Snail mucin is the excretion from a snail that is naturally created and used by snails as a way for them to protect themselves.
This beloved k-beauty ingredient at UNBLEMISH packs a lot of promises. It can moisturise skin, promote collagen production, aid in skin healing, cell-turnover and regeneration. Who knew!
Because snail mucin is a self-protective excretion, it has elements within which are meant to repair and protect from injury, stress, and harm. Among these factors include powerful growth and regeneration triggers which work by implementing the growth of new skin cells and new collagen production.
A well-known dermatologist, Desai-Solomon, says “It’s a trusted ingredient in the K-beauty world and has become a popular one because it can offer noticeable results.”
Upon further investigation into this fascinating sticky substance, we discover that it contains allantoin, hyaluronic acid, and glycolic acid, which all have beneficial effects on aging skin. As such, it is a very exciting addition anyone’s staple skincare routine.
Here’s some of its benefits:
How does snail mucin help dry skin?
We could lose our skin’s ability to maintain optimum hydration due to age, over-exfoliation, hormonal imbalance etc. And the problem with dehydrated skin is that it can quickly lose water, a.k.a. transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
Snail mucin can combat this because of certain chemicals found in it called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs to be precise, and don’t worry that was as hard to write as it is to pronounce!). They hold great moisturising benefits as their molecules attract water, helping moisturise the skin and make it plump. It’s a water party for your skin!
How does it help ageing?
The older you get, the harder it is for your skin to produce as much collagen and other good stuff that keeps it dewy, fresh, and plump. It becomes easier for damage to occur and wrinkles to develop.
A study conducted using a cream with 80% snail mucin found that the users noticed a significant difference in the appearance of wrinkles, skin elasticity, dermal density, and skin tightening in just 4 weeks.
Another study found that snail secretions can stimulate the production of collagen which is great news for your skin! Collagen is the protein that helps your skin remain strong and supple, maintaining your skin’s elasticity and helping heal any imperfections.
How does it improve acne and scarring?
Honestly, the more we’ve investigated this magical goo at UNBLEMISH, the more we’ve fallen in love with it. Snail mucin even has glycolic acid in it, which you may know is a great ingredient in cell turnover. It’s an absolute beast at breaking down dead skin, allowing fresh skin to develop. Due to this, it can be considered an exfoliant, leaving your skin smooth and sloughed of dead skin cells!
In terms of scarring, we know this happens because of a lack of collagen to rebuild the injured skin. If there is less collagen, the skin rebuilds with gaps, leading to pit-like scars. If there is excess collagen, the skin can over-form, leading to a raised bump of skin on the injured area.
Because snail mucin can help with your skin’s regeneration ability, it is an expert at healing wounds, its chemicals bonding within your skin to form efficiently and evenly.
Can it reduce my hyperpigmentation?
Snail mucin has been found to have antimelanogenic properties which slow down melanin production. Therefore there is evidence to prove it may help reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation. This, coupled with its ability to increase cell turnover, may prove to be immensely effective at doing the job of reducing unwanted pigmentation.
How To Use Snail Mucin:
Since snail mucin has launched into fame, it comes in a wide variety of applications. If you’re using the skincare step in the right order, you’re pretty much set to go using this ingredient in any form.
Our personal favourite at UNBLEMISH is the COSRX line which take full advantage due to their high percentage of active ingredient.
Essence
This must be used after toner and before a serum, ampoule, or moisturiser. Gently pat the snail mucin essence onto your skin and let it settle so that it is absorbed completely. You can layer this step as many times as your skin asks for (mine always asks for a round two).
Serum
Use the snail mucin serum after toning and before an ampoule or moisturiser. Pat it in and feel free to layer!
Cream
This is where knowing your moisturiser ‘s base comes in handy. If your snail-star-studded cream is water-based, use it before any oil-based products. You don’t want it to sit on top of the oil layer and not reach your skin!
Snail Mucin Masks
One of my favourite ways to embrace this ingredient is to feel like an actual snail by slugging on a mask. There’s no feeling quite like smushing it on your face and feeling the cool, gel-like effect it has on your skin. It’s one of the most calming moments of my week.
You can feel the juices working their magic by filling every nook and cranny of your face with healing properties and soothing care. Don’t forget to slide some of that goodness down to your neck and décolletage for good measure! Simply put, you can’t go wrong with snail mucin, and you can read even more about it from this link here. Try it for yourself and see!