Instagram influencer slammed for promoting dangerous DIY face mask for smoother skin
The search for beauty and better skin has led many of us to unexpected and sometimes dangerous places. This includes beer baths, salmon sperm facials as well as vampire face facials, and IV vitamin therapy among many other options. And in rather shitty news, a Brazilian influencer tried to take unconventional beauty treatments a step further—one step too far, most would agree—by throwing her own faeces into the mix. Her rather disturbing beauty tip was naturally met with extensive backlash and highlighted the bizarre and uncomfortable procedures some people are willing to subject themselves to in the pursuit of better looks.
Who is the girl behind the controversial poop facial?
Débora Peixoto is a 31-year-old model and content creator based in Brazil. On 2 August 2024, she uploaded a video to her Instagram, in which she unveiled a crucial element of her anti-ageing skincare routine.
The model began the video by pulling a container filled with her own faeces out of the fridge and didn’t shy away from showing the contents to the camera. Then, only a few moments later, Peixoto actually began to rub her excrement on her face. Acknowledging that the stench of the unsavoury treatment was less than appealing, the influencer put a clothespin on her nose so it wouldn’t distract her from the vital task at hand.
After waiting for a few minutes, she washed the faeces off with a normal cleanser and revealed clear, baby-pink skin to her camera. Voilà! And all you have to do is poop in a container, store it in a fridge, rub the substance on your face, and try not to lose your self-respect in the process.
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“It worked for me and my skin has stopped flaking!” Peixoto told her 659,000 Instagram followers.
Yet, most people in the comment section were less than eager to join in, voicing their shock and disgust at this unhygienic procedure.
While treatments like salmon sperm facials or vampire facials (which include drawing blood from your veins and injecting it back into your face) made it seem like there was no limit to what people would be willing to subject themselves to in the search of beauty, it finally looks like we’ve finally found the line. And it’s brown and best left in the toilet.
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To gain insight into the health side of this controversial treatment, The New York Post interviewed two healthcare professionals who told the publication that poop facials are a really, really bad idea.
“Faeces contain a plethora of bacteria, viruses, and parasites, including E. coli, salmonella, and helminths, which can cause serious infections and diseases,” Dr Tunc Tiryaki, a consultant plastic surgeon and the chair of the humanitarian programs of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery commented.
“Applying faeces to your face can introduce these pathogens into your body through small cuts, abrasions, or mucous membranes, leading to severe skin infections or systemic illnesses,” he warned. “Faeces also contain waste products and toxins that the body has expelled. These substances are harmful and can cause inflammation, irritation, and allergic reactions on the skin.”
Instead, the experts advised to stick to store-bought products—you know, the ones that were tried and tested in certified labs.
