KD Blog Beauty: From Vampire Facials to Placenta Creams! 8 Wild & Wacky Beauty Treatments
After I saw the Battabox video on getting a facial in Lagos
I was lost for words. Apparently, loads of women go through different
treatments just to have the modern day equivalent of the ‘fountain of
youth/ eternal beauty/ fine girl no pimples (whatever you want
to call it). While trying to understand why I should inject my own blood
into my face in the name of facials I went in search of the most
outrageous kinds out there. From snakes to bird poop check out some of
the most unconventional beauty treatments women in the world try out.
It was reported that we have the Bee Venom Mask to thank for the bridal
glow that the Duchess of Cambridge Catherine had on her wedding day!
The bee venom is sourced from organic bee hives and diluted for
application. During manufacturing, the mask is prepared with New Manuka honey and sold as cream costing $55,200 (N8,776,800). It is used as a normal skin lotion and gives the face a supple glow.
2) Gold Facial:
The gold facial has been around for a
long time and has become the specialty for a lot of beauty salons abroad
for a glowing complexion. The gold is said to have a lot of benefits
for the body including improvement of blood circulation, quickened rate
of cell renewal, toxin elimination, fixing of oxidation and dun damage
and lightening complexion. Who knew right?
The procedure for this is quite simple
…doctors have credited the facial that it improves the general
appearance of skin but it could only last for about 30 days. Maybe
that’s why Mariah Carey’s gold tan happens once a month.
First
comes the baby, then comes the baby sac and then what? Well some people
like to convert the sac (the placenta) into facial cream. Many
manufacturers have been using the placenta as a beautification agent to
repair ageing skin. So just how does it work? The platelets in the blood
slow down the skins ageing process making it look younger and
healthier. You just put it on and leave it in for a while, and that’s
it.
Celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and
Madonna have sworn by this treatment and have cited it as one of the
things that keeps them looking young and healthy.
While some people associate a bird
pooping on you with good luck, others see it as a chance to get their
face looking softer and brighter. This Japanese beauty method involves
smearing bird poop on your face. Now it isn’t just any type of bird
feces, it has to be the poop of a specific type. The Japanese Bush
Warbler called “uguisu no fun” which means nightingale feces is
commonly used. To get this done in some places in New York costs $180
(N28,620). If you’re wondering about the smell, users who swear by it
like Victoria Beckham have described it as having a musky and medicinal
smell.
5) The Vampire Facial:
Now to the famous vampire facial. This method has been causing quite
a stir as star Kim Kardashian used this to give herself a more youthful
look.
It entails blood being drawn from the
arm, spun in a machine for the removal of platelets and then injected in
the face using a needled instrument. Simple right? It sounds painful
from the description but people have testified that it’s uncomfortable
at first but after a while it gets better.
6) Leech Therapy:
You may have heard of leeches being used
in medicinal treatment for healing wounds, curing pain etc, but here
it’s a different ball game. To receive this treatment you need to shave
your body of all hair and then dip yourself in turpentine. After the
stinging stops, leeches are placed on the shaven body. This procedure
allows them feed on your blood thereby aiding with a number of things
from muscle cramps to osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease).
Actresses like Demi More have revealed getting it and says she is definitely going back for more.
The passengers from the ‘Snakes On a Plane‘
movie could have just sat back and relaxed if they had known
that snakes can give you a body massage. This slithery treatment is
famous in Israel and has become quite popular with people coming in from
all over just for it. It involves non venomous snakes being poured on
your body and left there to slither, supposedly helping you relax
while you’re there.
I don’t know if I am willing to try this, but here is what it entails. Popularly called ‘Huǒ Liáo‘,
this Chinese treatment requires secret elixir (lighter fluid) and you
are on fire. A towel is soaked with the elixir, placed on wherever you
would like to relax and set on fire! The aim? To make your skin look
brighter!
How far would you go to get or secure
youthful beauty. Have we really gotten to a stage when mud facials and
hammam baths no longer do it? Is experimenting until you find the right
one better or should we all just exfoliate, cleanse and hope for the
beauty gods to smile upon us. Share your thoughts.