Despite what we might like to believe, none of us are perfect. We’re human, which means we don’t always look, smell, or act perfectly. Though there’s no quick fix to change that, most of us have reached for a bevy of beauty products to hide the imperfections.
But if your problems are larger or your proclivities stranger, there are some truly weird products out there that actually help hide the evidence of your imperfections. Here are 16 of the oddest products that really work.
1. Snail Serum
While it’s called a serum, this product actually consists of “snail secretion—basically, slime,” which, as it turns out is not such an odd thing to use for beauty regimens in Asia.
As a matter of fact, it’s pretty popular over there, as far as beauty ingredients are concerned, and it can be found “in serums and face creams as a lightweight hydrator.”
If you’re searching for something to help with anti-aging, snail serum might be the answer for you. Want to give it a try? You might want to take a look at the Dr. Jart Premium Time Returning Serum, which contains 77 percent snail mucus.
2. Foreskin Face Cream
We’ll give you a minute to absorb the fact that this even exists before we tell you just which celebrity touts it. Are you ready? Oprah. That’s right, Oprah Winfrey advocates “face cream made from human foreskins.”
While the label doesn’t boast that the product is made from foreskin, rest assured, the SkinMedica TNS Recovery Complex “is indeed formulated with the discarded foreskins of healthy babies,” according to StyleCaster.
3. Skinfood Black Sesame Hot Mask
The first half of BuzzFeed’s description of this product makes us a tad wary: “a thick, sticky, self-heating black sesame mask.”
The follow-up is a bit better though, as it “exfoliates, softens and smoothes,” which is something we can all use. Thankfully, despite the physical description, it is said to smell really good.
4. The Face Shop Chia Seed Moisture Holding Face Cream
Ch-ch-ch-chia! No? No one remembers that very grating jingle?
Alright, well, apparently you can buy this Chia Seed face cream, which, according to the Urban Outfitters website, contains “freshly germinated chia seeds in water drops that fully hydrate your skin.”
That sounds great, right? It almost makes you forget you’re putting seeds on your face. Apparently, something magical is supposed to happen once the drops touch your skin, they’re suppose to “bust,” and “fully hydrate deeply.”
Alright, that sounds like something we could get on board with—it’s not snail serum, after all.
5. The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Cleansing Light Oil
According to BuzzFeed, this “cleansing oil formulated with rice water from Korea” is lighter than one might anticipate, describing it as “thin and light.”
The rice aspect isn’t forgotten though, which could either be great for you—if you like the “rice-y” smell—or not so much if you’d rather not think about takeout in the middle of your beauty routine.
Then again, when is rice not a good idea? Exactly. So don’t let that turn you off; instead, let it convince you to give it a try.
6. 3 Concept Eyes Real Soft Cleansing Sherbet
This South Korean product is meant for cleansing and it’s oil-free—always a bonus.
Rather than the makeup removers you’re probably used to, “you massage the [‘sherbet’] into your skin and then wash it away with lukewarm water.” Thankfully though, it’s said to work really well, so maybe a non-traditional spin on a common product is worth a look!
7. Amopé Pedi Perfect
Alright, so this is one you probably recognize, even if you’re not a beauty product connoisseur. The Amopé Pedi Perfect frequents the late night infomercial scene, after all.
Allure describes it as a “literal power sander for your feet,” and they’re not wrong. If you’ve seen the commercials, you might have been slightly scared by this fact, as it looks slightly painful. It’s meant to “sand” off your calluses and to sand them off quickly; apparently it’s not painful in the least.
8. Roman + Fields Redefine Amp MD System
So this one is hard to discern just by looking at it, though Allure describes it as looking like “a straight-up medieval torture device (in a cuter color!).”
Truth be told, their description of its functions don’t seem too far off really: “this micro exfoliating roller press tiny holes in your skin.” Don’t worry just yet, it’s only so that your skin can take in the benefits of the serum…If you want to poke holes in your skin though, you do you.
9. Tweezerman Smooth Finish Facial Hair Remover
Now, in case you didn’t think the Amp MD System looked like a torture device, we definitely think this one does. Alternatively, maybe some sort of weird gym equipment?
In any case, this coil is meant to be rolled “over facial hair and [then you] pull it out by the roots.” While that sounds entirely dreadful, Allure claims it actually “works really well, with minimal pain.” If they’re saying it, we might be brave enough to try it.
10. Nuface Trinity Facial Toning Device + Wrinkle Reducer Attachment Bundle
Just let the idea of facial toning device sink in for a minute.
Despite our skepticism about its effectiveness in the realm of toning the skin around your face, its LED lights are said to “penetrate the skin to fight fine lines and discoloration.” That doesn’t sound too far-fetched, and the $429 price tag actually makes us feel slightly more comfortable with the idea of putting this against our face. How about you?
11. Avon Bust Sculpt Contouring Cream
Claiming to “‘firm, sculpt and improve curves’ on your chest,” this cream is meant to firm your bust.
A couple of customers claimed that they could see differences after just a week of usage, with one saying it helped to make her chest “higher and firmer.” It almost sounds too good to be true, but for under $20, who wouldn’t want to at least give it a try?
The manufacturer says that it consists of a “blend of ingredients that forms an invisible network for additional support to the bust area.”
12. Dr Jart+ Pore Medic Pore Minish Cleansing Bubble
If you consider yourself a fan of bubble baths, you might want to give this cleanser a try.
Allure compares it to “[cleaning] your face with something as bubbly and tingly as champagne (but a lot less sticky, obviously).” Meant for those who have oily skin or are particularly prone to acne, this becomes “a decadent, sparkling foam.” We can get on board with that.
13. Anti Wrinkle Half Face Slimming Cheek Mask
Well, maybe there really is something to this whole facial toning and face slimming thing after all. This mask is significantly more affordable than the last product though, coming in at only $8.
The mask “supposedly contours your face while you go along with your day,” which at least cuts the time of your beauty routine in half, likely. Even if it is as effective, and easy, as it sounds, might we suggest only using it in the privacy of your own home?
14. Lancome Oscillation Powerfoundation
Have you ever wanted to try vibrating makeup or a vibrating makeup brush? Did you even know vibrating makeup was a thing that existed? Well we didn’t either.
The Lancome Oscillation Powerfoundation happens to be “the first micro-vibrating mineral foundation” and it “[boasts] ‘7000 micro-vibrations per minute,’” according to Lancome.
Some customers have cited it as their go-to foundation, saying that “the vibrating brush/sponge seems to ‘buff/polish’ away any imperfection on [the] face.”
15. Julep Konjac Facial Sponge
Remember back when we were talking about putting food-related products on your face? Well this is another one.
This root vegetable, called a konjac, “gently [exfoliates] and [takes] off dirt and makeup better than if you used just your hands alone,” according to Allure.
The downside? You should swap yours out for a new one monthly, not least because they “have a tendency to shrivel up on your bathroom counter.” Other than that, it sounds great.
e.l.f. Studio Mascara & Shadow Shield
One of the great things about e.l.f. is that it’s known for its cheap yet effective products.
Despite what it looks like at first glance, this product actually supposed to help cover the area underneath your eyes so that your eye makeup won’t “flake or fall on to your underage concealer” when you’re applying it. This way, you can spend more time on the application, and less time on the removal and reapplication.