Animal magic
It’s imperative we keep our ear firmly to the ground when it comes to new treatments and we’ve just unearthed two crazy-but-true therapies that might make your stomach turn (you have been warned)!
Leaving us feeling positively queasy, the first of our discoveries was none other than a snake massage. Yes, you heard us – forget a four-hand massage, why not let a slippery snake do the work instead? Already causing quite a stir in spa circles (understandably), this reptilian form of relaxation is the brainchild of a small Israeli spa in the village of Talmey El’Azar. Located on the eccentrically named Ada Barak’s Carnivorous Plant Farm, the snakes were originally used to feed the carnivorous plants, but were put to work massaging clients when the farm owner realised what a big a hit they were with people visiting the farm.
So how do you get from snake to spa? Once you’ve stripped off, a tangled mass of non-venomous snakes (California, corn, milk and Florida snakes) are placed on the body and left to squirm, but don’t worry about any escapees, the snakes are all braided to prevent an easy getaway – how reassuring! At $80 a pop, Ada (the farm owner) believes the snakes could hold some therapeutic value and that as soon as you get over any initial misgivings, you’ll find physical contact with the creatures soothing. However while we openly admit we’re no Indiana Jones when it comes to snakes, the thought of a writhing mass of reptiles slithering all over our body is still one step too far.
But one man’s poison is another man’s pleasure and there’s no stopping people in their quest for eternal 
beauty and flawless features. Enter the bird dropping facial – our second insane find. Revealed as Victoria Beckham’s secret to sexy skin, the £100 facials use a paste made from nightingale excrements to combat problem pimples. Packed full of guanine – a healing amino acid, the droppings are mixed with Japanese white clay, spread over the skin then you’re left under a UV light to strip away any bacteria. Also known as a geisha facial, (they use it to remove make-up and brighten their skin), it’s now an everyday therapy in Japan. New York salons have also started to catch on to the healing properties and we wouldn’t be surprised if the new facial fad flew into the UK someday soon!
Tags: facial, four hands massage, geish facial, nightingale dropping facial, snake massage, Victoria Beckham