Properties, benefits and contraindications of using snail slime: what is snail slime and how to harvest snail slime
In recent years, in the cosmetic and nutraceutical sector, the use of Helix Aspersa Muller secretion (known as snail slime) has spread.
Snails produce secretion from the locomotor system, called snail slime, which has the particular property of keeping the skin constantly hydrated and protected from the trauma to which it is subjected.
What is snail slime?
Snail slime (INCI: Snail Secretion Filtrate) appears as an amber, clear or slightly opalescent liquid. It’s completely miscible in water, insoluble in vegetable or mineral oils, dispersible in oil-in-water emulsions. The product has high safety standards due to the little or no presence of dangerous heavy metals, as Cadmium, Lead, Chromium, Nickel and Mercury. The raw material is also microbiologically controlled at the end of production.
How to harvest snail slime?
The snail slime raising for cosmetic use takes place using special machinery, where the secretion is produced, filtered and micro-filtered to eliminate any type of impurities, without diluting the secreted apart from the addition of stabilizers to ensure its conservation over time.
Snail slime has properties and qualitative-quantitative composition of active substances that make a unique ingredient, that cannot be replicated in laboratory with a synthetic product.
It’s composed by particular benefit active substances for skin health, as Allantoin, which helps to promote epidermal turnover by favoring the moisturizing, soothing and revitalizing action, and Glycolic Acid, that promotes a skin surface layers gentle exfoliation, resulting in a cell turnover speed increase, an increase of fibroblasts activity and production of collagen and elastin already naturally present in the mucous secretion. Vitamins, minerals and lactic acid complete the rich composition of snail slime.
Does snail slime help the skin?
Snail slime properties are considerable, because the secretion is very rich in mucopolysaccharides, which give a characteristic viscosity and which perform a protective, film-forming and moisturizing action. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that snail slime has regenerative properties for human skin and a remarkable antioxidant activity.
The antioxidant action works on two levels, both by reducing the free radicals formation. This mechanism is involved in cellular protection of damage mediated by the free radicals formation induced by UV radiation, preventing the damage and skin signs caused by photo-aging, the main responsible for wrinkles making. It therefore finds application in anti-aging, restorative products with a film-forming effect, effective in combating expression lines.
Alongside its antioxidant power, snail slime increases the fibroblasts survival by stimulating the natural cells proliferative activity, a necessary and essential condition for wound healing without scar formation.
In vivo studies have shown that snail slime cosmetic products favor the burns healing in children by reducing the keloid formation, hyperpigmentation and overall improving scars aesthetic appearance. The studies were performed on both few months children and adults who therefore have different skin and cellular characteristics based on age.
Snail Slime Cream
Snail slime cream has properties that make it one of the most admired products on cosmetic market, especially in products such as a snail slime moisturizer.
Its use dates back to ancient Greece, where Hippocrates exploited the anti-inflammatory and decongestant snail slime properties to remedy skin irritations. In the Middle Ages it was one of the elements present in traditional medicine.
However, the snail slime real success comes from the Eighties in Chile by the Bascunan family who bred snails for the French gastronomic market. The farms operators noticed that their hands kept a healthy appearance and never showed dryness or aging signs, and that the small wounds healed in a shorter time and without scarring or infections. After 15 years, the first patented snail slime cream was born.
Snail slime beauty products have several benefits:
- they improve the wrinkles, stretch marks and scars appearance;
- they counteract the acne appearance thanks to the glycolic acid presence among its components, which has exfoliating and regenerating power;
- they have antioxidant properties that can protect the skin from free radicals action;
- they have moisturizing properties that allow to restore a good skin hydration degree.
Snail slime benefits
The snail slime benefits, thanks to the high concentration of active ingredients, promote skin regeneration and cell turnover. It has an exfoliating, moisturizing action, and is widely used in the treatment of acne marks, scars and skin discolorations. It’s recommended as an anti-wrinkle and in stretch and expression marks prevention.
Snail slime skin care
Snail slime can have different uses forface and body skin, as it contains a polysaccharides and polymers high content that allow to carry out a highly hygroscopic activity or to retain water and decrease the TEWL of stratum corneum, ensuring continuous hydration at the epidermal level.
The protein components mix, micronutrients and glycolic acid protects the skin from external agents, UV radiation and possible infections.
Snail extract is equally effective in protecting hair from mechanical damage caused by the daily pressure of styling, combing and hairstyles.
Acne and pimples: what is snail slime good for?
Snail slime is one of the most effective remedies against pimples and acne, capable of acting on both causes and effects, thanks to the active ingredients contained in the snail slime:
– the Glycolic Acid promotes a cell renewal process acceleration for the epidermis upper layers. In the acne treatment it’s effective on three levels: it has a sebum-regulating effect, eliminates impurities, reduces signs and scars;
– the Allantonin protects the skin from oxidation and stimulates the epithelial cells production, contributing to scars and acne marks reduction;
– the Vitamin A and Vitamin E guarantee an antioxidant and soothing action capable of reducing irritation and redness. In particular, Vitamin A stimulates some specific enzymes expression that are able to improve the cutaneous layer of skin by promoting the keratinocytes proliferation and differentiation; the Vitamin E role is due to its antioxidant activity, which directly counteracts the damaging action of the reactive oxygen species and indirectly restores the endogenous other antioxidants component.
What are snail slime risks in cosmetic products?
Snail slimeskincare products have no particular contraindications.
It’s a safe, non-irritating or sensitizing product for application to the skin under normal and reasonably foreseeable use conditions.
In any case, it’s recommended, especially for the most sensitive skin, to test cosmetic products containing snail slime on small areas of skin application to highlight any adverse reactions.
It’s always recommend using cosmetic products made by competent and trusted companies that ensure the microbiologically safe, controlled origin snail slime use in cosmetic production.