8 of the weirdest beauty treatments stars swear by, from bee stings to vampire facials

Keeping up with the latest beauty trends can feel like a full-time job, especially when celebrities constantly push the envelope with their wild and wacky routines. Forget your standard facials and serums – some stars are diving headfirst into the bizarre and extreme.

Jessica Biel made headlines with her unique pre-Met Gala ritual involving a hefty amount of Epsom salts. As documented in a TikTok video, Biel prepped for the event with a soak in a tub filled with 9kg (20lbs) of Dr Teal’s Epsom salts. According to the actress, the key to feeling gala-ready is a hot, lengthy soak followed by ample hydration and an early night.

Kim Kardashian brought the “vampire facial” into the spotlight with a blood-covered selfie in 2013. The treatment involves drawing the patient’s blood and processing it to extract platelet-rich plasma, which is applied to the face. Kardashian found the procedure too painful to repeat – but, People reported more than six years later, her sister Kourtney became a devotee. The procedure came under spotlight again last month when it was revealed it had been linked to three new HIV cases in the US state of New Mexico.

Gwyneth Paltrow is a known advocate of unconventional treatments, including vaginal steaming, per Harper’s Bazaar. Promoted through her brand Goop – and since then, widely criticised by gynaecologists – the practice was said to cleanse the uterus and rebalance hormones, thanks to the power of mugwort steam. Despite the practice’s controversial nature, Paltrow has stood by its purported benefits.