Facial with bird excrement takes flight at New York spa

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Forget avocado, evening primrose oil or other exotic ingredients, the latest facial to hit New York is a mask made with bird excrement.

The Geisha Facial, available at Shizuka New York for $180, about $100 more than the shop's other facials, contains nightingale excrement.

The Japanese powder, also known as uguisu no fun, is rich in the amino acid guanine, said to brighten and cleanse skin. In the 18th century geishas and kabuki actors used the powder to clean heavy white makeup off their faces.

"I'm always trying to bring Japanese culture and tradition to my spa," said Shizuka Bernstein. "I heard my mother talk about this treatment when I was a little girl."

The Japanese manufacturers of the powder treat it with ultraviolet light to kill bacteria. Bernstein mixes the substance at her spa with finely-ground rice bran to neutralize its slightly musky odor.

She claims the mask helps women achieve a porcelain white quality to their skin.

"I was a little tentative at first," said Andrea Nieto, who recently received the treatment. "But there was no smell. It was creamy and rich."

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner, editing by Patricia Reaney)

Other Shizuka New York Day Spa 2008 Press Releases
Geisha Facial Video Feature - Reuters - Apr. 30 - A salon in New York is offering 'The Geisha Facial', using an exotic ingredient, nightingale droppings, known in Japan as Uguisu No Fun...
Shizuka in Shefinds - I've never been afraid to wander off the beaten path when it comes to my beauty regime. From mayonnaise in my hair, to hemorrhoid cream on my eyes, I'll try anything once...
Shizuka in The Hollywood Reporter - They put what in the cream? From cell-eating fish pedicures to bird droppings -- nothing's sacred when the desired goal is beauty...
Shizuka featured on The View - Shizuka New York Day Spa's Geisha Facial was featured in a segment of ABC's The View entitled "Bizarre Spa Treatments." This episode aired on July 29, 2008.
Urban Baby Daily - UrbanBaby.com features Shizuka's Geisha Facial, an all-natural treatment, at our Day Spa in Manhattan.
Nov. 18 '08 NY Daily News - Shizuka's Geisha Facial was mentioned with Vavelta (baby foreskin!) in the New York Daily News on November 18th, 2008 in an article profiling celebrity spa treatments and new anti-aging treatments.
The Ultimate Victoria Beckham Craze: Beauty Cream from Bird Poop - Skin smooth to the touch and radiant, like a lifting effect, according to well-informed Posh Spice, David Beckham's acclaimed wife and mother of three children...
Shizuka on WPIX CW11 News at Ten - The question we ask tonight: is this maybe going too far? Well you decide. There is a type of facial that is gaining popularity because of an unusual ingredient - bird droppings...
All Shizuka NY 2008 Press Releases