I’ll begin by reiterating that vanity is fair. Being concerned with how you look is a natural impulse and we women are (in)famous for investing much time and energy in looking our best.
But sometimes, do you too come across some beauty treatments that seem utterly absurd? It happens with me a lot, especially since I’m always on a look out for new grooming techniques to try and assess.
There is a host of beauty regimens specific to different cultures which are locally practised but not widely known. By my own experience, some of these happen to be extremely effective, infused with ancient wisdom as they are.
Here is a list of such strange beauty treatments from around the world that you can try. You may be surprised by the wonders they work – much more helpful than chemical treatments and cosmetic products!
Asian Spoon Massage
This is a technique that involves using a ceramic or glass-based Asian spoon and massaging the contours of your face with it. It is supposed to reduce bloating and puffiness of the face, alongside adding a healthy sheen and glow. There are several instructive videos online that you can refer to, so as to learn the proper way of giving your face an Asian spoon massage. Trust me, it works. My face seemed more sculpted with just one week of massage!
Sound Baths
Bathing in sound, bizarre as it sounds, is what this is all about. A medley of sounds and vibrations produced by gongs and bowls is played while the client lies on a flat floor in a comfortable position. The experience is supposed to be extremely soothing, which de-stresses the mind, improves sleep and regulates energy levels. Though it is a service offered exclusively in some of the most expensive spas around the world, there are several tracks and recordings available online. Instead of your next mediation session, unwind with a sound bath instead!
Chocolate Baths/Facials/Spas
Now we all love to eat chocolate and have gone in for chocolate waxing at some point in time. But leading spas in the US offer a variety of treatments which use pure chocolate to nourish the skin and body. Rich in antioxidants and having softening properties, chocolate is a good pack for the skin. You could melt some cooking chocolate at home and apply it to your face (or even body, if you have enough quantity) when lukewarm and wait for it to dry. Then scrub it off with water and voila! Healthy, glowing skin! But don’t cheat and lick any of your chocolate pack off your face (you know it could happen!)
Fish Pedicures
This is a treatment that has become very popular in the past few years. A technique of Turkish origin, the use of garra rufa fish, better known as “doctor fish”, to refine skin texture and quality, has been quite the rage in the beauty industry. These tiny little fish nibble on the skin immersed in water, thereby nibbling off all the dead skin. Typically, the experience is not painful but just slightly odd. Unfortunately, fish pedicures can’t be self-performed so you’ll have to visit a spa/massage parlour for this one.
Butter Massage
The Ethiopian butter massage is a true mindblower. It is basically meant to tighten up weak skin and muscles of a woman’s vagina for enhanced sexual pleasure (yeah, you heard it right). So it basically involves a full body massage using unsalted butter – even your nether regions get buttered, yes – followed by exposure to smoke in an enclosed environment. Clearly, unless one is extremely motivated and very enterprising, this one will be difficult to try at home. Visit an Ethiopian massage parlour on your next holiday abroad just to try it! Reviews suggest that it does work.
Beer Bath
The beer bath is a traditional Czech routine whereby clients enjoy a 20-minute dip in a bubbly tub of dark beer. Rich in Vitamin B and yeast, beer is supposedly wonderful for the skin. Though it is slightly difficult to arrange for a tub-full of beer for bathing, you could add equal parts of olive oil and beer (1 cup each perhaps) in your bath water and either soak for a while or simple shower with it. You shall emerge from the bath with bright, glistening, hydrated skin. Sounds great!
Give these weird beauty treatments a try, if for nothing else, then just the fun of trying something new. Having tried the Asian spoon massage, chocolate facial, fish pedicure and beer bath, I feel that experimenting with new techniques can lead to great discoveries and much better skin!
