The desire to have flawless skin is on the rise. We all crave and admire beauty. It’s not just us, ancient people tried bizarre beauty treatments that could offer ever-lasting beauty and youth. According to statistics, the global skincare industry grows annually by 5.3%. The increased attention towards self-care and natural beauty is proof that our beauty industry will only keep developing. Apart from using special serums and masks, unique beauty treatments are on the trend right now. Pampering yourself is no longer just about a trip to the spa, you will be shocked to discover the top 10 most bizarre beauty treatments that you didn’t know existed! Even some Hollywood celebrities have tried these.

Snail mucin contains antioxidants, hyaluronic acid and proteins for healthy skin.

1.The Snail Crawl Treatment – Snail Facial

Imagine feeling a slimy snail stroll all over your face. Now imagine your volunteered for this! If you’re wondering why anyone would want to have a snail crawl across their face, Snail mucin is a popular staple ingredient in Korean skincare products. Celebrities have tried the facial and claimed that it worked for them. So what’s so good about snail mucin? A snail facial will regenerate skin cells, heal and repair the skin, and promote collagen production while leaving your skin hydrated. Mucin is packed with powerful antioxidants, hyaluronic acid and proteins. Snail facials are said to be suitable for the majority of skin types, especially dry skin. And hey, once done, you can always make escargot!

2. A Slap in the Face – Thai Slap Facial

Would you pay a hefty amount of money to get slapped by a stranger? This bizarre “Thai slap” facial claims to treat signs of ageing, enhancing facial contours and increasing blood circulation to the skin. Unfortunately, there’s no science or studies that can back up the effectiveness of slap facials. A therapist will gently begin slapping your cheeks and then proceed to slap you progressively harder. We kinda suspect this one started out with a closet sadist who had a flair for marketing!

To really moisturize and replenish your skin, we recommend our HydraFacial. No slapping. We promise.

3. Hottest of all Bizarre beauty treatments – Fire Facial

This doesn’t actually involve setting your face on fire – although we’re pretty sure accidents have happened. A fire facial involves placing an alcohol-soaked towel on your face which is then set on fire. The flames are extinguished before they get unbearable or harm your skin. This outrageous beauty treatment originated in China and is called ‘Huo Liao’. Practitioners claim the fire is fueled by magical alcohol and a special secret potion. They say a fire facial speeds up cell regeneration to prevent signs of ageing so that you get a blemish-free skin with a radiant glow. Needless to say, we really don’t recommend trying this one.

4. It Might be ‘Fun’ to Try Bird Poop Facial

Gone are the days when people got annoyed if a bird pooped on them unexpectedly. Bird feces are now a paid treatment. Yes, you read that right. People pay to have bird poop put on their face. A weird Japanese treatment called “Uguisu no fun” is the use of nightingale excretions to whiten the skin and correct hyperpigmentation. This facial was popular in ancient Japan but has recently found fame in Hollywood. Victoria Beckham believed it worked for her. The bird excretion is collected and processed to be mixed with cream and applied to your skin. It acts as an exfoliant to remove dead skin cells as well. It sure can be “fun” to try.

Weirdly, there might be some actual science behind this one. It’s possible that the caustic chemicals in the bird poop act as a kind of peel. Still, we’re sure any of our peels will do a better job, without the ‘yuck’ factor.

Miranda Kerr’s claims her secret to flawless skin are leech facials which reduce the signs of ageing and increases skin elasticity. We’re dubious.

5. The Bizarre Leech Facial

Leeches are a tiny blood-sucking creatures found in fresh water all over the world. Most of you know that up until the 1800s leeches were a popular medical treatment to draw out ‘bad’ blood. For a leech facial, the leeches aren’t actually applied to your face, but elsewhere on your body. The blood is then extracted from the leeches and reapplied on your skin as a mask. This extreme facial claims to increase skin elasticity, reduce signs of ageing and leave you with fresh and glowing skin. The gorgeous Miranda Kerr mentioned that the secret to her youthful skin is leech facials. But, really, we mean…leeches!

