Did you know Ancient Greek women would rub snail slime on their skin to keep it looking young? Sounds disgusting, but it works. Many South Korean women are beginning to use it again, and their products are making it into the United States.
“Snail essence,” as they call it, is one of the latest fads to hit the skin care market. Even though it supposedly hydrates skin, prevents aging, and improves wrinkles and scars when concentrated, I’m sure most women will think twice before trying it.
The big question, though, is whether it actually works or not. On this matter, dermatologists are divided. Some say it works quite well. Others are more cautious, and say the science behind it is inconclusive because there aren’t any long-term studies on it.
Well, that’s what they say about all the natural products we use. It doesn’t mean anything that women have used snail essence for centuries without any side effects.
There was one small study back in 2013. In this study, a group of researchers from California followed 25 people with skin damage. After 12 weeks, the researchers found that those who applied snail slime experienced an improvement in eye wrinkles and skin texture.
Snail essence is clearly a natural product. It contains elastin, proteins, peptides, and glycolic acids. All of these ingredients are known to keep skin looking younger. While these are effective skin care ingredients, different products may contain other not-so-natural ingredients. So the dermatologists’ voice of caution is worth heeding on these products.
Reference:
https://www.aol.com/article/lifestyle/2017/06/16/why-people-are-rubbing-snail-slime-on-their-faces/22387031/.