We know that facials are highly recommended due to the many benefits they bring, such as the tightening of skin, removal of blackheads and whiteheads and so on. But often, they may be too abrasive on our skin. We found Limmy’s Aesthetics, a local beauty salon that solves all our facial problems with a small yet powerful miracle: snails.
We don’t mean just incorporating snail essence products into their treatments, but actual live snails.
This intriguing form of facial, otherwise known as snail therapy, is apparently an anti-ageing treatment that’s highly popular in countries like Japan and Thailand. Limmy’s Aesthetics is the first to introduce this in Singapore, and I got to try a live snail facial right at their shop.
All the nerves and reservations I had were gone all thanks to Rosie, Limmy’s inhouse therapist that performed every step of the facial skilfully. The calming and intimate environment also played a part in helping me feel at ease.
All sessions will start off with an analysis to determine your skin’s condition. This analysis will also be put into use towards the end of the facial, where a face mask customised according to your skin type will be put on.
Once done, the facial will start with cleansing followed by steaming to relax and soften up blackheads and whiteheads. This was also accompanied with a light massage around the face and neck.
Next, my face was exfoliated with a mechanical exfoliant to rub away dead skin cells. For those new to facials, the machine may look intimidating, but there’s hardly any discomfort and you will feel a slight sucking sensation at most.
Next up: the snails! 
A total of five tiny snails will be placed on every corner of your face,, and they are free to roam around freely. These snails have been bred specifically for therapy purposes and are very well taken care of — they’re fed organic veggies, bathed and have their little houses cleaned three times a day. To reduce stress, they do not do back to back treatments and are well rested before the next time they get on someone else’s face.
The slimy sensation you’ll feel is the snail mucin which is prized for benefits like alleviating and hydrating dry skin, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and acting as an antioxidant which creates a “plumping” and “glowy” effect for the skin. Snails are also highly expensive, which explains the steep pricing of snail essence products in the market. In case you were wondering, the snails used at Limmy’s are of high quality and from a credible source.
I was expecting a strong sucking sensation from the snails’ movements, but surprisingly, they felt really light and almost like nothing at all. In fact, I wasn’t even aware that one of the snails crawled all over my nose. And in case you’re wondering, no, there is no smell at all.
Generally, it is also recommended that you minimise noises and facial movements as much as possible to prevent scaring away the snails. That includes not opening your mouth lest one of the snails crawl inside — but the therapist will be around to closely monitor the snails’ movements and reposition them accordingly.
Once the snails were done with their work, Rosie massaged the mucin all over my face for effective absorption. Lastly, a snail mucin mask was placed to finish off the facial.
As I have dry skin from being in an air conditioned environment all day, my face felt noticeably cleaner, smoother, and hydrated after the facial. The Snail Facial is available for most skin types, particularly for those with dry, wrinkled, acne-scarred and aged skin. According to Limmy’s, customers with the aforementioned skin problems have had fantastic experiences, with their skin noticeably softer the very next day!
The entire facial would take you about 90 minutes with 20 minutes dedicated to the live snail treatment. Prices range from $300, but if you’re on the fence of doing this treatment, I would highly advise you to do it now as it’s currently going at a promotional price of $89.
If snail facials aren’t exactly your thing, maybe a Bb Cream or Hollywood Black Doll Carbon Laser one would. Check out the full list of services at Limmy’s Aesthetics here.
LIMMY’S AESTHETICS
Location: 181 Orchard Road, Orchard Central, #03-16/17/18
Opening hours: 11.30am-9.30pm
Contact: +6565094122, +6598360125 (WhatsApp)
