Despite being just 21 years of age, and possessing the kind of skin that a 21-year-old generally does, One Direction’s Harry Styles is forking out the big bucks to keep his complexion in order.
So much so, that he’s sought out a very, erm, odd, and seemingly unpleasant treatment.
Styles has animal placenta facials to keep his skin looking fresh and silky smooth. And it only costs him a casual $590 each time. Must be some royal sheep.
LA-based dermatologist Louise Deschamps told Grazia magazine that the One Directioner turned to this relatively unknown beauty treatment because life on tour was hard on his pores.
“Putting on makeup all the time and travelling plays havoc with his skin and he gets clogged up,” she said.
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“He’s so adorable. He takes care of himself and loves the facials.”
The worst part? That’s not even the weirdest beauty product ingredient we’ve heard of. Oprah using foreskin to stay looking young? Yeah, it’s a thing.
They might be all-natural, but many ingredients used in cosmetics and hair products are also pretty unappetising. Read on to learn how fish scales, bird fat and other weird beauty product ingredients are being used to brighten and moisturise skin.
1. Snail secretions
“Snail slime contains mucin extract, which is a complex of proteins, glycolic acids and elastin. Mucin is said to have regenerative properties and aid in moisturising skin,” says dermatologist Dr Gary Goldfaden. Sometimes used in facials, the ingredient is believed by practitioners to minimise scars and pigmentation.
2. Sheep grease
Lanolin from the fur of wool-bearing animals is used in lotions, make up removers, and many lipsticks. “Studies have shown that the emollient action produced by lanolin is prominent and lasts for hours,” says Smithtown, New York-based dermatologist Dr. Marina Peredo. “Applied directly to the skin, it can reduce roughness and cracking and continued use shows overall increased skin smoothness.”
3. Bird poop
Nightingale excrement, most commonly featured in the infamous geisha facial, is said to cleanse the skin and give it a glow. The songbird’s faeces differs from that of most mammals because, like other birds, nightingales have only one hole, called the cloaca, through which they excrete both liquid and solid waste. “The poop contains nitrogen-rich urea and guanine, an amino acid,” says Goldfaden. “Urea helps to bind moisture to the skin, thus making the skin look and feel hydrated.”
4. Infant foreskin
Arguably the most shocking ingredient found in skin care products is infant foreskin. It’s been dubbed the a fountain of youth by some and Oprah Winfrey swears by a product derived from it. The use of beauty potions created using discarded infant foreskin remains controversial and Winfrey has received backlash in response. “The foreskin, obtained from circumcisions, promotes new skin growth,” says Tim Schmidt, CEO of cosmeticeutical company SkinPro. And it’s not cheap: SkinMedica’s TNS Essential Serum rings up at $260 for roughly 30 grams.
5. Fish scales
In everyday life, you may know guanine better as fish scales. “Used in shimmery makeup like lipstick, nail polish and eye shadow, this helps add a shimmer to a number of cosmetics. It’s also been known to help hide blemishes,” says Peredo.
6. Shark liver oil
Squalene is a fat naturally found in our skin, which serves to protect and hydrate our skin barrier. It is added into many moisturisers for this reason. While the squalene molecule in the skin is the same as others, the commercially used squalene is commonly taken from shark liver oil,” says Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research for the Department of Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
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7. Rooster combs
“It sounds crazy, but hyaluronic acid is not really an acid,” says chemist and beauty expert David Pollock. “Hyaluronic acid (HA) is found in almost every cell of your body. HA is a major component of our skin, in which collagen and elastin are embedded, and has the ability to draw moisture from the air, binding one thousand times its weight in water, acting as a reservoir for cells.” Hyaluronic acid was originally derived from rooster combs, but today it’s actually made in the lab using plant sources and biotech processes.
8. Lamb fat
Tallow is a form of processed fat from mutton. “It has soothing and hydrating properties, making it an ideal ingredient for skin care products,” says Zeichner.
9. Emu and mink oil
Some shaving creams, sunscreens and hairsprays contain oil from minks or from the emu. “The oil is obtained by scraping fat from the back of the hide of the animal,” says Schmidt. The ingredient contributes to the silky, conditioned feel you experience after applying the product.
This post originally appeared on Today.com and was republished here with full permission.
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