Would you put snail mucus on your face? Yeah, you heard that right! In the world of skincare, the most unlikely ingredients have been popping up, and one of the trendiest is actually snail mucin.

Sounds strange? Let’s dig into why dermatologists and brands swear by this slimy substance and why you might want to consider it too. Snail mucin is, quite literally, the gooey stuff snails produce as they move. This slime helps them glide smoothly over rough surfaces and stay hydrated.

We spoke with Dermatologist Dr. Jaishree Sharad who is one of the most renowned experts and the author of her book ‘Skin Talks’. She has seen the likes of Bollywood biggies like Amitabh Bachchan, Neetu Kapoor, Ileana Dcruz, Shankar Mahadevan and Manish Paul in attendance.

She said, “If you have normal skin or dry skin, you can go ahead and use it. But if you have sensitive skin or any kind of allergies, you must do a test patch behind the ears because you may be allergic to snail mucin and you may develop a reaction if you have oily skin or acne prone skin.”

According to her, one must be very careful because snail mucin can clog the pores and give more blackheads and whiteheads. She suggested that it's always better to consult with a dermatologist before using any new skincare product.

What is snail mucin?

Snail mucin is a secretion produced by the snails to protect and repair their skin. It's a natural product rich in glycoproteins, Hyaluronic acid and glycolic acid.

Dr. Sharad stated that snail mucin is now used in skin formulations available as serums which help to hydrate the skin. The Hyaluronic acid present in snail mucin is a humectant, which means it absorbs water and plumps up the skin and the glycoproteins help in repairing the skin.

Snail mucin also contains Glycolic acid, which is an alpha hydroxy acid that helps to stimulate collagen and tighten the skin, improve fine lines and pores and helps to brighten the skin.

However, Dermatologist, Dr Kiran Kaur Sethi, also the author of Skin Sense, is unsure about the efficacy of the ingredient when it is emulsified but swears by its hydration properties. Dr. Sethi is well known for her clinic, Isya Aesthetics, in South Delhi, which is often frequented by the city's top celebrities and content creators.

Speaking with us, Dr. Sethi said, “Snail mucin is full of glycosaminoglycans, and other actives, which ultimately make them anti-bacterial, and help form a strong barrier and hydrating capacity to improve wound healing. It helps in hydration by binding water but essentially also by creating a strong healthy barrier on the skin to reduce water loss as well.

There is minimal data on anti-ageing on humans, but when you moisturise well, lines will look reduced. But for true collagen/elastin production, the data is still out. In a snail mucin product, I would want high-percentage snail mucin in a single-phase serum because I don't know if the emulsion process of a cream will destroy the mucin itself."

How did snail mucin enter the skincare market?

As these nutrients help snails repair their bodies, skincare companies realised these same properties could be great for the human skin too.

K-beauty brands were the first to dive into snail mucin, and it quickly gained popularity worldwide. International brands like Conscious Chemist, Cosrx, Benton and Missha have product lines dedicated to snail-based skincare.

Indian brands like Derma Co. also have introduced products like snail mucin under eye cream, moisturising serum.

Infact, the brand Conscious Chemist has also found a sustainable way to extract the mucin without harming the snails in any way. They use a sustainable and cruelty-free method called Immersion Extraction.

This method involves snails releasing mucin onto floating water and then returned to nature after extraction. Snails are not euthanised after the extraction process. The mucin is filtered to ensure only the purest version reaches the customer.

Influencers influence to use snail mucin

It might sound weird, but users say snail mucin has changed their skincare routine for the better. From reduced acne scars to brighter skin, the reviews are glowing.

We asked popular beauty and fashion influencer Shraddha Gurung, known as lilmissgurung on social media, and here’s what she had to say:

“I used the Cosrx Snail Mucin essence. What I noticed was very subtle, but it did clear out my skin and made it taught so everything else layered on really beautifully. The texture of my skin was also even after prolonged usage.”

Beauty influencer Stuti Bhattacharya also shared her positive reviews about snail mucin. She said that it has amazing hydrating skin benefits and is great for those with an impaired, damaged, dry or dehydrated skin barrier.

According to Stuti, it should be applied after applying Hyaluronic acid or aloe vera gel but before appluing moisturiser because it has a little bit of thickness, but it's not thick enough to serve as a sole moisturiser.

So, would you give snail mucin a try? If yes, you can surely buy them here:

Derma Co. Snail Peptide 96 Hydrating Serum with Snail Mucin & Peptide Complex - 80 ml - ₹674.00 - thedermaco.com

Derma Co. Snail Peptide 96 Under Eye Repair Cream with Snail Mucin & Peptide Complex - 15 g - ₹351.00 - thedermaco.com

The Derma Co Snail Peptide 96 Advanced Moisturizing Cream – 100g - ₹385 - Amazon.com

COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream - 100ml - ₹1,320 – tirabeauty.com

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence – 100ml - ₹ 942 - foxy.in

Bellavita Snail Mucin 99 Moisturizer – 50ml - ₹389 - bellavitaorganic.com

While it might not be for everyone, snail mucin has earned its spot for being effective, natural, and pretty affordable too. So, let us know if you would put snail slime on your face or not. And don’t forget to subscribe and stay tuned for more skincare updates!