Given the recent hype in the world of beauty, you might have come across two amazing natural ingredients namely propolis and snail mucin.
Derived from bees, propolis extract has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties that speed up wound healing and strengthen the skin barrier. This makes it a great option for individuals with sensitive, acne-prone, or damaged skin.
Snail mucin, on the other hand, is known to fight signs of aging and sun damage, promote the healing of wounds, boost collagen production, and add deep hydration to the skin while improving the skin texture.
If you are wondering if snail mucin and propolis work well together or how to use them in your skincare routines, allow me to break it down for you.
Propolis Vs. Snail Mucin – Key Differences
Though propolis and snail mucin both are great for skin barrier protection and wound healing, here are the key differences that set them apart:
1. Origin & Source
- Propolis:
Propolis extract is derived from beeswax, coniferous tree buds, and bee secretions1.
- Snail Mucin:
Snail secretion filtrate is collected from the mucus/slime of snails2.
2. Composition
- Propolis:
Propolis extract is packed with the goodness of multivitamins (Vitamins B, C, E), minerals, and flavonoids, which contribute to its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties3.
- Snail mucin:
Snail mucin is full of glycosaminoglycans (hyaluronic acid), growth factors, glycolic acid, and other proteins4.
3. Characteristics
- Propolis:
Propolis has antioxidant and antibacterial properties. It can reduce inflammation while healing and soothing damaged skin. This skincare ingredient gives the skin a radiant complexion as it boosts the skin tone and health.
Other than that, it fights acne-causing bacteria and visibly reduces breakouts.
- Snail Mucin:
The moisturizing snail mucin has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant characteristics. It helps rejuvenate skin and has been used for ages to treat wounds and certain skin concerns such as eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, burns, skin irritation, and redness5.
4. Texture & Consistency
- Propolis:
It has a thick viscous consistency, slightly thicker than honey.
Since propolis products (toner, cream, moisturizer, serum, etc.) may also include other beneficial skincare ingredients such as niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C or honey, the product applies easily and provides good hydration and skin protection.
- Snail Mucin:
It has a syrupy or gel-like consistency. It absorbs easily without leaving a tacky feeling.
5. Skin Type Suitability
- Propolis
Though it is great for all skin types, propolis extract is exceptionally great for acne-prone skin, damaged or inflamed skin, oily skin, and sensitive skin types the most.
If you are allergic to beeswax, avoid using propolis extract as it may cause an allergic reaction.
- Snail Mucin
All skin types can enjoy the goodness of snail mucin, but the ones that get the most effective results are dry and dehydrated, damaged, and mature skin types.
6. Results
- Propolis:
It usually shows its soothing effects on the skin within 3-4 weeks6.
Long-term usage (>3 months) is associated with brightening the skin tone, strengthening the skin barrier, and also helping reduce breakouts.
- Snail Mucin:
There are multiple reviews regarding snail mucin’s healing, hydrating, and restorative abilities visible within 1-2 weeks of use.
Long-term use leads to plump, hydrated skin with minimized signs of aging, along with improvement in skin texture, scars, and wounds.
Can You Use Snail Mucin With Propolis?
Yes, you can definitely use snail mucin with propolis.
Snail mucin is generally safe for all skin types, and combining its repairing and hydrating goodness with the healing, antibacterial, and soothing properties of propolis can be really beneficial.
This combo can help reduce inflammation, strengthen the skin’s protective barrier, improve skin tone and texture while keeping acne (including whiteheads and blackheads) away.
Just remember to perform an elbow patch test, especially while using propolis extract because it might cause a hypersensitivity reaction if you are allergic to bees and bee products (honey, royal jelly, beeswax).
If you have a known allergy to snails or mollusks, then it is better to avoid using the snail secretion filtrate altogether.
How To Pair Snail Mucin With Propolis In Your Skincare Routine?
There are multiple ways to pair snail mucin with propolis in your beauty routine.
It depends on the type of product you are using (toner, essence, serum, ampoule, moisturizer, cream, etc.). The general rule of doing skincare the right way is to layer the products from thinnest to thickest to ensure maximum efficiency. The same is the case with these two products.
