Keeping your skin hydrated in the winter is tough. No matter how moisturized our skin typically is, the cold weather, harsh wind, and dry air seem to suck out every ounce of moisture we try so desperately to lock in. And while there are tons of magical skin care products to combat the chilly months ahead, sometimes we get sick of the store-bought stuff and want to try something crazy. Apparently, celebrities in Hollywood are on the same wave length, judging from the unusual DIY skin care solutions they’ve concocted to stay moisturized for the bone-chilling days to come.
But before you click through for unconventional skin care tips from gurus like Kim Kardashian, Cindy Crawford, and Victoria Beckham, we have to warn you, these skin care solutions are’t for the faint of heart. From cat litter to bird poop to seaweed, these products are for the extreme skin care activist who needs a little something extra to stay glowing all year-long. Peek at 12 celebrity-approved unconventional skin care products, ahead.
Kim Kardashian — Seaweed
Everyone loves sushi, but did you know you can moisturize with it? On a post on her website, Kardashian revealed that her secret to staying moisturized, despite her psoriasis (a condition that leaves the skin itchy and scaly), is seaweed-based skin care products. The reality star touts the salt water plant for high amount of B vitamins, a compound that anti-inflammatory properties. Essentially, seaweed is said to cure Kardashian of any redness and irritation. (Kardashian’s bonus skin care solution? Lathering on her older sister Kourtney Kardashian’s breast milk.)
Photo: Getty Images
Scarlett Johansson — Vinegar
Though it’s an age-old hack for celebrities to use apple cider vinegar as a shampoo substitute to wash and condition their hair, using the ingredient as a way to cure breakouts is a train we need to catch up on. In an interview with Glamour UK, Johansson revealed that she slathers apple cider vinegar on her face to restore her skin after acne-scarring.
“I researched natural skincare and found that apple cider vinegar is really effective,” she said. “Using it as a toner can be harsh, but if you have breakouts it can be really healing.”
Photo: Getty Images
Halle Berry — Coffee Grounds
To keep her skin smooth, even in the winter months, Berry mixes coffee grounds with her body wash and slathers the concoction on her body in the shower. The DIY exfoliator is said to promote blood flow and soften the skin due to the natural stimulating caffeine.
Photo: Getty Images
Eva Longoria — Placenta
Longoria is among a legion of celebrities who use placenta-based skin care products to tighten and moisturize their skin. The products, which typically contain placentas from animals like sheep, are believed to prevent and smooth out wrinkles due to their high collagen levels.
Photo: Getty Images
Julia Roberts — Olive OIl
To keep her hair, nails, and feet healthy, Roberts swears by her at-home olive oil-based skin care remedies. In an interview with Vogue Italy, the actress revealed that she soaks her nails and hair in a mask of emulsified extra virgin olive oil (essentially, just combining oil and water) for a healthy sheen. To keep the skin on her feet moisturized, Roberts also lathers the combination all over her feet, puts on a pair of socks, and sleeps with the DIY moisturizer. When she wakes up, her skin feels silky smooth.
Photo: Getty Images
Margot Robbie — Nipple Cream
Though nipple cream isn’t an unconventional skin care product (the moisturize is typically used to hydrate new mom’s teats while breastfeeding), the way Robbie uses is certainly innovative. In an interview with Elle UK, the actress revealed that she uses nipple cream—Bepanthen, specifically—as a substitute for lip balm.
“My lip balm, I use Bepanthen, which is actually a nipple cream for breastfeeding mothers or diaper rash cream for babies,” she said. “I have a conspiracy theory that lip balms actually have additives in them to dry your lips out so you keep buying them. But because Bepanthen is just a cream for dry skin, it works. It’s what I’ve used my whole life.”
Photo: Getty Images
Victoria Beckham — Bird Poop
Beckham’s secret to healthy, smooth skin is—wait for it—bird poop. The former Spice Girl and her husband, David Beckham, are big fans of Japanese Geisha Facials, which use nightingale feces as a gentle exfoliate to rinse the skin of dirt and dust. The mom of four reportedly likes the ingredient so much that she has a daily face cream also infused with bird poo.
Photo: Getty Images
Angelina Jolie — Fish Eggs
As one of the biggest A-listers in Hollywood, Jolie has likely come across caviar once or twice in her life. Turns out, the actress might be such a fan of the food that he slathers it on her face. After giving birth to her twins, Knox and Vivienne, Jolie began a skin care treatment involving Baeri sturgeon eggs. The fish eggs, which are reared on farms in the south of France, are said to tighten the skin and combat slackness often associated with wrinkles.
Photo: Getty Images
Cindy Crawford — Milk
According to Allure, the supermodel’s skin care secret is spritzing herself with a milk every morning. The liquid, which Crawford mixes with mineral water, is said to keep the skin uber-hydrated, thanks to being chock-full of calcium, protein, and minerals—essential nutrients for healthy skin.
Photo: Getty Images
Debra Messing — Snake Venom
We told you that these skin care solutions aren’t for the faint of heart. To rid her face of wrinkles, especially around her under-eye area, Messing uses a Kate Somerville eye cream containing snake venom. (You read that right.) The poison reportedly acts as a minor botox substitute, relaxing the muscles on the face.
Photo: Getty Images
Snooki — Cat Litter
Looking for a DIY face mask? Look no further than Snooki’s makeshift clay mask using—you guessed it—cat litter. On an episode of “CONAN,” the “Jersey Shore” star Googled around for cheap and innovative skin care remedies. She came across one involving kitty litter (unused, obviously) that she has sworn by ever since. For the mask, Snooki combines the litter with water, which forms a clay-mask substitute that freshens her skin and cleans out her pores.
Photo: Getty Images
Teri Hatcher — Red Wine
Instead of the usual soap and water, Hatcher often bathes in red wine to keep her skin looking fresh. The alcoholic bath contains a litter of polyphenols, a compound found in grapes, known to moisturize the skin, promote cell renewal, and improve elasticity. But before you freak out that the “Desperate Housewives” star is waisting a good bottle of vino. She typically uses old wines, and after her bath is done, she uses the residue as a makeshift exfoliator.
“I scoop them up in the tub and use them as an exfoliant. The only bad thing is you can’t drink the whole bottle of wine,” Hatcher said in an interview.
Photo: Getty Images
Next slideshow starts in 10s
20 Easy, Protein-Rich Dinners
That Won’t Bore You to Death