Apparently, a “Penis Facial” Exists, and I’m Screaming

I’ll just cut to the chase, because I know what y’all are here for. Yes, a “penis facial” exists, and, yes, it actually involves human penises, and no, this isn’t just a slow set-up for a porno.

In an interview with Vogue Australia, actress Cate Blanchett said the craziest beauty treatment she’s ever tried was something called a penis facial, and it was, surprisingly and gleefully (for me), at the suggestion of her Oceans 8 co-star Sandra Bullock, who I personally love a lot.

“Sandy [Sandra] Bullock and I saw this facialist in New York, Georgia Louise, and she gives what we call the penis facial, and it’s something,” said Blanchett. “I don’t know what it is, or whether it’s just ‘cause it smells a bit like sperm—there’s some enzyme in it, so Sandy refers to it as the penis facial.”

Yes, your favorite beautiful people just said that and did that. And though the name sounds silly, there’s actually some truth to it: The facial involves microneedling the skin with stem cells derived from the foreskin of Korean baby boys, said Louise in an interview with New Beauty, thus the playful “penis facial” name.

“The foreskin is collected during circumcision, and the stem cells are then harvested and extracted through a centrifuge,” said Louise. “During the facial treatment, a special electric microneedling wand is used to help the stem cells and peptides absorb deeper into the skin, where the active ingredients help stimulate the production of collagen.” Which, in turn, can help your skin look smoother, firmer, and brighter.

Though the whole thing sounds weird, the treatment has actually been around for a while—just probably called by a different name by most aestheticians—and foreskin-derived stems cells have been found in skincare products for years. Still, I like to think of Bullock and Blanchett casually referring to their penis facials in conversations with unsuspecting people. Ah, to be rich and famous.