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Episode 110

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Published on:

4th Sep 2025

EP - 110 - Snail Slime in Skincare: From Hippocrates to K-Beauty

What do ancient Greek medicine and Korean skincare have in common? One slippery, surprisingly powerful ingredient: snail slime. From historical remedies to modern-day serums, in this episode we trace the unexpected journey of mucin through time.

Is it miracle goo or just clever marketing?

Are. You. Ready?

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Sources & References:

Pliny the Elder. Natural History, Book 30. Translated by H. Rackham. Loeb

Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1938.

Rothfels, Nigel. A Cultural History of Animals in Antiquity. Berg Publishers,

2007.

Walker, Susan. “Would You Smear Snail Slime on Your Face?” The Guardian, 11 September

2016.

Matsumoto, Nancy. “Beauty Secrets From Korea.” The New York Times, 28 September

2011.

BBC News. “Beauty Secrets: The Weirdest Ingredients.” BBC News, 23 June

2014.

Glazer, Emily. “The Weird History of Snail Slime in Beauty.” Allure, 5 October

Figueroa, J. A., et al. “Efficacy of a Snail Secretion Filtrate in the Treatment of

Photodamaged Skin.” Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, vol. 12, no. 4,

2013, pp. 453–457.

Tsoutsos, D., et al. “Wound Healing and the Use of Snail Secretion: Experimental and

Clinical Evidence.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine,

2013, Article ID 496328.

Yoon, H. Y., et al. “Anti-Aging Effects of Snail Secretion Filtrate on Human Skin.” Cosmetics,

vol. 2, no. 3, 2015, pp. 144–152.

Dr. Hadley King, Dermatologist. Quoted in Byrdie and Allure, 2017–2020.

Perry Romanowski, Cosmetic Chemist. Quoted in Allure, April 2014.

Ethical Consumer Magazine. “Is Snail Slime Cruelty-Free?” Issue No. 170, March/April

2019.

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Apple Podcast:

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Spotify Podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/37MLxC8eRob1D0ZcgcCorA

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TikTok:

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YouTube:

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Intro/Outro Music:

Music by Savvier from Fugue FAME INC

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About the Podcast

Beauty Unlocked the podcast
Buckle up and get ready as I delve into a variety of topics regarding physical beauty.

We'll take a look at our society's obsession with physical beauty and the consequences these impossible beauty standards have had on us.
Let's face it; this fascination regarding physical beauty and body image isn't a recent phenomenon; it has been around for centuries, crossing borders, and has affected men and women alike.
The realization of this podcast has come about by my own experiences having to deal with society's perverse notion of physical "perfection" and researching an array of topics that have intrigued me over the years.
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About your host

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Carissa Vikis

Hey there!
I'm Carissa, host, content creator, and producer of the indie podcast Beauty Unlocked.
Growing up, I was frequently compared and criticized for my looks and weight. This started the vicious cycle of being self-critical and loathing my body. I knew I wasn't the only one suffering from society's ridiculous notion of what "we should look like." I started digging deeper and researching various topics, and the rest is h(er)story!
Beauty Unlocked The Podcast aims to educate and bring awareness of our society's obsession with physical beauty and the emotional consequences these impossible beauty standards have. Beauty Unlocked's social media platform showcases not only my work but that of other artists, illustrators, and fellow podcasters that I admire and that share a similar message of inspiration, empowerment, positivity, and raising awareness on a variety of social issues.