There’s nothing I like greater than a superb taboo. So once I stumbled across the @periodfacemask video page on TikTok with over 6.4 billion views, I knew my commitment to beauty had gone too far, but I used to be in too deep to swim back up for air.

“Moon masking” or “menstrual masking” is the technique of using one’s menstrual blood as an at-home facial treatment for vanity, divinity or each. A 2016 study shows that menstrual blood is a novel source of stem cells that will help regenerate damaged skin tissue and dermatological lesions. It also accommodates wealthy nutrients like zinc, copper and magnesium that are all well-known in the sweetness industry as pimples-fighting ingredients.

As a victim of hormonal pimples throughout my teenage and adult years, the thought of a crystal clear complexion had my gears turning: I could care less concerning the lack of medical research done on my womanly body. If someone tells me I can free myself from the chains of pimples with the facility of my very own vehicle, I’m wholeheartedly committed to the cause and can try anything at the very least once.

I discovered that the very best method to create a period blood mask was by utilizing a menstrual cup. After a day of soaking and removing the cup’s contents into something more aesthetically pleasing (on this case — a mason jar), I plunged right in. Following a cleansing and toning routine, I stabbed my face brush into the bloody mixture and applied two reasonable layers across my face, avoiding my eye area and anywhere near my nostrils (I couldn’t muster up that quantity of courage). The mystic in me forced me to plop myself on the ground and meditate as I let my moon mask rest for 20 minutes. I desired to bask within the insane yet strangely powerful beauty ritual I just did.

When the clock struck 20 after 7 a.m., I hurried to the restroom and gave myself one final look before meeting my latest skin. Using cold water, I gently washed away the period blood in a circular motion, using my hands to avoid ruining any face towels. After removing all the blood, I gently patted my skin dry with a paper towel and stared at myself within the mirror. Looking back at me was a complexion that looked brighter and calmer. My pores and just a few pimples hadn’t modified much, but my skin looked and felt alive as if it had been kissed by a lover for the primary time in years.

Outside of a collective desire for complexion-reaping advantages, menstrual masking can be used traditionally, mystically and spiritually in cultures world wide. In a recent interview with Dazed Magazine, Kamilla Belo, a 25-year-old artist, shares, “My great-grandmother practiced using moon blood face masks, which my mother passed on to me too.” The Filipina and Lebanese ritualist goes on to share, “These monthly rituals and practices deeply connect me back to my matriarchal lineage, and it jogs my memory of the facility of all women.”

Reclaiming the facility of the body and syncing with the earth isn’t the one intentional use of period blood. Skilled witch, Michael Cardenas, took to Twitter to share a love potion that is claimed to influence others into obsessing over you. Dubbed, Te De Calzones (or “panty tea”), the concoction consists of worn underwear, hot water and heating up your lover with a warm drink. The Santeria descendant shares, “Take some worn panties (worn is best so it has your pheromones)… in the event you’re menstruating watch out because they are going to grow to be obsessed,” Cardenas warns, “Only do that twice a yr max.”

Te De Calzones (panty tea)
A bruja love potion.
Take some worn panties(worn is best so it has your pheromones) in the event you’re menstruating watch out because they WILL grow to be obsessed. Only do that twice a yr MAX. pic.twitter.com/FaVyhJ6XBk

— OLDE WAYS (@oldeways_) August 2, 2018

Unfortunately for individuals who bleed, there isn’t enough research conducted on our genitalia for moon masking and other uses of period blood to receive a stamp of approval from dermatologists. Stanford- and NYU-trained dermatologist, Dr. Joyce Park, posted a TikTok video begging people to not use period blood on their faces. “There is no such thing as a way that you simply are collecting that blood in a sterile way,” she says. “Also, if you might have any infections down there you would be transmitting bacteria and viruses out of your genital region onto your facial skin.” There’s also the purpose of not knowing if the stem cells or nutrients present in period blood have the flexibility to soak up past the skin barrier, which might cause an actual effect in your skin.

Despite the dearth of scientific evidence that supports menstrual blood for beauty and superstitious uses, people will greater than likely proceed to make use of the natural resource for empowerment, manipulation and hopes of achieving an ever-lasting youthful complexion. As for me, once was enough, but I fully support skincare enthusiasts and ritualists alike.

When you’re here, try this bloody facial that is definitely approved by dermatologists.