Over the years people have been experimenting with different ingredients in pursuit of beauty and eternal youth. Most food items like eggs, bananas, and mayonnaise have proven to be effective for hair and skin and have cemented their spot in the beauty industry. Some products, like lead which were used to get the smooth, pale skin that was all the rage during the 18th century proved fatal and caused the deaths of countless women.
Beauty products nowadays have to undergo several testing before they can be certified and sold, and are, therefore, relatively safe compared to those used in the past. However, this does not mean those beauty products are free of unusual ingredients.
Here are some of the weirdest ingredients used in beauty products today.
- Snail Slime – These slow-moving gastropods do not usually evoke visions of beauty, yet snail slime is currently one of the most popular ingredients used in face masks. Snail slime contains beneficial compounds such as hyaluronic acid, glycoprotein, proteoglycans, and antimicrobial and copper peptides, which moisturize, reduce inflammation and minimize acne scars.
- Bee Venom – When you think of bee stings, you think of pain, right? Who would have thought that bee venom had a lot of medicinal properties? In fact, it is used as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, nerve pain, and multiple sclerosis. It can also give you instant facelift by temporarily relaxing your facial muscles. It improves circulation and gives you tighter and firmer skin.
- Another product that made it to the list is charcoal. Yes, that black, sooty chalk that you usually find in your barbecue grill. Charcoal recently made it to almost every product list. There’s a toothpaste with activated charcoal, face mask, facial cream and yes, even charcoal ice cream! What does charcoal have that we are willing to slather it on our body and even ingest it? Well, studies show that activated charcoal works by trapping toxins and chemicals, and if you ingest it, it traps toxins and chemicals in the gut and carries it out when you empty your bowels. When slathered on your skin, it binds to the dirt and helps pull it out of your pores resulting in clearer skin with less visible pores.
- Meteorite Extract – You read it right. Space dust. The powder from meteorites. Somebody looked at a meteorite and thought it will make a nice ingredient for a beauty cream. According to the company that sells the cream, the meteorite dust is full of minerals, and when used as a cream it will make your skin glow and ward off premature aging. Continued use will make you feel and look heavenly, pun intended.