… but I won’t do that.
Would you do anything for beautiful hair, skin, and nails? Most of us would (don’t roll your eyes – go look at your bathroom shelf and tell me it’s not lined with pots and tubes of magic elixirs promising to erase your flaws and turn you into Beyonce overnight), but how far is too far?
If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve no doubt seen the charcoal masks, teeth whiteners, and toxin-removing mixtures that have become the new must haves in every beauty routine. Today, even crazier ingredients like algae, snail mucus, bee venom, and bone marrow (yes, we’re serious!) are the key ingredients in some of the most acclaimed beauty products on the market. Underneath the chic packaging and glittering vials of those cremes, masks, serums, and more is an unknown world of ingredients from places you’ve never imagined.
Sometimes beauty products come from not so beautiful places – ever heard of the bird poop face cleanse once popular among geishas? Well, that’s still a thing…now it’s just called “nightingale extract.”
We’ve gathered up some of the craziest ingredients in popular beauty products on the market for you to try out. Who knows, maybe your cleanser being full of (bird) sh*t is actually just what your skin needs? Don’t knock it till ya try it.
BEE VENOM
What’s all the buzz on Bee Venom?
Bee Venom is known to help plump the skin, making wrinkles disappear. This makes it a popular ingredient for eye creams, skin-firming moisturizers, and even lip plumpers. Benefits of bee venom include claims to rejuvenate skin, repair damaged cells, and prevent sun damage thanks to its antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.
This Bee Venom Moisturizer from Rodial is one of the most popular bee products on the market, but if you’re looking to save some money, honey, try this highly-rated bee venom face mask from Amazon.
BONE MARROW
Bone Marrow, street name Glucosamine, is becoming a popular ingredient in anti-aging products and creams for dry-skin types. Chicken bones are the most common source of bone marrow for beauty products because the oil found in this marrow easily penetrates skin, forming a protective layer that locks moisture in. Marrow is filled with anti-inflammatory properties and beneficial acids, making it a prime ingredient for facial cleansers and moisturizers.
Kate Sommerville’s Wrinkle Warrior combines Glucosamine with Amino Acids for powerful skin plumping and hydrating qualities.
SNAIL MUCUS
Snail mucus (yes, that slimy secretion snails leave as they inch away) is protein and antioxidant rich, said to have regenerative properties and aid in moisturizing skin. It is also believed to minimize scars and pigmentation. Thanks to the elastin and glycolic acid found in the secretion, products with snail mucus can help remove dead skin cells, reduce the effects of photoaging, smooth out scars and stimulate collagen, according to Dermstore.
Try this organic snail gel facial serum twice a day for a hydrating helping of snail sludge!
PLACENTAL EXTRACT
If you’ve ever seen the clip of Kim and Kourtney Kardashian pretending to feed their family placenta, you know it’s chock-full of nutrients.
Placental extract used in topical creams and serums is sourced from everything from plants to sheep to *cringe* humans. The extract claims helps to treat wrinkles and boost collagen production due to the hormones placentas are packed with. Though placental extract is in the same category of coveted stem cells, researchers are unsure if there’s any actual benefits to using the product and suggest steering-clear of this ingredient until research confirms its safety.
This Placental Masque from Raya uses Wheat Placenta, a plant-derived substitute for animal placenta made of concentrated extract of wheat bran, intended to stimulate cell regeneration.
MUSHROOM EXTRACT
Shiit..ake happens to our skin all of the time. Enter: mushroom extract.
Mushroom extract is a moisturizing ingredient known to even out skin tone, and can be found in many skincare products. Known as “nature’s sponges,” snow mushrooms are an absorbent, moisturizing ingredient that will leave your skin looking dewy and glowing.
This Snow Mushroom Serum is safe for all skin types and claims to moisturize skin, minimize pores and lessen lines and wrinkles.
BIRD POOP
Nightingale excrement, also known as Uguisu No Fun, has been used by the Japanese in facials for hundreds upon hundreds of years. It remains a useful beauty ingredient today to leave skin cleansed and glowing. Uguisu No Fun contains nitrogen-rich urea and guanine, an amino acid which helps the skin look and feel hydrated, according to experts.
This mask, along with others found at BirdPoopFacial.com, is made by experts in Japan.
I GUESS I MIGHT DO THAT?
Some of the biggest names in beauty and skincare are incorporating these unbelievable ingredients into their products — at a fairly high price, we might add — and the trend doesn’t seem to be disappearing anytime soon.
So, what do you think… would you do anything for love– or rather– beauty?
We want to know!
Have YOU tried any of these ingredients? Or do you swear by another crazy ingredient to keep your skin glowing! If you’ve found the fountain of youth, spread the love and help a sister out!
At LMS, we always know what’s trending and are experts on helping brands — including those with groundbreaking ingredients — grow. For more info, check out our blog or email us at imgame@wearelms.com.