can snail mucin do for my skin?
Did you know that when a snail has a small crack and breaks in their shell, they can repair it using their mucin? Well, that same concept translates to human skin. Snail mucin is around 99% water but also contains key ingredients like elastin, collagen and enzymes among other things, which contribute to healthy and happy skin. In fact, a study found that it can fibroblasts – a type of cell that helps build tissue, reinforcing it’s healing properties.
Aside from that, snail mucin is said to have anti-ageing properties, hydrating, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties plus the ability to improve skin texture. Overall, snail mucin is perfect for any skin type, from oily and blemish prone to dry and sensitive.
Usually, snail mucin is collected for skincare purposes by a harvester – such as Lisa Hogan, who has started with 1000 snails. Their slime is collected and then filtered to be combined with other ingredients typically used in skincare. This mucin then comes in the form of face serums, moisturisers and masks.
Common garden snails and the giant African snail are the snail species most used to create snail mucin.
How should I use it?
Once a skeptic, now a convert, I myself have been using the Beauty Of Joseon ginseng and snail mucin Revive Serum for the past month and have seen a difference in my skin’s hydration.
If you’re using it in serum form, it’s recommended that you combine it with a hydrating mist or spray as the mucin contains humectants like hyaluronic acid, and so it works even better when applied to slightly damp skin.
Given how gentle snail mucin is on the skin, you can use it once or twice daily – morning and night, and layer it up with other skincare products like retinol, vitamin c and other exfoliating acids.
What products should I start with?
Popular mucin serums include the Beauty Of Joseon ginseng and snail mucin Revive Serum and COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power, both brands also offer a snail mucin face cream. If you’re looking for an Irish brand Bragan Skincare create their products from their snail farm in County Monaghan. They produce multiple snail mucin products from face creams to haircare.
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