If you do want to access the healing power of your own body without, ewww, leeches we recommend our PRP Skin Rejuvenation Treatments.

6. An Outlandish Facial Using Snake Venom

If you’ve ever watched a Western, you know about snake oil salesmen. It was a general term for a travelling quack who sold special ‘tonics’ that could cure anything. Snake oil (whatever that is) was a common ingredient. These ‘hisss’-torical potions have now evolved to take a new place in the beauty industry. Getting bitten by a snake can be deadly but a facial of that venom? That’s safe. Because it is made with “a synthetic derivative of the venom” and because venom has to be injected into the bloodstream to be toxic.

Snake Venom facials claim to provide a ‘botox-like’ effect on the skin. This is probably based upon the fact that some venoms do work by paralyzing muscles, but remember it has to be injected to do that. Remember how we don’t recommend the fire facial? x10 for this one. Just don’t. Definitely not safe.

Botox on the other hand has been around for decades and is a proven effective and safe method to smooth wrinkles.

7. The Dracula-Inspired Beauty Treatment

We’re not allowed to use ‘that’ phrase anymore, but you know which one we mean. You can find it on our site as PRP Skin Rejuvenation Treatments. Popularized by the famous Kim Kardashian, the facial luckily does not involve actually getting bitten by a vampire. Your own blood is withdrawn, then spun in a centrifuge to extract the platelets, which your body uses to heal itself.  The Platelet Rich Plasma is then reinjected to areas of the skin requiring treatment. PRP is recommended for patients who suffer from acne, melasma, uneven skin tone, signs of ageing, scars and other skin imperfections.

This one makes our list because even we admit the vampire-inspired moniker by which it is commonly known sounds weird. But in this case, there’s some very solid science behind it.

8. Want to try the Pee-facial?

Rubbing pee on your face may not sound fun but the fact that this treatment exists says a lot about what people are willing to do for beauty. ‘Urotherapy’ involves using one’s pee as a face mask. People who have tried this bizarre treatment claims that it tightens the pores, treats acne, psoriasis, eczema and provides a clear complexion. As disgusting as it sounds, as long as the urine is fresh it won’t do any harm, although we’re very doubtful that it works either.

Seriously, pee? Try one of our many facials instead. We promise fantastic results.

Bee venom facial treatments claim to offer a “face-lift” look without Botox.

9. A Safe Black and Yellow Treatment – Bee Sting Facial

The “puffy face” look of a bee venom facial is often compared to Botox. This bizarre beauty treatment claims to target wrinkles and lines on the face while giving you a facelift for a younger appearance. Unfortunately, the effects will be very temporary. Unless you’re allergic to bee stings – in which case they might be permanent – and lethal. Just. Don’t.

10. We Saved the Most Bizarre Beauty Treatment for Last – Foreskin Facial

For this bizarre and unbelievable beauty treatment, cloned foreskin cells of (Korean) newborn babies are used. The treatment is also known as an Epidermal Growth Factor Facial. Popular Hollywood celebrities like Sandra Bullock and Oprah say they have tried this outlandish facial and swear by it. The facial claims to offer youthful-looking skin that glows from within while targeting wrinkles and premature signs of ageing.

No matter what you’ve heard, we promise you this can’t possibly work. While your own blood and cells can definitely be used to rejuvenate your skin, someone else’s genetic material won’t have any effect and could even be harmful.

To Sum Up

Society and beauty standards around the world have pushed us to chase the secrets to everlasting beauty. The pressure is greatest on women who are expected to look flawless all the time, even at an older age. And due to this growing need to be “perfect” the beauty industry has become more diverse in terms of treatments. We at Magnifaskin believe everyone is beautiful and we’re here to help you discover the most beautiful ‘you’ that you can be. We encourage you to set your own standards of beauty and to always do your homework before trying any treatment that is not provided by qualified clinicians, as many of these alternative treatments can be harmful.