Snail farmer is hoping beauty enthusiasts will shell out for his batch of harvested slime

Monaghan-based Kieran Corley is the founder of Bragan Skincare, which uses snail mucin as an ingredient in anti-wrinkle cream due to its antioxidant properties and hyaluronic acid, which helps hydrate skin.

It follows a new Korean beauty trend where snail products are used for skincare, with celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Alba and model Emily Ratajkowski promoting it online.

Mr Corley said: “In many cases in Korea, where the majority of snail skincare is sourced, the entire snail is blended.”

However, in contrast, Mr Corley, who has always had an interest in animal husbandry and animal welfare, said he takes care of the snails “the best way I can”.

He became interested in the idea of farming snails for escargot for the European food market after hearing an interview on the radio, just after selling his heating controls company in 2018 and was looking for a new project.

Mr Corley soon abandoned the notion of eating the snails and began developing what would later become Bragan Skincare, which is named after the nearby Bragan Mountain.

Mucin is the lubricating mucus secreted by a snail as it moves.

It hydrates the mollusc’s sensitive skin and protects it from damage, inflammation and infection.

Snails produce mucin for movement, adhesion, and healing.

“The function of movement is of interest to us because part of the role of mucin is to create an antibacterial layer between the snail and the ground,” Mr Corley said.

An average mature snail weighs 12 grammes, meaning a snail will produce about one gramme of mucin a year.

“It’s slower work but the quality of the product and the quality of life for the snails are much better,” said Mr Corley, who is a self-confessed David Attenborough fanatic.

After seeing promising results in the treatment of psoriasis, eczema and acne, as well as for restless leg syndrome and arthritis, he approached a number of pharmaceutical companies in Cork but found he could not put up the money required to invest to work with them.

“They agreed to work with me but said that I would need to match their €5m, which I simply could not afford,” he said.

Following this, he spent a long time searching but eventually teamed up with an experienced Italian company and brought his EU-registered and certified products to market in July last year.

“I’m overwhelmed by the reception so far and people have even started to refer to me as ‘the snail man’, which I take as a great compliment,” Mr Corley said.

Bragan Skincare will be exhibiting at Gifted, the craft and design fair, in Dublin’s RDS from December 6 to 10.