When most people think of acne, scar and minor wound treatment the last thing they would ever consider picking up and rubbing on their skin (especially their face!) is the bottom of a snail. Yet that is exactly where the inspiration for Elicina cream came from.

In the early 1980s a Chilean snail farmer noticed that the small wounds on the hands of his field workers healed at an unusually rapid rate, and that almost all who worked extensively handling the snails had very supple and smooth skin on their hands.

This fascinating discovery lead scientists to study these particular snails, and what they found was far from creepy. It turns out that the Helix Aspersa Muller produces a slimy mucous-like secretion (as do most snails) with amazing natural healing properties.

After extensive testing, scientists lead by Dr. Fernando Bascunan Ygualt determined that the slime contained such skin healing ingredients as collagen, elastin, allantoin (a key anti-oxidant skin regenerator which is also responsible for helping the snail to rebuild and repair its own shell should it become damaged over the course of the snails life), glycolic acid (which aids in skin hydration, exfoliation and naturally occurring collagen production), and antibiotics. The antibiotics showed up in the form of peptides and vitamins A, C, and EA. Together the peptides and antibiotics bond and form a source of protection against certain strains of bacteria.

Over a decade after its discovery a product containing this ingredient called Elicina was officially patented. In 1995 Elicina hit South American makeup counters in the form of a pretty white cream that retains none of the telltale snail slime feeling; in fact it is very lightweight and smooth. As well it is organic, odourless and hypoallergenic, making it a great skin care alternative for those who have sensitive skin or skin allergies to many of the components found in skin repair products.

Fear not, the snails involved in the production of Elicina are not hurt or killed. In fact they live what some might consider a posh snail life as they are cared for by a personal snail-handler and kept under optimum environmental conditions to ensure that their temperature, hygiene, and nutrition (they are fed a chemical free diet) are all carefully and accurately maintained.

But what do you use snail cream for? Well, while no extensive North American or FDA approved testing has thus been carried out on Elicina, it has been shown to aid in the healing of a multitude of minor skin conditions. These include wrinkles (it can be used in conjunction with a lightweight moisturizer), (minor) burns, warts, age spots, both active acne and acne/pock mark scars, scars, stretch marks, ingrown hairs, skin irritations (rashes) and superficial surface cuts and nicks. If treating an active condition such as acne or skin irritants, it is recommended that you apply the product twice a day to well cleansed skin in order to help rid your skin of unwanted bacteria and to speed along the regeneration process.

As with many skin care products and miracle creams it appears that results do vary from person to person, but deontologists are quick to point out that Elicina could have its merits as it contains allantoin, a substance that is often synthetically reproduced and used in skin care products. Available in select boutiques and makeup counters worldwide, as well as online, Elicina weighs in at the medium price point in the skin care department. Today it is available as both a skin care serum and an aftershave lotion, two very unexpected uses for something you would have never expected to put on your face.