Is snail cream a do or don't?

It appears that the latest miracle beauty ingredient is nothing you would consider high-tech like stem cells or complex molecules with unpronounceable names like IUHE2185. Instead, it is something so simple and basic that you'd probably stop dead in your tracks and go: "WHUT?"

It is... drumroll please... SNAIL SLIME.

Ok, now that the initial bout of expressions of disbelief is over, yes, I kid you not. I first heard about snail creams a few years ago at a press presentation. Apparently the slime produced by snails have a high concentration of some sort of proteins that supposedly help the skin repair itself at a quicker rate.

According to the PR rep, there are snail farms for the sole purpose of harvesting this slime (no, I have no idea how they collect the slime, maybe they scrape it off the floor?). This slime is then purified and put into a jar with a few other ingredients, probably preservatives, and there you have it, a gelatinous substance to apply on your face.

At that time, there was probably just a single brand of snail cream around and I thought only hardcore beauty junkies would be able to overcome the fear factor to apply this on their face. But apparently, this is fast catching on because I've seen another brand pop up at Sephora and there are a bunch of Korean brands with their own snail cream. Clearly, there must be some demand for this cream or we would not be seeing all these variations out in the market.

I remember freaking out when the PR offered to let me try some of the cream. I tried to refuse as politely as I could, but I think my eyes started glazing over the same way they do when I have to take an injection or blood test so the jar of cream was hastily put away.

I may still have a sample container of the original snail cream lying around. I never got over the eew factor to be able to dip my fingers into it but I think I kept it around just in case I ever really need a miracle cure. Or, I could use it as a dare at a house party haha!

While I still can't get over the idea of applying snail stuff to my skin, what I want to know is: Would YOU try it? Has anybody tried it before? How does snail cream compare to other healing balms like Creme de La Mer or Egyptian Magic?

And, uh, what do snails smell like?