Snail mucin saved my skin once.

I was three weeks into a bad reaction from a vitamin C serum that my skin clearly hated, and no amount of soothing gel or cream helped. I picked up a snail essence on a whim — one of those cult K-beauty ones that people say gives them “glass skin overnight.”

I didn’t expect much.

But within days, my redness calmed. My cheeks stopped flaking. The glow came back. I was sold.

Then came the questions.

How is snail mucin collected?

Is it ethical? Are the snails harmed? Are they stressed?

The answers were vague. Some brands said they “let snails roam on mesh” and “collect the trails.” Others avoided the topic. A few videos surfaced showing industrial collection using mild electric stimulation — not lethal, but not necessarily humane either.

I felt torn.

How could something that helped my skin so much come from a process I couldn’t ethically support?

I started looking into alternatives.

Fermented ingredients. Beta-glucans. Lab-grown mucin analogs. Some came close, none felt quite the same. But I learned that caring for my skin also means caring about where my skincare comes from.

Do I still use snail mucin now? Rarely. Only when I know the brand sources responsibly — and only when my skin really needs it. Otherwise, I’ve shifted my focus to formulas that are transparent about sourcing and ethics.

It’s not a black-and-white decision. But I think that’s the point.

Beauty can be healing and complicated at the same time.

And that’s worth talking about.