Monday, Dec. 14, 2009

Snake-Venom Facial

Sonya Dakar Skin Clinic, Los Angeles

Injecting your face with botulinum toxin not edgy enough for you? Or maybe you're the kind of phobic who prefers snakes to needles. Either way, drop that Botox shot and try Sonya Dakar's snake-venom facial — no fangs involved. The process is a simple cleansing, massage and mask, but the product is key. The venom compound, extracted from temple viper snakes, "relaxes the muscles completely," says Dakar. "It sends a message to inhibit control and contraction." Some 80% of her clients come in for this treatment in particular, she estimates. It's certainly not for nothing: Dakar's patrons include A-list names like Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna and Demi Moore. A bit of a sting at $385, but Dakar promises that "you'll be younger-looking and beautiful."