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By Leigh Crymble

Beauty and fashion columnist


The Lo Down: Bizarre celeb beauty tricks

From facials made from bird droppings to using leeches as a way to detoxify the blood – there are several Hollywood celebrities who use some unconventional beauty therapies.


WINE WELLNESS

Desperate Housewives star Terri Hatcher has a boozy bath tip that she claims is the secret to her youthful complexion – she adds a full bottle of red wine to her bath each night in the belief that the grape nutrients nourish and soften the skin. Retailing at the equivalent of R500, though, I personally would rather just drink the wine.

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DARING DETOX

In an interview with David Letterman in 2008, Demi Moore revealed that she takes her detox routines to the next level – by flying to Austria for leech therapy. What this treatment involves is having medical leeches suck toxins out of her blood. “They have a little enzyme that when they are biting down on you it gets released in your blood, and generally you bleed for quite a bit, and your health is optimised. It detoxifies your blood.”

Um, no thanks, Demi. That treatment is all yours.

Kim Kardashian. Image courtesy :Kardashian

Kim Kardashian. Image courtesy :Kardashian

VAMPIRE VIXEN

What’s been dubbed the “vampire facial” has to take first prize in the crazy beauty stakes.

More technically known as platelet rush plasma therapy, the likes of Kim Kardashian have had this treatment. Blood is drawn from the arm and is then injected into the face using acupuncture-style needles. The aim? To plump up the skin by building collagen.

Lance Armstrong doesn’t look as crazy now, hey?

Victoria Beckham. Image courtesy Wikimedia commons.

Victoria Beckham. Image courtesy Wikimedia commons.

FAECES FACIALS

Ever admired Victoria Beckham’s perfectly polished skin? Her secret is in bird droppings.

The fashion mogul is said to have regular Japanese Geisha facials where nightingale excrement, rice bran and water are used to form a cleansing paste. Even her husband David has gotten on board for these traditional facials to give them both that radiant glow. But don’t think any bird will do – only nightingales eat the seeds with the enzyme that works as an active ingredient in the facial.

Image courtesy AFP

Image courtesy AFP

LUSCIOUS LOCKS

A rising trend in the UK is to use hair conditioning products that contain … bull semen.

According to salon owners who offer this treatment, bull sperm contains high levels of protein and moisture and helps to repair dry, coloured, or damaged hair. Lindsay Lohan is allegedly a fan of the conditioning treatment that she says leaves her hair feeling soft and looking thick. Organic – check. Pricey – double check. This treatment will set you back around R2 000.

Wine, leeches, blood, faeces, semen. Which (if any) of these beauty treatments would you consider trying? Weigh in on twitter: @Le1ghLo.

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