Cape Town — A Cape Town woman lets snails slither over her face and body every week as part of a "unique" beauty routine, the Daily Voice reported on Tuesday.

Edith Pangle, 62, from Silvertown came up with her beauty secret after watching a television commercial advertising a face gel made from snail slime.

"I can't afford the expensive cream from snails in France. That's when I started collecting the snails and using them," she said.

Pangle collected the snails from friends and family with gardens. She kept the snails in a bag in her bedroom, whipping it out at least once a week.

"I have my snails right here. I keep them for weeks in this packet and I don't even need to feed them," she told the newspaper.

She let the molluscs slither over her face, neck and hands for 15 minutes, before splashing some water over the silver slime.

The snail-fundi had apparently convinced some of her female friends to follow suit.

"Once a woman reaches a certain age you need to look after your skin, and this costs me nothing."