Cactus to bull semen: Bizarre beauty fads!

Every now and then, there’s a supposedly revolutionary breakthrough in the beauty industry. And activated charcoal isn’t the only bizarre ingredient to have become a fad in the industry; we look at some unusual and even strange additives.

Every now and then, there’s a supposedly revolutionary breakthrough in the beauty industry, with a bizarre ingredient being added to products, claiming to produce miraculous effects. The latest one is activated charcoal, the ability of which to absorb impurities is yet unproven; nonetheless, it’s become a bit of a rage.

In a report published by online journal Medical Daily, experts feel the popularity may just be a bandwagon effect, but a beauty company has claimed that activated charcoal can absorb “100-200 times its weight in impurities”.

A follow-up report by NY Daily News even quotes a dermatologist, Craig Kaffert, as suggesting that the products’ success despite lack of scientific proof is down to human fascination for the strange.

“Using a pitch-black product to purify the skin sounds both intriguing and cool… the uniqueness of the ingredient itself, especially its colour, is likely the main driver behind the recent surge in popularity of activated charcoal facial cleansers and masks,” he says.

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Seaweed extract
Creams, shampoos, gels, face packs and bath salts — they all have been making use of these algae because of their rich blend of minerals and vitamins. Seaweed is very effective as a moisturiser, and it soothes the skin. In massage creams, it is used to restore the skin’s elasticity and suppleness. While in all these uses, the seaweed is frozen and then crushed into a fine green paste to be added to products, it can also be ground or powdered. The latter method is used when making soaps, creams, sprays and powders. It is always used in limited quantities.

Coffee
It’s used in numerous forms, each of which has different benefits. Coffee fruit has abundant antioxidants, while Coffea arabica is used in lipsticks to make them smooth and easily spreadable. Extracts of the coffee fruit are used in cleansers and creams that make the skin smoother by helping fend off free radicals. Green coffee bean extract has astringent qualities that repair damage caused by UV radiation. The antioxidant quality regenerates new skin cells, fights free radicals caused by pollution and the harsh sun which causes wrinkles, fine lines and age spots associated with ageing. And for the easiest fix at home, just mix ground coffee and egg whites for a rejuvenating face pack.

Cactus
Who knew the prickly plant would offer so many benefits? Cactus flowers are known to have strong antioxidant properties that prevent fine lines and wrinkles. They also help to maintain natural moisture of the skin. Expect to see them in moisturisers, face washes, body butters and even lip balm.

With inputs from Dr Blossom Kochhar and dermatologist Dr Snigdha Saran