Skin Benefits of Snail Secretion Filtrate and Its Use in Cosmetics

Snail slime is a kind of mucus secreted by snails to crawl on and prevent drying of the exposed soft tissues, which is why is has strong moisturizing and lubricant properties. Snail mucus has been used in traditional medicine for centuries – the earliest evidence of its utilization for medical purposes dates back to Ancient Greece.

The skin benefits of snail slime were officially discovered by the Spanish oncologist Dr. Rafael Abad Iglesias in the 1960s. While conducting experiments that involved using snails as test subjects for radiation therapy, he noticed that the slime secreted by snails made the injuries on their skin heal quicker. He tested the snail secretion on humans and concluded that it contributed to skin regeneration.

However, it took several decades for snail secretion filtrate to become a popular ingredient in skincare. It was introduced to the market by a family of Chilean farmers, and South Korean cosmetic companies were among the firsts to pick up the trend. Skincare products with snail filtrate have strong moisturizing and rejuvenating properties. They speed up the healing of minor skin injuries, reduce wrinkles and fine lines, and give a glowing, youthful complexion. All this is possible due to the numerous benefits of snail slime.

Snail Slime Is Rich in Moisture and Nutrients

Snail slime is a gel that contains 91 to 98% weight of water, depending on the species, combined with nutrients such as glycoproteins, peptides, lipids, minerals (for instance, calcium), hyaluronic acid, etc. Water prevents desiccation (drying) of the snail’s skin, while elements contained in snail slime help protect the skin from damage, infection and UV radiation.

Before being used as a cosmetic ingredient, snail slime is filtered multiple times to ensure its purity and increase the concentration of nutrients (hence the name “snail secretion filtrate”). Some cosmetic products with snail filtrate claim to contain as much as 97% of this incredible ingredient but even those with lower concentrations have pronounced hydrating and nourishing properties.

Snail Filtrate Is Suitable for All Skin Types

Snail secretion hydrates dry skin, helps to keep oily skin in check, and maintains the health of normal skin. It is a hypoallergenic ingredient which is safe even for overly sensitive skin. As a matter of fact, it soothes the skin, reduces redness and irritation, and helps treat all kinds of concerns related to skin sensitivity. However, you still need to do a patch test before using any snail slime products because there’s still a chance of hypersensitivity reaction to this particular ingredient.

Snail Secretion Filtrate Has Healing Properties

As we’ve already mentioned above, snail slime’s ability to stimulate skin regeneration is a scientifically proven fact. This ingredient helps repair damaged tissues and heals breakouts, rosacea, sunburns, acne scars, shaving nicks and cuts, and other minor skin injuries. In addition, it is effective against age sports, fine lines, wrinkles, and stretch marks.

Finally, It’s Not Icky at All!

While pure snail slime can be a bit gooey and glue-like, most cosmetic products with snail secretion filtrate (serums, moisturizers, creams, eye gels, facial masks) have a neutral texture, smell and look.