Clients are apparently more than willing to drop $180 to get a bird poop facial in Manhattan. This proves yet again that people don’t mind spending big bucks on crap.
All kidding aside, the facial is apparently based on a traditional Japanese beauty secret. Asian nightingale feces is shipped to the United States and carefully blended with rice bran. Once the concoction is finished, people drop a serious chunk of change to have it spread across their face.
Shizuka New York spa owner Shizuka Bernstein said she’s been offering the bird poop facial for around five years. According to the Tokyo native, she currently doesn’t have a shortage of paying clients.
Bernstein explains that the nightingale excrement keeps skin soft and smooth. The spa owner claims that approximately 100 men and women get the treatment every single month. That boils down to around $18,000 every 30 days.
New York resident Mari Miyoshi told The Associated Press about her first experience with the bird poop facial. Although one might assume that the treatment comes with a horrible odor, Miyoshi said it actually smells a lot like toasted rice .
“The treatment begins with steam to open the pores and soften the skin. Cream is applied. And then comes what Bernstein calls ‘the nightingale part,’” the client explained.
How does this treatment work? Bernstein told the Daily Mail not too long ago that the bird poop is effective in exfoliation.
“The bird poop facial works because of an enzyme that breaks down the dead skin on the upper layers of the face. The nightingale poo acts as an exfoliate that brings out the dirt and dust that builds up in the skin and leaves the customer feeling refreshed,” Bernstein said.
Manhattan isn’t the only place a person can indulge in a pricey bird poop facial. Ten Thousand Waves health spa in Santa Fe, New Mexico also offers up the treatment to adventurous clients. However, it will only cost you around $129 at this particular location.
Owner Duke Klauck said that these facials have been used by actors and geishas since the 1600s. While the treatment is rare in the US, apparently it’s quite popular in Japan.
“That’s why Japanese grandmothers have beautiful complexions,” Klauck explained.
Would you spend around $180 for a refreshing bird poop facial?
[Image via Shutterstock.com ]
