Finding Beauty in Snail Mucus, Camel Milk, and Starfish Extract

The New York flagship store of South Korean cosmetics empire TonyMoly touts several products made from snail slime. There’s snail-based eye cream, toner, and moisturizer, even a “premium snail” face mask. “Snail mucin is very well-known for helping with skin recovery and regeneration,” says Michelle Kim, head of U.S. market distribution for TonyMoly. “Sephora saw our snail gel mask and asked if we’d develop something for them.”

TonyMoly, Amorepacific, and LG Household & Health Care are among the Korean companies behind a slew of beauty products gaining popularity in the U.S. and globally. Promises of glowing skin combined with appealing packaging have persuaded chains such as Urban Outfitters and Target to feature the skin-care lines on their shelves. Sephora, the Paris-based cosmetics retailer, launched a “K-beauty” campaign this fall in all 380 of its North American stores, hanging signs in the windows advertising Korea’s “coveted dewy look.”