Would You Use These Weird Beauty Ingredients?

When it comes to beauty products, we all read labels like hawks—and stick with what we know works for our skin types. But when something crazy shows up on the radar, how willing are you to take a risk? Here, I explore the sudden surge of products containing snail serum, vegetables, and other unexpected, weird beauty ingredients, and what each does for the skin.

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Would You Use These Weird Beauty Ingredients?

Ingredient: Cone Snail Venom

Product: RéVive Intensité Line Erasing Serum ($600)
Hey, anything that promises to turn back the clock has got to be worth a glance, right? Maybe---if you don’t mind that time comes at the cost of applying a brow-raising ingredient to your face. RéVive Intensité Line Erasing Serum contains cone snail venom, an extract derived from the freshwater critter that mimics the effect of injectable treatments by relaxing facial muscles. As lines decrease, skin is left softer, with a healthy, lit-from-within glow that only gets better over time.
Ingredient: Kale

Product: Nails Inc. NailKale ($14)
Kale? As in that crunchy, trendy green that everyone and their mother touts as the superfood du jour? Turns out it’s so much more than just a nutritional powerhouse---it’s also a wonder beauty ingredient. Enriched with kale extract, Nails Inc. NailKale nail polish is formulated to improve the condition of nails with nourishing vitamins A, C, and K. Nails are left healthier and stronger thanks to kale’s ability to stimulate keratin formulation. Available in a host of pretty colors, this is the kind of polish you can really feel good about wearing.
Ingredient: Algae

Product: Aveda Stress-Fix Body Creme ($50)
Algae is legendary for its healing powers. Not only is it a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, it’s also rich in nourishing minerals that leave skin healthy and hydrated. You can thank Aveda Stress-Fix Body Creme for softer skin---which you’ll crave as it gets colder outside. Also packed with shea butter and sunflower seed oil, this marine-based concoction is formulated to soothe frayed nerves, too. Who knew algae could be such a valuable part of your beauty regimen?
Ingredient: Salmon Egg Enzyme

Product: Restorsea Repairing Neck & Decolletage Treatment ($150)
The salmon egg enzyme, known as Aquabeautine XL, is derived from baby salmon. Though it’s certainly a brow-raising addition to any beauty product, it’s the most potent and vital in the Restorsea line. The Repairing Neck & Decolletage Treatment is powered by this enzyme, which smooths skin, improves tone, and may even reduce the visible signs of aging. The delicate neck skin is often neglected and can reveal a woman’s true age like nothing else, so it’s worth the TLC…and maybe even the salmon egg enzyme.
Ingredient: Chia Seed Oil

Product: Sunday Riley Isis Hydroactive Cellular Face Oil ($125)
There’s nothing quite like soft, touchable skin, which Sunday Riley Isis Hydroactive Cellular Face Oil delivers practically on contact. In addition to the usual suspects, like hydrating rose hip seed and palma rosa oils, it also contains chia seed oil. A natural source of valuable omega-3s, chia seed oil may help diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Better still, the cocktail of oils leaves skin positively glowing---and you can thank chia for that, too. Its vitamin E and zinc content softens and soothes skin.
Ingredient: Beets

Product: Aubrey Organics Age-Defying Therapy Toner ($14.95)
You throw them on your salads, but beets are far more than a colorful addition to your favorite lunch. The bright red root vegetable is rich in vitamin C, which contributes to the production of collagen, and antioxidants, which prevent damage from harmful free radicals. Consider it a natural anti-aging powerhouse of sorts. The Aubrey Organics Age-Defying Therapy Toner softens and replenishes skin with a combination of beet root and sea buckthorn extracts, plus exfoliating alpha-hydroxy acids.
Ingredient: Cotton

Product: Napoleon Perdis Cotton Butter Lip Balm ($45)
Typically associated with food, cottonseed oil is packed with antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. Using this ingredient on your skin pays off: with regular use, skin is left intensely hydrated and relaxed, thanks to its soothing properties. Even lips can benefit, as one swipe of Napoleon Perdis Cotton Butter Lip Balm proves. This trio includes three wearable, neutral shades that contain both cottonseed oil and vitamin E. The result is soft, shiny lips with a beautiful color that lasts.
Ingredient: Charcoal

Product: Freeman Beauty Charcoal & Black Sugar Facial Polishing Mask ($3.99)
You may already be familiar with activated charcoal in the skin care realm. The powerful ingredient essentially sucks out impurities, leaving skin refreshed, clean, and free of debris. Give Freeman Beauty Charcoal & Black Sugar Facial Polishing Mask a try for miraculous detoxifying results. In addition to charcoal, it also contains mildly exfoliating black sugar to soften skin. Between the resulting clean pores, baby-soft skin, and even the pleasant scent, this mask gives you an excuse to enjoy an at-home spa day anytime.