Yes, you read that correctly – there is such a thing as a bird poop facial. According to The New York Times, the treatment is of Japanese origin, first used by geishas with damaged skin due to their heavy white makeup (which, unbelievably, had lead in it!). The bird poop was from nightingales specifically, and it was thought to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the face.

Modern methods sanitize the ingredient with UV light first, then transform it into a powder and mix it with other brightening and exfoliating ingredients to reveal glowing, healthy skin. But can you imagine letting a bunch of this stuff sit on your face for ANY amount of time?

If you’re not into the idea, perhaps you’re better off sticking to more conventional facial ingredients. Luckily, it’s easy to give yourself a quick facial whenever you’d like if you have the right products.

Just start out with a thorough cleanser, then exfoliate with a gentle scrub to buff off dead skin cells. Now apply a brightening serum and finish up with a creamy moisturizer. Looks pretty good considering the ingredients are relatively normal, right?