BY PRIYANKA GUDHENIA | DKODING MEDIA
Every day, Brave beauty trends are driving the Internet Wild!
When it comes to beauty, there are a lot of weird things that go around meeting beauty standards. On any given day, you could scroll through your Instagram feed and almost guarantee there would be something gross or weird going around.
It would either be a person gluing something to their faces or blending their makeup with any randomly shaped object. And don’t even get me started at the “eyebrow trends” which is seemingly getting bizarre day-by-day.
If you’re anybody who is fascinated by these weird beauty trends, then you’ve probably already heard of vampire facials and nose hair extensions. But I bet you’ve never heard of the snail slime beauty trend before. Yep, it is exactly what it sounds like.
I know. I get it. And it’s totally okay for you to be grossed out by the idea of putting the slippery creature’s juices all over your skin.
To be honest, I was a little grossed out too, actually a lot! But when I dove deep into the internet and read more about this gross act, I kinda found myself feeling more and more intrigued by the endless list of benefits that come along with putting snail smile on your face.
Reports reveal that farmers in Thailand are creating snail farms where they’re being milked for their slime and for all they’re worth, in the name of beauty. You’ve heard it right.
Snails have long been thought to hold the secret to glowing, youthful skin, and it’s all thanks to their slime, known as ‘mucin,’ which apparently has anti-aging and moisturizing super properties.
It triggers the skin cells and helps heal the skin
“In recent years the mucins of snails have become a popular ingredient in Korean and American beauty products,” told Patricia Boland, skin expert at Colorescience UK.
“Mucin is used in beauty products as it contains glycoprotein, hyaluronic acid, and glycolic acid.”
These are known to benefit the skin as it stimulates collagen, slows down the process of wrinkles, heals acne-prone skin and reduces scar tissue.
They are sold with the promise of stimulating collagen (which should never be stated, as everyone’s skin will react to the ingredient in different ways), but it has seen improvements in facial lines and wrinkles.”
Once a garden pest- where these snails were prevented from getting into our plants, are now being bred in Thailand because their slime is ‘worth more than gold.’ The slime has become a hot commodity in the global beauty world, so much so that the cosmetic secret is now worth an estimated $411 million, Guardian reports.
No snails are harmed during the process– the harvesting is seen as humane. Only milked every three weeks to maintain the highest quality, water is dripped over the snails and fed a rich diet of vegetables and grains, encouraging them to secrete the youth-boosting liquid.
The slime when collected is sold to a Thai cosmetic company, who then distributes it internationally as a serum or dried powder.
But this golden ticket to prevent aging and to maintain that youthful dewy skin actually isn’t new to the beauty world.
The use of snail slimes first came into practice in the 1980s when Chilean breeders noticed how soft their hands were after handling their prized possessions.
This discovery led to the production of the first snail cream and later on, it became widely used in Korean and American beauty products.
Snail slime’s hypoallergenic nature, researchers said, makes it more appealing than most products containing laboratory-produced chemicals.
“It prevents dryness and makes the skin look dewy, with fewer allergic ingredients than our current anti-aging products and steroid creams and it is highly recommended over actives such as glycolic acid or retinoid.”
Elements in the slime — like glycoprotein, hyaluronic acid, and glycolic acid — make for a natural product that slows signs of aging, heals acne, reduces scar tissue, and pretty much gives you a glowing moisturized skin.
Obviously, you picking up a snail from your garden and putting it on your face would be a little, I don’t know, unhealthy? Or maybe a bit weird?
So I would recommend you to go with a more ‘cleaner’ approach i.e. using products that contain decontaminated or we could say purified slime to avoid any kind of infection or side effects.
We’ve listed a few snail-mucin products recommended by the experts we spoke with, plus a few of our tried-and-true favourites.
SMD Cosmetics Saromae Snail Secretion Cream
It smells wonderful and is not slimy at all. The cream is exceptionally lightweight that it blends into your skin like a weightless cloud, leaving it soft and hydrated.
Though it’s a little pricey due to the long process of- farming, collecting, purifying, distributing and then using it in creams, and, you know the whole chain.
COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream
The cream s formulated with 92% snail mucin. It might feel thick and sticky at first, but it quickly melts into skin to leave it moisturized and soft that naturally helps you create the appealing glow of healthy skin.
Volition Beauty Helix AM/PM Eye Gel
The snail slime formulation helps to depuff, hydrate, and lighten the under-eye area. It works beautifully under makeup or on bare skin before bed.
Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream
Adding this gel-cream to your skin-care routine can work tremendously on your skin. It’s a simple product that soothes the skin and speeds healing of breakouts.
Tony Moly Timeless Ferment Snail Hydrogel Mask
Benton Snailbee High Content Sheet Mask
These are the hydrogel masks majorly formulated with snail mucin. Put them on your face while watching your favourite tv show and let the mask do its work for 30 minutes for healthy, happy, rejuvenated skin.
Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Ampoule
It’s made with 65% snail slime extract to improve skin texture, clarity, and overall brightness. It also contains medical-grade EGF (epidermal growth factor), which stimulates cell regeneration to combat and prevent signs of aging.
If you’re curious of the snail slime skin benefits, incorporate these products into your skincare routine and find out for yourself!
