Yikes! Snail mucin made me squeamish but I tried this Korean skincare secret anyway

The Korean skincare industry is all about perfecting and maintaining glass skin, but there’s one ingredient that should not be ignored: Snail mucin. Well, in the world of vampire facials and bird poop facials, snail mucin isn’t too freaky to achieve ‘brighter than the pole star’ skin. To get that from snails, you don’t really need to let them crawl over your face. A lot of skincare brands have made it easier as they are packaging snail extracts for a lesser extreme experience.

For the uninitiated, snail mucin is a slimy secretion from snails. Now, considered as a rave ingredient in the K-beauty world, snail mucin is secreted when the poor critter is in stress. Its slimy texture and because of the fact that it’s a living thing’s excretion, there is curiosity around snail mucin. But, when it comes to having great skin, nothing is too crazy, right?

Here’s what an expert has to say about snail mucin

Dr. Navnit Haror, a skincare expert, Founder and Director of Derma Miracle Clinic spoke to HealthShots about this skincare ingredient.

“It may sound weird at first, but snail mucin contains glycolic acid which acts as an exfoliant in removing dead cells from your face. It also contains enzymes to nourish the surface layer of our epidermis. The copper peptides in it help fight against wrinkles by filling them up with collagen,” says Dr Haror.

Yes! This powerful liquid has many benefits for people who want a healthy-looking complexion without any hassle or pain associated with getting adequate amounts through food sources alone.

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Well, giving in to the urge of treating my fine lines and plumping my parched and dry skin, I tried it. The market is flooded with all kinds of products such as hydrating snail secretion facial cream, snail essence and more. Thanks to these, I did not have to make eye contact with the slime maker itself!

Here are the skin changes I saw after using snail mucin for a month:

1. I applied a snail mucin essence each day twice. However, on certain days, I missed it once in a while. I reluctantly started using it at first, but the first signs of hydration kept me hooked!
2. I started with cleansing my skin before applying snail mucin. The nutrient rich, serum-like consistency was easy to apply all over my face. It absorbed quickly into my skin which I later coated with a thick moisturizer. This 3-step routine made up a perfect combination for addressing my damaged skin repair.
3. However, its tall claims on treating hyperpigmentation problems like scars or dark spots from sunlight exposure (you’re not alone!) felt a little vague.
4. One thing this gross, but great snail mucin did was that it evened out the skin tone of my face. My forehead looks less tanned than it already was!
5. One month is too soon to comment on its anti-aging benefits. But I see a lot of potential in its collagen-boosting qualities which can improve elasticity and prevent wrinkles in the long run.

According to Dr Haror, snail mucin has the following benefits on skin:

1. It aids in the treatment of acne, which is one of the most frequent skin issues. Its antibacterial properties aid in the prevention of acne.
2. It effectively fades hyperpigmentation, reduces redness, and evens out skin tone.
3. It also possesses anti-aging effects that help to hide fine wrinkles around the eyes and on the forehead.
4. Snail mucin contains hyaluronic acid, which helps to keep your skin hydrated and firm.

Should you rush to buy skincare with snail mucin?

It is no surprise that this ingredient is made popular by the Korean skincare industry. Despite being an elaborate ritual, some people may find it too time-consuming or expensive. People who have tried it swear by its benefits on their complexion as it contains glycolic acid. You can use a glycolic acid serum instead in case the consistency of snail mucin bothers you. Using a snail mucin for dehydrated skin may be impressive but its anti-ageing benefits seem to be a distance away. So, count your patience before getting it for yourself!