For best results, it is recommended to wait 2-3 minutes after applying one product so the ingredients can absorb well in the skin and work their magic, before moving on to the subsequent product(s).
Here are some of the many ways to pair snail mucin with propolis in your skincare routine:
1. Propolis Toner + Snail Mucin Essence
You can pair snail mucin essence with propolis products of your choice.
Use a propolis toner to balance your skin’s pH and once it has been absorbed, apply snail mucin essence to add moisture and elasticity to your skin.
Follow up with your favorite serums, moisturizers, and even oils (if you have very dry skin).
2. Propolis Toner + Snail Mucin Eye Cream
Another great way to use snail mucin with propolis is to use a hydrating and soothing propolis toner followed by a snail eye cream.
Wash off your cleanser, and apply toner to your cleansed skin (patted directly or with a cotton ball). Let dry for 2-3 minutes. Follow up with the snail cream, using your ringer finger to dab it with gentle pressure around your eyes.
3. Propolis Ampoule + Snail Mucin Eye Cream
Since snail mucin is enriched with amino acids, peptides, and hyaluronic acid, it is the perfect ingredient for the delicate skin around our eyes.
Once you are done cleansing, toning, and hydrating your face, follow up with the propolis ampoule, applying a few drops to the entire face. This will make your skin smooth and hydrated while reducing irritation and redness.
Once it has been absorbed, apply a small amount of the snail cream around your eyes and let it absorb. Remember to be gentle so you do not stretch or damage the under-eye area.
Some beauty experts recommend different order (opposite to K-beauty routine). Sometimes it may be better to apply eye cream before using other hydrators because you might end up with some of that product in the eye area, which will then alter the effects of eye cream.
Keep that in mind when establishing your own beauty routine.
4. Propolis Toner + Snail Mucin Face Cream
Another way to incorporate these ingredients into your skincare routines is to use a combination of propolis toner and snail mucin face cream.
Tone your face with a propolis toner and allow it to dry. Follow up with your essence/serum and seal the hydration with a snail mucin face cream. It will allow your skin to heal and plump up, making it smooth and radiant.
5. Propolis Ampoule & Snail Mucin Eye Patch
Another option is to you can use a propolis ampoule after cleansing and toning your face. This will ensure glowy skin, reduced irritation and redness. Once the treatment is all soaked up, use the snail eye patches to improved fine lines and wrinkles, and reduce bags under eyes.
Remember to follow up with your favorite eye cream and moisturizer (you can use products with the same ingredients or different ones, for more skin benefits).
5. Snail Mucin Essence + Propolis Sleeping Pack
This is a great nourishing combo for your Korean night skincare routine.
You can use a snail mucin essence followed by a propolis sleeping pack. It is important to let the previous ingredient absorb fully before moving on to the next skincare ingredient/product.
Treat yourself to a propolis sleeping pack to pamper your skin and soak the antioxidant and healing properties while you sleep.
Everything You Need To Know About Propolis
Propolis is a naturally occurring substance that bees use to protect and strengthen the bee hive.
Composed of bee secretions, and tree sap of coniferous trees, propolis reduces inflammation, soothes skin irritation (redness, itching, blotchiness), reduces acne, and improves skin tone with its antioxidant characteristics.
Clinical studies7 have proven that propolis potentiates the healing process of wounds, owing to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fungal properties.
Benefits Of Propolis For Skin
- Great for sensitive skin
Propolis soothes inflamed skin and irritation, so it is a great option for people with sensitive skin or skin issues like atopic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, etc.
- Brightens the complexion
Propolis, like honey, brightens the skin tone and improves the skin surface as well.
- Wound healing
Propolis soothes redness and irritation, heals wounds, strengthens the skin barrier, and adds moisture. This results in speeding up the healing process8.
- Fights signs of aging
It promotes collagen production and regeneration of the epidermis9, which helps to repair skin damage and signs of aging such as wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots.
