London, Dec 21 (IANS): With people becoming familiar with anti-ageing properties of snail gel, it is rapidly getting accepted by British women who want to look youthful.

Sales of Snail Gel have increased by nearly 700 percent at health food chain Holland & Barrett in the past four weeks, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

The link between snail slime and benefits to skin was established by chance when Chilean snail farmers noticed their skin healed quickly without scarring when they handled snails they were exporting to France.

Since this discovery, using snail slime in cosmetics has already boomed in Japan.

People can get the benefits of snail gel in a 19.99 pounds face cream which harvests the precious “mucus” as snails crawl over special glass and plastic surfaces without causing them any harm.

“Although it might appear unusual at first, going back to source can uncover some of nature’s best and most effective solutions,” said Lucy Pottinger, Holland & Barrett’s senior beauty buyer.