Exclusive:
The thought of putting snails near your face may be enough to make you shudder – but TikTok influencers are doing just this in a controversial ‘snail facial’ trend
Covering your face with snails may sound like a nightmarish I’m A Celebrity trial – but influencers are now voluntarily doing just this, in a controversial skincare trend dubbed the ‘snail facial’.
While you may think this surely involves buying snails from some kind of exotic pet shop, many beauty buffs are instead turning to their gardens and surrounding woodland to grab a couple of these creatures. They then let them suck and slither all over their faces in the hopes of getting a nice glow at the end of it.
Beauty creator, Blinkaria Kohl, is among those to have tried it, taking to TikTok to share her experience. “I did the snail facial at home and I got snails from my garden,” she told her 731k followers (@blinkaria).
“Picked the ones I wanted, got them cleaned up and fed them so that they were happy… I got them on my face and, just a disclaimer, a few years ago I did this and I broke out in spots. But this time when I did it, I didn’t.
“Now, snail slime is very high in antioxidants which can help promote healthy collagen production and calm inflammation. It’s also rich in hyaluronic acid – skin hydrating.” Unsurprisingly, her post was soon met with a flurry of comments, as various users couldn’t quite believe what they were seeing.
One person wrote: “My phobia of snails I could never,” as others chimed in: “Nah man I’d probably get an STD or something,” and: “Nope!”
But could this really be true? Believe it or not, two experts claim there is some merit in using snail slime as a skincare product, but grabbing them from the garden isn’t the best way to go about it.
Nancy Wickford, Skincare specialist at helloSKIN, told The Mirror: “While the hype around snail creams and masks might seem like a fad, many experts and dermatologists agree the star ingredient shows promise for certain skin concerns when used in quality, reputable snail-derived skincare lines.
“I wouldn’t recommend putting snails from the garden on your face as garden snails can carry parasites, bacteria that could lead to infections or transmit diseases if they come into contact with broken skin. Also the snail slime may contain irritants, pollutants, or pesticide residues from the garden that could irritate or damage your skin.”
Snail mucin, found in snail slime, is the surprising key ingredient of various mollusc-based beauty and skincare products. This is largely thanks to its exfoliating alpha hydroxy acid and glycolic acid, as well as the antimicrobial peptides that help fight acne-causing bacteria.
It’s also been suggested that its copper peptides are crucial to minimising fine lines, scarring and hyperpigmentation, though Nancy claims this needs to be researched further. She added: “The snail mucus used in certain skincare products comes from snails raised specifically for that purpose in controlled, sanitised environments. Using random snails from an outdoor garden setting raises hygiene and safety concerns.”
Helen Bell, a health expert at UK Care Guide, also echoed this, adding: “The scientific evidence is still limited, and much of the data comes from anecdotal sources or studies with small sample sizes. Therefore, while the claims could have some basis, they should, in my view, be approached with caution until more robust scientific evaluations are conducted.
“A salon should only use snails bred in controlled environments, which reduces these risks significantly. However, even in such conditions, the sanitation of the snails and the environment must be carefully maintained to prevent against unintended health hazards.”
Have a story to tell? Get in touch, at [email protected]
