Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Visiting Chinatown, K-Beauty Outlet, and Purchasing Snail Mucin

*This is not a sponsored review

As you know, I've been in the beauty industry (makeup, skincare, haircare, and fragrance) for over 35 years, so I'm used to hearing dramatic false claims about what a product promises. To be honest, most of those claims are B.S. That's why when I first heard about a skincare product that was made from snail mucin, not only did I almost throw up, I immediately thought to myself, "Oh, here we go again with another bullshit product."

And now, with social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, there is so much bullshit out there paying people to post 5-star reviews about a product, which makes me doubt product claims so much more. And trust me, I have people (primarily kids) coming into my store all day long, sticking their cell phones in my face and asking, "DO YOU CARRY THIS PRODUCT? I SAW IT ON TIKTOK."

One time I assisted a young girl (14 years old) who wanted me to show her where a specific retinol product was located in the store because she wanted to start using RETINOL. I said to her, "Sorry, but I won't sell you retinol, you're much too young to start using that product." And do you know what she did? She took the product off the shelf and purchased it anyway because a TikTok "influencer" told her she needed it.

Don't get me wrong, there are many positive things about social media. However, today you need to be extremely discerning about everything you are fed. I do a TON of research before I purchase something online. Particularly personal care products because that's my business.

So, after hearing about snail mucin for the past year and a half, I decided to seek some professional feedback from a dermatologist I follow on YouTube to see what he had to say.

I was shocked....he LOVED it and had nothing but great things to say. And since I respect his opinion, I chose to purchase the product and see for myself.

After Googling where I could purchase it here in Philadelphia, I found it in two different places. And since I hadn't been to Chinatown in years, I decided to take a walk over to the K-Beauty Outlet (which stands for Korean Beauty) and pick up a bottle of snail mucin. Which, by the way, was incredibly inexpensive ($25.00 for 3.38 ounces). I mean, even if I ended up hating it, the price was not anything I'd regret.

Most of you will be shocked to read this, but I've spent much more money on certain skincare products. There is one product I use that has a price tag of $180.00 for 1 ounce. However, I do get my employee discount, which is quite generous. I don't purchase a lot of skincare, but the things I do purchase are pricey because they are multitasking products. Besides, taking care of my skin (face and body) has always been important to me because I was at one time a licensed esthetician.

Okay, so let's talk about snail mucin.

Here is a photo I took of the bottle I purchased...

What is Snail Mucin? -

Quite literally, snail mucin is a snail’s secretion. You may also see it referred to as “snail secretion filtrate” (SSF) on the ingredient list of skin-care products.

Snail mucin is a complex mixture of proteins, enzymes, hyaluronic acid, copper peptides, antimicrobial peptides, iron, zinc, and proteoglycans.

And no, mucin doesn’t involve killing snails. Mucin is extracted from Giant African Land Snails which can grow up to 4cm long. They have been tested to make sure they are safe for humans. The snails are farmed rather than wild for quality purposes. Snail mucin is collected by keeping snails in a dark room and having them slide along a surface that can collect their slime, such as glass or mesh.

Yes, I know, that sounds gross. However, think about it, some people eat snails. Ewwwwwwww!

Skin Benefits of Snail Mucin -

Snail mucin contains anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, hydrating, and wound-healing properties. There's even some early evidence to suggest that it could fight certain types of skin cancer.

- Fades dark spots and scars

- Improves skin texture

- Soothes damaged skin

- Intense hydration

- Promotes collagen production

- Aids in skin regeneration.

- Excellent for eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea

Safety -

- Snail mucin does not react with other ingredients.

- Is safe to use during pregnancy

How To Use -

After cleansing and toning, apply a small amount on your entire face (AM and PM). Gently pat (don't rub) using fingertips to aid absorption, and then apply your moisturizer.

My Feedback -

True, it does have a slimy, gooey feel at first. But once you apply it to your skin, it gets absorbed quickly, leaving no stickiness. In fact, it feels invisible - weightless.

Results -

What I noticed immediately was how hydrated and plump my skin felt and looked. It also decreased the redness in my face. I have some broken capillaries, which faded after using this product only a few times. Having lived in Florida for 20 years, I acquired a lot of sun damage. After using this product for two weeks, I noticed a decrease in the hyperpigmentation caused by the sun. It also made my skin texture very smooth and gave me an overall glow.

So yes, I found the results of this product impressive. And for the price point and quantity, even more impressive.

Now that the seasons are changing to much cooler/colder temperatures, this product will be ideal for keeping my skin super hydrated throughout the fall and winter months.

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I would like to conclude this post by sharing a few photos of Chinatown and the K-Beauty Outlet. The people who work in the store were very helpful and friendly. I had a great time!