mocryptomphalus aspersa snail
Helix Aspersa snail
K-beauty is trending, and we’re talking about K-beauty products with snail slime/mucin/extract!
Don’t make up your mind that this is gross just yet, , because these little snails can deliver something big for beauty.
They are powerhouses of skin-loving benefits!
What is Snail Slime?
These snails aren’t the ones you eat in butter and garlic!
Cosmetic snail slime is normally harvested from lab-grown common garden snails or Cornu Aspersum (previously Helix Aspersa).
The cosmetic slime is derived from the same stuff snails produce to heal cuts on their soft bodies from rocks and other rough surfaces.
Animal activists can relax…the snails are not harmed or eaten.
We first heard of snail serum in 2016 when the Advicesisters.com reviewed Biopelle, a skincare brand using a natural ingredient extracted from the eggs of the cryptomphalus aspersa snail.
How does Snail Slime Benefit Beauty Products?
In beauty products, snail mucin firms and restores skin by replenishing moisture and supporting cell regeneration (which helps fade acne scars, smooth uneven complexions and reduce hyperpigmentation).
Products with snail slime or mucin are trending now.
Give these two (one for eyes, one for face,) a try!
EYES: Elishacoy Snail Hydrogel Eye Patch
We didn’t expect to find budget beauty, let alone from Korea, that contained snail mucin, but Elishacoy is a natural cosmetics brand founded in South Korea using naturally-derived ingredients and it is available in CVS drugstores!
The Elishacoy Snail Hydrogel Eye Patch ($14/5 patches) arrive in individual packette pairs, that you leave on your eye area for 10-15 minutes, then lightly tap your skin to absorb the remaining essence.
The gel contains 10,000ppm of purified snail secretion filtrate good for all skin types., the gel gives your skin a cool feeling, rich with moisture and nourishment for your skin while tightening your skin to give the long-lasting moisture you desire.
The patches felt sticky at first, but then cool and refreshing.
We could feel the tightening and after removing them, we did see some de-puffing and our dark circles seemed lighter. Our eye area felt hydrated and refreshed.
Ingredients:
The Bottom Line:
FACE: Saromae Snail Serum Concentrate
The Saromae Snail Serum Concentrate by SMD Cosmetics ($70) arrives in the most elegant container, a stunning, shiny golden metallic jar with an opalescent top.
It’s not just a stellar example of innovative and beautiful Korean presentation, SMD cosmetics claims to be the first Korean skin care line to offer a non-toxic, safe, natural, premium herbal medicinal-based line good for even the most sensitive skin.
There is a lot of snail serum in this product, along with some proven, powerhouse ingredients for anti-aging benefits.
Ingredients:
This hydrating serum contains 62% of pure snail secretion in a clear gel formula to help reduce fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, hyperpigmentation, sun damage and acne scarring.
It also has (among other things): Forsythia Virdissma Fruit (reduces pigmentation, fine lines, wrinkles), Licorice Root (brightening); Paeonia Lactiflora Root (antioxidant)
The products are non-toxic, dermatologist tested, non-comedogenic, cruelty-free, paraben-free, and naturally preserved.
The Bottom Line:
I loved the packaging.
The product is full of proven and powerful, especially when used with other SMD Saromae products.
But the sample we were given (boxed and sealed) had **no applicator. We had to stick our fingers directly into the jar immediately starting the product contamination process.
The jar has a nice plastic “keeper” on the top but the gel is liquid-y.
Once you open the plastic keeper top you have to be careful that the serum doesn’t slosh over the rim of the jar is messy.
The product itself is pleasant, but don’t use too much or it won’t be absorbed and your skin will be sticky.
Visit http://www.smdcosmetics.com./
**SMD Cosmetics insists that there are tiny spoon applicators in the box with the cream and took great exception to my reporting a lack of an applicator. My box was sealed so lack of a spatula could have been an anomaly. It happens. But I reported on my experience honestly. If you get this product and there isn’t an applicator in yours, return it or ask for an applicator to be sent to you.
ADDENDUM: Some of the companies mentioned contacted me to assert that their product is better. One asserted theirs is the only one that could possibly be effective. Each sent met emails with technical information I am sure they thought would be helpful to add to this review but that I can’t verify.
I have reviewed hundreds of skin creams and thousands of beauty products in my career. If I can’t verify something, or it’s clearly meant to promote a product to the detriment of another, or if it’s too technical for the average consumer to understand, it’s not appropriate for a feature. However, I offered the most strident opposing (expert) the opportunity to write a guest article for The Advice Sisters Beauty and Style about what to look for in K-Beauty and snail-centric products for consumers…the offer was declined. Apparently, it is easier just to attack the journalist, and the other snail-centric products, than to do anything positive.
Furthermore, everyone’s skin is different. And, even the best skincare in the world won’t be effective if you select the wrong type for your skin and issues, don’t use it properly, regularly, or for enough time to see results. All of the products mentioned include other ingredients that are also beneficial to skin. K-beauty is trendy and that really was the point of this review. I liked what I saw in these products, not just the snail ingredients.
