13 Bizarre Skin Care Ingredients That Are Actually Amazing

While you probably associate bee venom with teeth-gnashing pain, but it’s the nonpainful effects that are behind its use as an ingredient in eye creams, lip plumpers and skin-firming moisturizers. As venom-related swelling plumps wrinkles away, the accompanying rush of blood stimulates production of elastin and collagen—completely sting- and agony-free.

That slime snails leave behind in trails on the sidewalk? It’s actually a protein-rich, antioxidant-filled secretion that protects their little bodies and is chock-full of elastin and glycolic acid—everything a skin care product needs to slough off dead skin cells, reduce the effects of photoaging, smooth out scars and stimulate collagen. Gross? Maybe. Effective? You bet.

Don’t mistake this for the kind of blood used in vampire facials. In fact, it’s not even blood at all. Dragon’s blood is a bright red resin obtained from different species of a number of distinct plant genera, and its medicinal use has been well documented since the ancient times. Also called sangre de grado in Spanish, it was used internally and externally to stop bleeding, help heal wounds and treat intestinal problems. Today, it is used in skin care products to calm inflammation, reduce redness and irritation and protect against external stressors.

If you’re a fan of red lipstick or pink-tinged body lotion, you’ve almost certainly smoothed some powdered beetle remains somewhere across your person—and that’s not a bad thing. Carminic acid, derived from the crushed, dried bodies of cochineal beetles, is the key ingredient in one of the most popular red dyes in the world and comes with the excellent benefit of being chemical-free.

While there are no actual explosives masquerading as eye cream, diatomaceous earth (DE) is one of the two primary components of dynamite; however, the food-grade version makes for a safe, natural additive to skin products. The substance’s inherent absorbency allows it to attract oil and trap bacteria when added to face masks, and its gentle granular quality makes it a desirable component of facial scrubs and cleansers.

The pearlescent effect of many a coveted lip gloss and nail polish comes courtesy of crushed fish scales. (Yes, fish scales.) Readily available and completely natural and nontoxic, the scales inherently reflect light from multiple angles for a sheen that has now become popular in face creams and shimmery body lotions.

The chemical derived from chilies that gives pepper spray its burn also has the benefit of increasing blood flow to the skin—an effect that promotes healthy skin and pouty lips when delivered through face creams and lip-plumping treatments and glosses.

If the term “sebum” conjures images of oily skin and acne, you should know that the sheep version is what lubricates and waterproofs lambskin. A top ingredient in lip and body lotions, balms, butters and creams, lanolin is associated with soft, moisturized skin—and the fact that it’s derived naturally is a definite plus.

Absorbing caffeine rather than drinking it? Absolutely. This antioxidant-filled natural diuretic is a top ingredient in anti-cellulite cream because it is said to dehydrate fat cells to create a temporarily smoother look. It’s also believed to constrict blood vessels, making it a vital component in products designed to reduce dermal redness and under-eye puffiness.

This ingredient sounds a lot scarier than it actually is. Created in a laboratory (rather than a urinary tract), product-grade urea composed of ammonia and carbon dioxide serves as both a powerful humectant and a gentle exfoliant. It can also increase the penetrability of other skin care ingredients, earning it the title of a performance-enhancing compound in cleansers, creams, lotions and more.

Best known for making bread rise, yeast also happens to be an excellent source of fibroblasts, the same type of cells that generate collagen. Add to that yeast’s inherent richness of antioxidants, B vitamins, proteins and minerals, and you’ve got an ingredient that does everything from firming skin to calming irritation to correcting hyperpigmentation.

Long used to absorb poisons from the body before they can enter the bloodstream (think of it as a clever alternative to stomach pumping), charcoal is enjoying a renaissance as a toxin-absorbing, oil-napping, dirt-grabbing ingredient in an array of face masks and cleansers. By drawing out impurities and gripping them like a magnet until they’re washed away in the rinse, charcoal clears and brightens oily and acne-prone skin beautifully.