Snail Mucin

What is snail mucin?

Snail mucin is the secretion of snails – usually the species Cryptomphalus aspersa (garden snail). On the INCI list it appears as Snail Secretion Filtrate. The secretion is collected, purified and filtered before it goes into essences, serums and creams.

Snail mucin contains a natural mix of glycoproteins, hyaluronic acid, allantoin, glycolic acid, peptides and minerals. Many manufacturers state that the snails are not harmed during collection. However, snail mucin is not vegan.

How does snail mucin work on the skin?

• Hydration: It binds water in the skin for a plump, soft feel.
• Regeneration: Snail mucin supports the renewal of stressed skin and helps post-acne marks fade faster.
• Soothing: Allantoin and other ingredients care for and calm the skin.
• Glow: The skin looks smoother, more even and more radiant.

Which skin types is snail mucin suitable for?

• dry, dehydrated skin – see Skincare for dryness
• blemish-prone skin with post-acne marks
• dull skin that needs glow – see Glow skincare
• stressed skin after retinol, peels or sun exposure

Snail mucin is well tolerated by most skin types. If you are allergic to house dust mites or shellfish, be careful and patch test the product on a small area first.

How to use snail mucin

1. Cleanse your face and apply a toner.
2. Pat a snail mucin essence or serum into slightly damp skin.
3. Finish with a cream, and in the morning with sunscreen.

You can use snail mucin morning and evening. The slightly stringy texture is normal and absorbs quickly.

What can you combine snail mucin with?

Snail mucin works with almost every ingredient:

• Hyaluronic acid for even more hydration
• Niacinamide for an even complexion
• Peptides for a gentle anti-ageing routine
• Centella Asiatica for sensitive, reddened skin
• Retinol – snail mucin can calm the skin while it gets used to retinol

Snail mucin in Korean skincare

Hardly any product stands for K-beauty as much as the Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence from COSRX – one of the best-selling Korean skincare products worldwide. Other favourites include COSRX’s Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream and Snail Peptide Eye Cream, the Revive Serum with ginseng and snail mucin from Beauty of Joseon, KSECRET’s SEOUL 1988 Essence with 97% snail mucin and Benton’s Snail Bee High Content Steam Cream.

What does the research say?

Laboratory studies show that the secretion of Cryptomphalus aspersa can stimulate the regeneration of skin cells and support the formation of connective tissue (Brieva et al., Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2008). In a clinical study, products with filtered snail secretion improved fine lines and skin texture in photo-aged skin (Fabi et al., Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013). Overall, the research is still limited – but its excellent tolerability and pleasant feel make snail mucin a popular everyday ingredient.