If you're looking for a weird beauty treatment to try out, you can always count on the rich and famous to point you in the right direction of one. Just ask Kim Kardashian and her "vampire facials", or look up how a "snail facial" works, or - if you've got a strong stomach - check out the "foreskin facial" (yes, it's exactly what it sounds like).
But if none of that appeals to you, then perhaps Jessica Alba has something more up your alley.
For a 37-year-old (38 next month!) mother-of-three, it has to be said that Alba is still looking incredibly youthful. Heck, she'd still be described as looking younger than her years if she was actually a childless 30-year-old. I mean, just look at that glow:
So what's her secret? Cosmetic surgery? A strict diet of root vegetables? Literal witchcraft?
Nope, as it turns out, Alba is a big fan of natural health and skincare treatments - and acupuncture is one of them. This weekend, the actress shared a selfie, sans makeup, showing a bunch of needles sticking out of her face. "Acupuncture in mah [sic] face," she captioned it, tagging in the LA salon, The Things We Do.
Traditionally, acupuncture is used for pain relief. It originates in eastern medicine, but is now frequently used in western treatments as an accompaniment to other medical treatments.
As explained by the NHS:
"It involves stimulating sensory nerves under the skin and in the muscles of the body. This results in the body producing natural substances, such as pain-relieving endorphins. It's likely that these naturally released substances are responsible for the beneficial effects experienced with acupuncture."
More recently, people have started using acupuncture in their faces (sometimes called an "acufacial") as more of a cosmetic procedure, with many claiming that it improves their skin. And if Alba is using it to keep herself looking so radiant, we're inclined to believe that it works!
As well as focusing on her own health, Alba has spent recent years dedicating her time to the wellbeing of new mothers and their children through her business, The Honest Company. The company sells baby, beauty, and home products for parents, and offers advice for people who - like Alba - want to care for themselves and their families in a trusted and natural way.
Basically, Alba has it all: a loving family, an illustrious career, and a look to die for. Will acufacials give you all that? Eh, probably not.
