Nightingale poop on your face. Really!

What do you do when a bird poops on your shoulder as you step out? Gross out, right? But what if bird poop was slathered all over your face to give you alabaster smooth skin? Read on for the 'dirt' on this treatment extraordinaire! By Prachi S Vaish

The geisha factor
The mysteriously fascinating faces of Japanese geishas in paintings and photographs clearly mark the prominence of their chalky white makeup foundation and underneath, of their creamy complexion. Fortunately for us, their secret has recently been revealed…nightingale droppings! Actors in the Japanese Kabuki theatre and Geishas were the first to extract and use the natural content of these droppings to repair and rejuvenate their skin, tormented by heavy makeup being a part of their profession. Before that, as early as the 17th century, the nightingale droppings were used to bleach out the colours to create the typical designs on Japanese Kimonos; and since these droppings were gentle enough for the purest silk, along with their bleaching capability, they found their place in skin facials and masks, resulting in whitening of the human skin - the ultimate goal of every woman worth her vanity!

The beauty secret
The reason behind the effectiveness of nightingale droppings in repairing one’s complexion, as explained by Lula, the principal massage therapist at the Hotel Wailea Spa in Maui, is that “As each bird differs in its diet, their droppings are different too. While some birds feed on grains, fish or insects, nightingales are found in plum trees, relishing the hairy caterpillars. The caterpillar stomachs are full with the green plum tree leaves and as the nightingale feeds, it not only consumes the protein and fat from the caterpillar’s body, but also the chlorophyll and plum leaf extracts. Then, the stomach of the bird secretes a strong enzyme that digests the worms; however, their intestines are so short that enzymes too are excreted with the droppings. This same enzyme that breaks down the protein and fat from the caterpillar also dissolves dirt while repairing and whitening damaged skin, and that is the secret to beautiful skin!”

The magic formula
Lula reveals that for their exclusive facials they use these nightingale droppings in a dehydrated and powdered form, mixed with the Azuki bean extract that is rich in protein content. It is a 50-80 minute long deep cleansing procedure that claims to remove dead skin and excess oil from the pores, while whitening the skin, giving you a glowing complexion!

So can you wrinkle your nose and turn a blind eye to the ingredient being rubbed on your face, all for a fairer visage? We say why not!