Style

These 7 Weird Beauty Tips Are Surprisingly Amazing

by Miki Hayes
Woman with purifying mask on her face
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When it comes to beauty treatments, there are tons of 'em out there to try. But depending on where you draw the line for gross beauty tips, some may be a little too weird to be worth testing. Like guano (which is basically a nicer-sounding word for bird poop). Yeah, that's a thing. But if it's something so disgusting that even a makeup artist would never put it on her face, I think it might be worth skipping. After all, there are plenty of other tips with amazing skin benefits that aren't quite so vomit-inducing.

Of course, they're still a little weird though. Some are things you'd probably rather eat than want to slather all over your mug. Others are things you might've thought belonged outside your house, not inside your body. But even though it may seem kinda gross, it's in the name of beauty. (Hello, healthy skin and hair.) So you can have it all from clearer skin, to longer lashes, to conditioned locks, here are seven things you may not normally want touching your face or hair but actually work wonders. Oh, and don't worry. These odd beauty tips were actually recommended by experts with whom I emailed. No excrement allowed.

1. Yogurt As A Face Mask

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"Plain, full-fat yogurt is a fantastic one-ingredient mask that gently exfoliates and deeply moisturizes," says Rachel Winard, founder of Soapwalla. The natural acids help exfoliate and reduce fine lines, the fats moisturize and calm, and the vitamins reduce breakouts and give a radiant complexion, she explains.

If you want additional benefits, Emily Cunningham, co-founder of True Moringa, suggests this DIY mask: Combine greek yogurt, ground flax seed, and moringa oil for physical exfoliation while evening skin tone and preventing blemishes.

And if you're vegan? Winard recommends substituting plain coconut yogurt in your DIYs.

2. Drinking Liquid Chlorophyll

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World Organic Liquid Chlorophyll, $15, Amazon

According to Joanna Vargas, celebrity facialist and founder of Joanna Vargas Salon and Skincare Collection, drinking liquid chlorophyll can be a game-changer for skin. "Liquid chlorophyll increases red blood cells and the quality of red blood cells in the body, therefore it increases oxygen being delivered to all your cells, skin included," says Vargas. She adds that it also helps prevent cells from mutating from exposure to the sun and pollution, and is even high in antioxidants. Despite this green drink looking like gross pond water though, it actually tastes like mint.

3. Castor Oil As A Lash Treatment

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SheaMoisture 100% Pure Jamaican Black Castor Oil, $14, Amazon

Amanda Hume, green beauty expert and founder of VERT Beauty, says massaging castor oil on the brows and lashes can help increase hair growth. She explains, "This oil is rich in fatty acids, antioxidants, and proteins that help strengthen your lashes and help create a naturally full lash line." For best results, she suggests using castor oil at night before going to sleep.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar As A Hair Rinse

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Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, $10, Amazon

After shampooing your hair, Hume says to cleanse with a cup of apple cider vinegar and then rinse your strands in cold water. This, she says, will not only help "balance the pH, but it naturally conditions, combats tangles, helps with hair loss, treats itchy scalps, prevents split ends, and is clarifying." Totally worth the sour smell, right?

5. Sea Kelp As A Face Mask

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STARSKIN The Master Cleanser Detoxing Sea Kelp Leaf Face Mask, $15, Barneys

Even though seaweed wraps aren't new to the beauty world, the thought of plastering slimy strands of seaweed on your skin can still be a little unpalatable. But the benefits are pretty great. According to STARSKIN co-founder Nicole Arnoldussen, "We are exposed to toxins every day, and this is from the food that we eat, pollutants, and the chemicals we come into contact with. Kelp itself helps to remove toxins or heavy metals in your body." OK, sign me up.

6. Applying Green Coffee Bean Oil

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Leven Rose Green Coffee Bean Oil, $22, Amazon

Even though it sounds a little strange and doesn't actually smell like coffee, green coffee bean oil has a ton of benefits and even has the same pH as skin, says Vargas. Applying some topically can help control and heal acne, detoxify and increase skin circulation, reduce puffiness, and even cure eczema and psoriasis, she says.

7. Raw Honey As A Facial Cleanser

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If you can stand the stickiness, Hume recommends using raw or Manuka honey as a facial cleanser: "Put it on before you get in the shower and let it melt off of your skin." Not only will it leave your skin soft and conditioned, but honey also has inflammatory and antibacterial properties that can help heal common skin concerns like acne, she says. Plus, it's great for all skin types.

Who knew gross could be so good?