Ingredient Spotlight: Snail Extract
Ingredient Spotlight: Snail Extract and the Chamber of Questions (That I Have)
Recently, I've been taking a look at the ingredients that my skincare are made with and, if you're like me, you question where these ingredients come from, why people use them, and most importantly, do they work? I did some research (read: Googled) the history, chemical composition, scientific evidence, and recommendations for skincare of snails. Let's discuss, shall we?
What's Snail's Story?
It seems like the usage of snails can be traced back to ancient Greece and to Hippocrates. Story goes that he mashed up poor unsuspecting snails with sour milk to reduce inflammation. Closer to our day and age, however, it was observed that Chilean farmers who handled snails for the French market were noticed as having smoother skin on their hands.Apparently, harvesting snail slime started from there.
What Is Snail Slime Made Of?
When snails are agitated, they secrete a slime to protect themselves. This slime is used in many skincare products and if you've dabbled in Korean skincare at all, you've seen quite a few of these. So what is in the composition of snail slime that helps your skin?Snail slime is composed of, most notably, glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid.Glycolic Acid is used for exfoliation while hyaluronic acid helps with skin hydration.While glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid are great to incorporate into your skincare routine, you don't HAVE to get them from snail slime. There are products out there that provide you with these at the concentration levels your skin is able to handle.
Evidence of Efficacy?
From the reading that I've done, it SEEMS like most of the evidence attesting to the efficacy of snail slime tended to be anecdotal.Scientific evidence studying snail slime and its effects on skin regeneration have been largely inconclusive. From the reading I've done, tests varied a lot depending on the snails themselves and how they excrete (eww), the quality of snail mucus used, or the concentration used. There seems to be a lot of moving variables that it is hard to get a reliable test and certainly a lot harder to get a long term study.For the most part, the consensus may be that it COULD work but it could depend on the snail that produced it, the concentration of the slime.Should it work, however, you can potentially expect to see improved skin texture and perhaps some reduction of fine lines.
What Are Some Skin Care Considerations?
For the most part, it seems like a higher concentration of snail slime can yield good results in terms of improved skin quality and reduction of fine lines. A study published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology used a snail extract as a liquid serum at 40% concentration and found improvement when it came to fine lines.ALSO, it may be worth saying that since snail extract is composed of glycolic and hyaluronic acid, turning to other non slime related skin care that have these same properties may give you the same effect. The Dermal Mask in the photo above is made up of glycol and other hydrating ingredients and only a small percentage of snail extract. I seriously don't know if it should even be called snail mask at that concentration.I've had good results with the Mizon All In One Snail Repair Cream which is 92% snail mucus. I've had clearer and softer skin since using it. But ALSO I have been using other products that could very well have contributed to better skin texture. So take that anecdote for what it's worth.Remember that snails are AGITATED so they would excrete snail. From an animal cruelty perspective, if that is something that matters to you, turning to other sources for your glycolic and hyaluronic acid may be a no brainer anyway.Also remember that if you've never used snail extract before, patch test it on a small part of your skin first before putting it all over your face. You never know what you could be allergic to and if you have never handled a snail before, there's no way of knowing if you're allergic to it.
Final Thoughts on Snail Slime?
I mean, most of what I've found is mostly "IT MAY WORK. IT MAY NOT. WE DON'T HAVE CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE. HERE ARE SOME STORIES OF WHEN IT WORKED."If you're interested in it anyway, I don't see any harm in trying. If that's too gross for you, glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid can be found in less gross places anyway so no harm no foul.For something that doesn't have any reliable evidence pointing back to its efficacy, will I continue to use it? Meehhh... I wouldn't kick it out of my life but I wouldn't go out of my way to seek it out.Have you read any other research on snail slime? Do you want to share me stories or studies on these little suckers? You're totally welcome to!Until then, friends, go forth and conquer.Resources:https://www.futurederm.com/is-snail-mucin-really-good-for-your-skin/http://www.thedermreview.com/snail-cream/http://jddonline.com/articles/dermatology/S1545961613P0453X