They say if a bird poops on you, you should consider it good luck.  Well, I was walking to a meeting in midtown one day and one of the pigeons perched on the ledges above me decided to make my day. I did not feel lucky!  It was disgusting and I just wanted to take a shower.  But alas, the secret ingredient to the Geisha Facial at NYC’s Shizuka New York Day Spa (7 W 51st Street) is:  powdered bird droppings.

When Shizuka was a young girl in Japan her mother told her of a centuries old tradition of how the Geishas, who wore heavy makeup often made from lead, used an ingredient that would gently remove all the makeup without being harsh to their skin. Shizuka wanted to bring the secret of natural exfoliation to the United States for her clients to try. Now these aren’t NYC pigeon droppings, but Nightingale droppings. Rather than foraging through a forest in search of the Nightingale Poop or raising them herself on some rooftop in Brooklyn, she orders it in a powder form directly from Japan, which is sterilized with UV light to kill bacteria.

Contrary to what you may think, I didn’t smell anything as she put it on my face and all I felt were small granules exfoliating my skin (it is a natural ingredient recommended for facials during pregnancy). After the exfoliation she hydrated my skin with oil from the Camilla flower (another Japanese key ingredient) and Lavender oil.  It’s a wonderful facial and my skin was glowing like Times Square at night so I guess I may be lucky after all.

And I loved the entire ambience of Shizuka. Very Zen, very mellow. A great retreat in the middle of Manhattan and they have lots of other treatments and a great line of skin care products too..

Now, I already know a few people who are full of crap and they’re not Geisha’s, but this is worth a try. And, it’s not pigeon poop, it’s Nightingale poop. I can hear it now as the envious NYC pigeon says about the Nightingale “She thinks her poop doesn’t stink.”

Geisha Facial, $180 and 60 min at Shizuka New York Day Spa

CBS The Early Show - March 10, 2009 - Shizuka Bernstein, owner of Shizuka New York Day Spa appeared on CBS News' The Early Show at 8:10am to discuss her Geisha Facial that has become internationally recognized for its unique use of bird droppings to cleanse and brighten the complexion.

BeautyNewsNYC - Financial burdens got you down? There's nothing like a trip to the spa to ease your woes.

The Boston Globe - Geisha Facial is among facials with organic leanings.