Snail extract was discovered to be increasingly good for skin after a group of snail farmers reported they had smoother hands after tending to snails, a few years back.
It had been previously known to help burn wounds in certain instances and was primarily used as an unfounded alternative to commercial topical care.
With that new found discovery came a new segment and many cosmetic brands hurried to incorporate the ingredient in topical skin care and cosmetics.
One brand in particular; 'It’s Skin' has seen success in Asia with a product that contains 12,600mg of a filtrate of snail slime.
The cream has taken off in China and southeast Asia into the markets of near 20 countries Russia and Latin America and the product won the Gold Award at the 2014 Monde Selection in May last year.
"One of the products sells every 6 seconds all over the world, and its sales are expected to exceed 5 million soon if the trend continues," a company rep told Business Korea.
The West tries to get it on the benefits..
Companies in the United States and Europe have recently announced efforts to bring snail extract from China and South America in liquid form for cosmetic manufacturing and production.
However, due to a short-lived shelf life and long journeys to get products half way across the world, those efforts fell short – A problem evaded by South Korea’s geographical close proximity to China.
Snail extract provides natural activators for ageing and damaged skin
Its unique properties contain seven key benefactors to promote healthy, beautiful skin; allantoin, collagen, elastin, glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E and protein. The variety of attributes makes this a truly multi-functional ingredient.
In addition to anti-ageing, snail extract is thought to be an effective treatment for acne and acne scars. This is attributed to its unique enzymes that rearrange acne tissue both healing wounds at their source and improving appearance.
What distinguishes snail extract from traditional acne medications is that it moisturises the skin, unlike traditional acids, which tend to leave skin feeling dry and flakey despite their effectiveness.