Introducing The Bearable Alternatives To The Crazy Beauty Rituals Celebs Swear By
Weird and wonderful beauty ingredients aren’t just shock marketing tactics these days. Sometimes, the discovery of a single magic ingredient has the power to change the whole skincare industry (err, coconut oil anyone?).
That said, we don’t think we’d go as far as Gwyneth Paltrow who recently announced that she lets bees STING her in order to improve her skin. For the less committed of us, there’s a whole host of bizarre but bottled beauty products which are available to try… if you dare!
Bee Venom
First of all, if you DON’T fancy having bees sting you, there fortunately is another alternative. Gwyneth wasn’t wrong – bee venom helps to control the facial muscles for immediate lifting and tightening effects but there are less invasive ways to get your facial fix.
As used by the Duchess of Cambridge for her wedding day glow, this Heaven Skincare Bee Venom Mask by Deborah Mitchell (from £10) has gained a global reputation as being a natural alternative to Botox.
Already with a massive celebrity following, this revolutionary organic range uses their patented formula to relax lines whilst tightening and firming the skin – without the pain of a sting.
Snail Slime
This is every bit like you’d imagine it to be. Used by Katie Holmes to maintain her youthful complexion, try a Snail Gel like Dr Organic Snail Gel £20.99 which harnesses the unique properties of Helix Aspersa Muller which is naturally produced by snails to quickly regenerate their own shells and skin when damaged.
In case you were wondering, no snails are harmed in the production of this though. The snails are allowed to ‘free roam’ along glass panels, and the mucus is then scraped off, filtered and concentrated into gel. Lovely.
Placenta Serum
Rich in stem cells, placenta protein is meant to aid the repair and renewal of skin cells. Since Placenta is rich in iron, it also improves the absorption of oxygen into the skin leaving a visibly hydrated and radiant complexion.
Eva Longoria is a huge fan and her glowing skin is testament to the power of placenta! Despite the terrifying childbirth images you might have in your mind, the SkinChemists Placenta Serum £48.99 looks just like a regular cream, but enriched with placental proteins, amino acids and antioxidants to deeply regenerate the skin. Fortunately you don’t have to eat it.
Dragon’s Blood
Okay, this one is not actually as scary as it’s sounds. Dragon’s blood is actually the red resin from the Sangre De Drago tree and it’s been used since the Roman times. If it’s been around for that long, it’s gotta be good right?
Lady Gaga is said to be obsessed with the Rodial Dragon’s Blood range which is created to add volume and hydration to ageing skin.
With instantly visible results, this moisturising mask from Rodial £39 helps to plump fine lines, smooth wrinkles and hydrate your skin for a plumper looking complexion. The good news is that sensitive skin can use this too – it actually works to calm redness so it’s ideal for stressed skins.
Snake Venom
It won’t surprise you that this is another weird beauty treatment championed by Gwyneth. For Botox results without the needles, synthesised viper venom is meant to stun skin in the same way a real snake bite would, helping to keep it smooth. The difference is that, unlike Botox, snake venom still allows movement and emotion in the face so no permanently raised eyebrows!
With super HD now on our screens, this beauty phenomenon has become seriously popular among celebrities and numerous snake-based skincare ranges have been developed which means that it’s no longer expensive and exclusively for the rich and famous.
Try this Balance Active Formula Snake Venom Face Mask £3.99 which deeply tones and refreshes all skin types. Whilst it does contain a dose of Snake Venom, it doesn’t have any parabens so you can be lazy and let this purifying mask do the work for you!
Coffee Grains
Beauty ingredients don’t have to be exotic or expensive, and clever Halle Berry uses none other than coffee grains to exfoliate her skin. You’ve probably seen coffee extract in products before but we’re talking coffee straight up from the jar here.
Coffee actually stimulates blood vessels and tightens skin, plus it’s natural granular texture helps to buff skin into silky-smooth submission. If you don’t fancy reaching for your nearest jar of Nescafe Gold Blend, why not try this Frank Body Peppermint Coffee Scrub £12.95 which adds an additional blend of peppermint so that you smell delicious and feel tingly too!
The cute packaging even looks like real coffee packets – just don’t confuse it with the stuff in your kitchen cupboard…
Japanese Nightingale Poo
Remember when the beauty world imploded after we found out that Victoria Beckham had been getting bird poo facials in Japan? Yep, you read right - the unique ingredient is said to be an incredible exfoliant and leaves skin with a healthy glow.
It’s not just any bird poo from the streets though, it’s a particular kind of nightingale and the excrement is sterilised under UV lights, mixed with rice bran and applied to the face. It’s also thought to contain guanine which naturally occurs in pearls.
If you’re brave enough to try this, why not check out the aptly named Uguisu No Fun Illuminating Mask £24.99 which can be made into a paste and applied as a facial mask for 10 minutes, or mixed with water to make a facial wash.
Would you be interested in trying any of these? Or do you prefer more traditional products? Tweet us your thoughts @YahooStyleUK.
