if you've been exploring skincare trends lately, you’ve probably encountered products boasting “96% snail secretion filtrate.” at first glance, this sounds like a fantastic deal—implying that nearly the entire bottle is filled with skin-rejuvenating snail mucin, but is that really the case?

let’s break down this clever marketing technique and what it actually means for consumers.

understanding the marketing tactic

when a product claims to contain “96% snail secretion filtrate,” it’s easy to assume that 96% of the total formulation consists of snail mucin. however, this is misleading because “96% snail secretion filtrate” is actually just the ingredient name, not an indication of its concentration in the final product.

to illustrate this concept, let’s compare it to 100% cranberry juice concentrate (seen below).

if you mix this powder into water, the resulting beverage may only contain 10% cranberry juice and 90% water, or even 1% cranberry juice and 99% water—yet the ingredient used remains the same, 100% cranberry juice concentrate.

this same principle applies to 96% snail secretion filtrate, which is typically in powdered form and requires dilution to be usable in skincare products. the key takeaway? you don’t actually know how much snail mucin is present in the final formulation (especially because snail mucin isn’t colored)

the reality behind the claims

ingredients with genuine skincare benefits, like high-quality snail mucin, are expensive. if a product claims to be made up of nearly 100% of an expensive ingredient but is priced under $20, it’s likely too good to be true. the truth is, the amount of actual snail mucin in these products is often negligible.

visualizing the concept

to further explain this concept, an experiment was conducted using cranberry juice concentrate:

1. two beakers were filled with water.

2. a small amount of 100% cranberry juice concentrate was added to one beaker, while a larger amount was added to the other.

3. the beakers were stirred, revealing a clear difference in color intensity.

even though both solutions contained 100% cranberry juice concentrate, the final product was drastically different. this is exactly what happens with snail mucin in many skincare products—you can’t see the dilution discrepancy, but it’s there.

making an informed choice

next time you see a product claiming an impressively high percentage of an expensive active ingredient, take a step back and ask yourself: does the price reflect the cost of this ingredient in a high concentration? if not, you may be paying for marketing hype rather than a truly effective formula.

dubose is constantly redefining transparency in skincare by including high concentrations of active ingredients, ensuring consumers get real results rather than just marketing claims. in fact, re-du™ serum contains more than 100x the amount of snail mucin found in leading products on the market, offering a more potent and effective solution for skincare enthusiasts.

when it comes to skincare, transparency matters. understanding ingredient labeling can help you make smarter purchasing decisions and avoid falling for misleading marketing claims. 

your skin deserves the best—so don’t settle for diluted promises.