If you're someone who is a fan of new, innovative beauty ingredients, you're likely familiar with snail slime. It's the secretion left behind when snails are on the move, and it helps to protect their bottom halves from bacteria, cuts, and other environmental factors. But it's also useful for skin care, especially in face creams, which is why plenty of folks are constantly on the hunt for the best snail creams on the market.
But what, exactly, makes snail mucous such a skin care miracle? Well it's packed full of elastin, hyaluronic acid, glycolic acid, protein, and more. And when you apply those things to your skin, they can work wonders. The benefits of snail mucin, when applied topically, include faded dark spots (and an overall more even looking skin tone) and firmer, plumper, more hydrated skin. Some people claim it's the key to clearing up post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (like acne scars) for good. And while it's offered in serums and eye creams, snail slime tends to be a favorite ingredient in moisturizers because of its multi-tasking abilities and ease-of-use.
If you have ethical concerns about using snail mucin-based products, the good news is that the extraction process doesn't really harm the snails. Labs aren't required to disclose their processes, but since snails produce more mucin when they're healthy, there's a big push behind ethically sourcing the mucus and caring for them well.
Ready to get the benefits of snail mucus without having those slimy critters crawling all over your face? Look no further. Ahead, we've rounded up the best snail creams out there. Get ready to slather them all over your face.
1
An All-In-One Cream With A Super-High Concentration Of Snail Mucin
When it comes to snail mucus, less is definitely not more. So if you're looking for a cream with a high concentration of mucin, you'll love Seoul Ceuticals Multi-Function All-In-One Snail Repair Cream. It consists of 97.5 percent snail mucin extract, so you're getting as close to pure snail slime as you can without having a snail crawl across your face. It brightens your skin and evens out your complexion in just a few days. Aside from the mucin, the formula is packed with shea butter to moisturize, aloe vera to soothe, jojoba oil to balance, and vitamin E, which blocks free radicals. Best of all, the mucin from the snails is cruelty-free, so you can feel good about using it.
2
A Cult-Favorite Snail Cream — But It's Pricy
If you've heard of snail cream, you've likely heard of TONYMOLY Timeless Ferment Snail Cream. This jar has developed a kind of cult-following, with makeup artists, skin pros, and beauty editors championing its skin care benefits. Its ingredients list reads like a rundown of the best things for your skin. Glycolic acid exfoliates and conditions, while elastin helps improve the flexibility of your skin. Put these two together, and they help improve your skin's natural barrier, which helps your overall moisture levels. And since its packed with snail mucin, you're left with a brighter, more even-looking complexion.
3
An Amazing Snail Cream For Very Dry Skin
Hyaluronic acid is a miracle product for folks with dry skin because of its ability to hold 1,000 times its weight in water. And while snail mucin naturally produces hyaluronic acid, Yeouth Day/Night Cream does one better. It adds an extra dose of hyaluronic acid for moisture, making it the perfect snail cream option for folks suffering from flaky skin. Aside from the moisture surge, the formula also contains green tea and peptides — two other fantastic ingredients. Green tea is full of good-for-you antioxidants to help protect skin against free radicals, and peptides help stimulate the production of collagen, giving you a firmer, more glowing complexion. Together, these ingredients create the perfect cocktail for dry skin.
4
A Gel Cream For Oily Skin (Bonus: It Comes In A Two Pack)
If you have oily skin, heavy creams are usually a no-go for you — regardless of how much snail mucin is in there. But that's what makes Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream so great — it's a snail mucin cream in a gel formula, which is ideal for oily skin since gels are water-based, not oil-based (like most creams). Aside from the gel format, Mizon's cream contains hyaluronic acid, which moisturizes and smooths your skin all day long. But it also contains green tea extract, which, as we mentioned above protects and soothes skin from environmental aggressors. And if that isn't enough praise for you, we love that this cream comes in a two-pack.
5
A Great Snail Cream To Wear At Night
If you're in the market for a night cream, ONALLDAY On Night Sleeping Cream is one you should look into. It uses the snail mucin in its formula to help your skin repair itself while your sleep — something your skin does on its own naturally. But thanks to ONALLDAY's snail secretion filtrate, this sumptuous cream creates a protective layer over your skin, which allows it to do its thing without environmental factors getting in the way. Lemon extract is another star ingredient, because it prevents the evaporation of moisture from your skin and ensures your skin stays hydrated. You'll wake up with majorly moisturized skin, and what could be better than that?
6
A Vitamin-Packed Snail Cream With Adorable Packaging
If products won awards for packaging, Ladykin Affinitic Lifting Snail Cream would win the award for cutest. (Just look at that adorable snail!) But don't let the twee packaging fool you — this formula is a winner overall. Why? It's packed with good-for-you vitamins which improve just about every aspect of your skin. Vitamins A, C, E are a trio of powerhouse antioxidants that help strengthen your skin. Vitamin A encourages cell production, C synthesizes collagen, and E blocks free radicals. Of course, Ladykin's snail cream also helps moisturize and smooth the skin, thanks to its 80 percent snail mucin extract. This is a great option for folks just test-driving snail cream for the first time, because it has ingredients every skin type can benefit from, and if you don't wind up loving it? Well, at least you've got a super cute (reusable!) jar to keep on your vanity.
Bustle may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was created independently from Bustle's editorial and sales departments.
