I Slathered Jellyfish Mucin On My Face In The Name Of Good Skin

You can slather some rather ugly-sounding ingredients onto your face in the name of glowier skin. Cow bone peptides, for instance, are popping up in formulas as a way to smooth and heal the complexion. Others, rather, apply placenta-spiked serums to preserve their youth. And then there’s snail mucin, aka snail slime, the superstar K-beauty beauty ingredient that hydrates like a charm.

Now, you can add another odd active to your skin care arsenal: jellyfish mucin.

Mantle, a Scandinavian skin care brand, just launched the Hydra Serum — a hydrating concoction starring none other than the goop from a jellyfish. Sure, physically encountering the sea creature in the ocean wouldn’t bode well, but using its slime on your face (when properly extracted and put into a cosmetic formula, of course) brings about some beautifying benefits.

As a beauty editor who’s down to try (just about) anything in the name of a brighter, tighter face, I had to try it ASAP — despite having PTSD from a horrible jellyfish sting I got in Hawaii years ago. Ahead, everything you need to know about the elixir that promises a dewy, more plump glow.

Fast Facts

• Price: $49
• Best for: Hydration
• Your rating: 4.8/5
• What we like: It delivers on its promise of hydration and boosting the skin’s barrier
• What we don’t like: I layer it with other serums to address other skin concerns

Mantle’s Hydra Serum

Mantle is beloved in Scandinavia for its cheeky product names (case in point: The Hot Ex, a warming body exfoliant) and simple yet effective formulas, and it’s entering the U.S. market with a bang — namely, via its Hydra Serum. The product claims to deeply hydrate, as well as stimulate collagen, via its unique use of jellyfish mucin.

Similar to snail mucin, jellyfish mucin is an effective moisturizing agent. Mucin (or, as it’s less pleasantly known, mucus) is meant to provide lubrication and anti-adhesive properties between cells. Qniumucin, as jellyfish mucin is scientifically called, contains glycosaminoglycans — polysaccharides that play a key role in wound healing, mechanical support, and hydration. So, topically, the ingredient helps support the skin barrier and prevents transepidermal water loss.

Key Ingredients

• Jellyfish mucin: This hydration booster helps soothe inflammation, boost collagen production, and protect against environmental stressors.
• Deep sea Arctic algae: Algae is another skin soother that fortifies the barrier and increases hydration levels.
• Panthenol: Also known as vitamin B5, panthenol is a moisturizing agent for the skin.
• Hyaluronic acid: This humectant is a superstar hydrator that plumps and smooths your skin.
• Blue malachite extract: A copper-rich mineral with protective antioxidant properties that works to boost collagen and elastin.

First Impression

When I dropped some of the serum onto my palm, the texture reminded me of a lightweight gel moisturizer. It was jelly-like, but not slimy or tacky (which can’t be said for all formulas with this texture). Once I slathered it all over my face, my skin drank it right up — the elixir felt like a hydration explosion that quickly absorbed into my complexion.

I was happy to learn that it’s truly a hydrator that doesn’t come with any drama: It had no scent and didn’t sting or cause any redness. It simply sinks in to do its skin-soothing thing.

The Results

My face tends to shrivel up with dryness the second I towel-dry after washing, but applying the Hydra Serum immediately quenched its thirst. The juicy moisture also had a subtle effect on fine lines, so I’d consider it successful in the skin-plumping department.

Similar to hyaluronic acid-based serums, this baby helps the products in the rest of my routine absorb better, since it provides a splash of hydration as a base — think of it as a skin care amuse-bouche, if you will.

The Verdict

The Hydra Serum definitely delivers on its promise of providing a hydration boost for the skin. I’ve been using it for more than two weeks now and have noticed an improvement in my moisture levels. That said, I wouldn’t count on it for doing much besides that — if you’re looking for something brightening or anti-aging, for example, you’ll still need to apply another serum afterward.

But it’s a fantastic way to sneak in some needed hydration — kind of like Liquid I.V. for your face. And, FWIW, telling people that your skin care routine involves jellyfish mucin *is* a great conversation starter.

Studies referenced:

Camargo, FB Jr. (2011). Skin moisturizing effects of panthenol-based formulations. J Cosmet Sci. 2011 Jul-Aug;62(4):361-70. PMID: 21982351.

Kim, JH. (2018). Beneficial Effects of Marine Algae-Derived Carbohydrates for Skin Health. Mar. 2018 Nov 21;16(11):459. doi: 10.3390/md16110459. PMID: 30469402; PMCID: PMC6266229.

Ohta, N. (2009). Jellyfish mucin may have potential disease-modifying effects on osteoarthritis. BMC Biotechnol. 2009 Dec 8;9:98. doi: 10.1186/1472-6750-9-98. PMID: 19995451; PMCID: PMC2801673.

Wang, ST. (2021). Glycosaminoglycans: Sweet as Sugar Targets for Topical Skin Anti-Aging. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2021 Sep 14;14:1227-1246. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S328671. PMID: 34548803; PMCID: PMC8449875.