- Reduces inflammation
Since propolis has anti-inflammatory properties, it helps to protect, repair and heal inflamed skin.
- Suitable for acne-prone and oily skin
Due to its antimicrobial properties10, propolis is often used to treat and prevent acne. This prevents pores from being congested and clogged.
Who Should Use Propolis?
If you have sensitive, inflamed, damaged, acne-prone, and blemish-prone skin, propolis is one of the ingredients missing from your skincare routines.
Possible Side Effects & Precautions
- Since some individuals are allergic to beeswax, it is recommended to perform a patch test to rule out any allergic reaction.
- It is important to avoid mixing propolis with certain cardiac medications and blood thinners as well as supplements with Ginkgo Biloba to avoid altered efficacy.
Is Propolis Serum Worth It?
Propolis serum is definitely worth it. It heals, calms, and brightens the skin while boosting moisture and reducing breakouts, irritation, and redness.
No wonder this ingredient is used by every other beauty brand in their serums, creams, and other products!
What Not To Use With Propolis?
It is usually safe to use propolis with most skincare ingredients like AHA and BHA, as well as hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C, niacinamide, sodium hyaluronate and honey.
However, it is best to avoid combining it with any fragrances or essential oils.
Always perform a patch test to rule out any allergy or hypersensitivity reaction.
Everything You Need To Know About Snail Mucin
Snail mucin, better known as snail secretion filtrate is an ingredient that has gained recent popularity among beauty enthusiasts.
You must have heard of COSRX products (a famous Korean brand) that use snail mucin as their star ingredient (along with other beneficial skincare ingredients such as sodium hyaluronate, niacinamide, centella asiatica, and honey).
Snail mucus or mucin is collected mainly from the common brown garden snail and African giant land snail species11.
This skincare ingredient has been known to reduce inflammation and irritation, restore the skin barrier, promote wound healing, and slow down signs of aging and sun damage while keeping the skin plump, smooth, and healthy.
Benefits Of Snail Mucin For Skin
These are the benefits of snail mucin for your skin12:
- Adds moisture
It adds hydration to the skin and protects the moisture barrier, making it a great ingredient for people with dry skin.
- Repairs skin
Known to have restorative and healing abilities, snail mucus is great for sensitive and damaged skin types.
- Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial
It fights bacteria that cause acne and prevents future breakouts.
- Fades scars
Since it heals damaged skin, snail mucus is great for fading acne scars, hyperpigmentation, melasma, and dark spots.
- Calms irritation
Studies show that it alleviates skin irritation, redness, and inflammatory changes, making it great for atopic dermatitis, eczematous skin conditions, and psoriasis.
- Anti-aging
It boosts collagen production (thanks to the glycolic acid in it), which helps refine the skin texture and improve fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage.
Who Should Use Snail Mucin?
Since it is suitable for all skin types, anybody can use snail mucin, especially people with dry, inflamed, acne-prone, sensitive, and oily skin types.
Overall, it is one of the skincare ingredients that are well suited to everyone.
Possible Side Effects & Precautions
Though it is a relatively new skincare ingredient, snail mucin is generally considered safe.
If you have a known allergy to snails and mollusks, it is best to avoid using snail slime.
What Not To Mix With Snail Mucin?
It pairs well with most ingredients (like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, honey, sodium hyaluronate, centella asiatica, retinol, and benzoyl peroxide). This is one of the reasons why creams, serums, and other products with snail mucus as the star ingredient are so popular right now.
The purpose of this article is informative and entertaining. It’s not a substitute for medical consultation or medical care. The author of this article does not accept any responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, from any information or advice contained here. Safety should be your priority.
All pictures in this article with YouAreBeautie logo belong to YouAreBeautie.com and were taken by the owner of this website. All these images are copyright-protected.
Sources of other pictures: COSRX, Mizon, and Banila Co.
Resources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
- https://www.researchgate.net/
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/
- https://www.webmd.com/
- https://as-proceeding.com/
- https://www.mdpi.com/
- https://www.mdedge.com/
- https://www.everydayhealth.com/
