The power of snail mucin was first recognised by Chilean snail farmers who noticed that their hands were visibly smoother and cuts seemed to heal quicker after handling snails. Korean cosmetic companies caught wind of this unique discovery, formulated it for skincare and people in Korea went kinda crazy over it. 

IMO, I would recommend snail cream to people with dry skin types and those that want to reduce fine lines and redness (especially from acne scarring). Here's why:

Snail mucin is not the oozy gooey slime that you may think it is. It's an extract packed with nutrients such as hyaluronic acid, glycoprotein enzymes, antimicrobial and copper peptides, and proteoglycans, all ingredients commonly used in beauty products and proven to be beneficial to the skin. These ingredients have been seen to stimulate the formation of collagen and elastin (i.e. anti-aging), repair damaged skin, and restore hydration. Here is a study that was recently done on snail mucin.

Today, the mucin is collected by harmlessly agitating the snails so they excrete the thick fluid, meant to protect themselves. As odd as this sounds, humans secrete oils to protect our skin too (hi, sebum!).

One of my favorite snail products is the Missha Cell Renew Snail Cream, because it contains 70% snail extract. It also is a really, light gel texture that immediately feels cooling and absorbs easily. The cream's fresh cucumber scent is sweet and subtle. The packaging is sturdy, and the cream comes in a pretty golden jar—although in a perfect world, this would come with a hygienic pump.

I love light, gel textured creams because they don't clog your pores easily.

So why'd I curate this particular snail cream? I applied the cream at night after toner (purposely without essence!) and after 3 weeks of consistent use, I was noticing how soft, supple and moisturized my skin was. At that time, I was also dealing with some redness from a bad arm wax and I applied it there too as a kind of spot treatment, just for the hell of it. It was actually surprising how quickly the redness subsided. I knew it was the real deal when other people reviewed it positively too.

Here's a review for the Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Cream that just popped up this morning (and actually inspired me to write this post):

"I use this consistently every morning and night, and I swear my skin has a clearer appearance now-- red marks fade so quickly and my skin just feels healthy. My teenage son saw how great it was and now he uses it every day too! (I bought him his own jar!) It soothes after shaving for men."

"I have oily acne prom skin and I have been using this every night for month or so, and my skin has been so clear and it smells great and absorbs fast. I like that I also don't wake up super oily after using this like I usually do with other products. I will DEFINITELY be buying this again!!!!" - Kristie A

"I'm usually skeptical of efficacy of skin products but bought this on sale to try and I love it. I never say "love" about skin products, but after a few weeks of using daily before bed, my skin feels more moisturised and my overall complexion is less dull. I'm 36 and some fine lines on my forehead also seem less visible. I wouldn't use this during the day because the product is not fully absorbed but it's been great as part of my evening routine." - Angela C

I'm already starting to see more people all over the world obsessed with snail skincare. No surprise to me, because if it's trending in Korea today, it's trending everywhere else tomorrow. 

Shop Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Cream