* Beauty and skincare trends have become more out-of-the-box lately
* From hair masks to anti-aging treatments, unexpected ingredients are becoming the norm
* Find out which ones will actually work, before wasting your money
Skincare and beauty trends have been thinking out-the-box as of late, especially with the heightened popularity with Korean Beauty. Gone are the days where simple moisturizers and basic retinol treatments will do. Nowadays, it’s all about adventure–and there are some downright bizarre products on the market today.
If you’re looking to dodge the trial-and-error process of testing weird beauty products with the hopes of finding the next unlikely miracle cream, read on. Here are 6 weird beauty products that actually work.
1. Placenta Hair Masks
While slapping on a mask composed of um, placenta doesn’t sound quite as glamorous as your fancy keratin or coconut oil masks, according to some doctors, this product may actually help strengthen your hair and promote quicker growth. This mask uses sheep placenta–not human–and works to promote hair growth by increasing blood circulation to reach hair follicles, according to an article in the Huffington Post. Either way, we can confirm that this product is nonetheless extremely hydrating and you’ll definitely see some serious shine after use.
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Image courtesy of Amazon[/caption]
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2. Snail Mucus Skin Treatment
While medical research on the connection between snail secretions and improved skin is still inconclusive, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest this stuff actually works. Snail slime is secreted to protect their exposed bodies from harm (i.e. bacteria and UV rays), and thus the mollusks secrete a “slime” that is packed with elastin, antibacterials, proteins and glycolic acid. These “ingredients” are all commonly used in skincare to treat acne, aging skin and sagging. Countless reviewers swear by this stuff too, claiming it helped erase fine lines and helps to keep breakouts at bay.
3. Mayo Hair Treatment
Back in the 70s and 80s, making DIY hair masks–aka slathering your hair in mayonnaise straight from the tub–was a popular way of treating dry, damaged and color treated hair. Nowadays, you can skip the fridge and get the benefits of this strange cult beauty tradition with this Korean beauty product. The Haeyo Mayo Hair Mask contains egg yolk (one of the main ingredients in mayonnaise) with added bonus of shea butter for extra nourishment. Another advantage? This product smells like vanilla, not your favorite sandwich condiment. Phew!
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Image courtesy of Amazon[/caption]
4. Pig Jelly Cream
As with so many anti-aging beauty fads, Pig Collagen has been touted as a miracle ingredient for boosting skin elasticity by Korean women for decades. Finally, the bizarre trend has made its way to the U.S. market, with rising popularity–and for good reason. Pig collagen is apparently pretty similar to human collagen, so the idea is that it has impressive payoff in terms of blasting away wrinkles when compared to the synthetic or marine-dervived collagen byproduct that the majority of anti-aging products use. Pig collagen has a gel formula, which makes it equally as great for priming the skin for better absorption of other anti-aging products as well.
5. Steel Facial Roller
This threatening silver product looks more like it belongs in the tool bag, not your makeup drawer. But this handy little device isn’t a mini hammer–its actually a makeup-free contouring device that actually works. The handheld facial roller massages the skin, promoting blood flow and as a result helping to reduce the look of sagging, puffy or tired skin. And while there are other options questionable alternatives on the market, this one’s equipped with 10 germanium balls to help stimulate circulate and elasticity and a sleek, chrome coating that won’t leave you with red, irritated skin after using.
6. PMD ‘Kiss’ Lip Plumping Device
We’ve told you about before, and we are mentioning it again because this odd lip sucking product really does plump your lips in a flash. It works by sucking on sections of the lip like a vacuum–in addition to its super-potent lip serum. We tested it ourselves and were pleased with not only the fuller pout it left us with, but also the rosy hue it restored. Before you resort to costly and painful injections, consider trying this portable, lip plumper first. See our full, lived-in review here for all of the details.