Follow NZH Lifestyle's Trial and Error series where we try out the latest in food, viral trends, and beauty hacks so you don't have to.
Like many other weird trends, you can thank Kim Kardashian for the growing interest in using placenta for its health and beauty benefits.
In anepisode of Keeping Up With The Kardashian's, Kim eats her placenta, packed into a pill. Since then the purported benefits of the organ have seen it become a popular part of women's post-birth health journeys.
Kim's not the only celebrity to make use of her placenta: rugby league WAG Zoe Marshall revealed she blended her placenta with fruits before drinking it, as well as making placenta capsules, a tincture and an essence to take post-birth.
There's now a new wave of products out there that contain placenta and promise to do all sorts of wonders for your skin and body.
So, we wanted to see what all the fuss was about, and whether a placenta face mask could in fact give our skin that alluring Kim K glow.
What is placenta
The placenta is the organ attached to a woman's womb lining during pregnancy. The umbilical cord attaches the baby to the placenta while they are safely growing inside their mother's womb.
Nutrients and oxygen are passed from the mum to her baby via the placenta, and it also protects the foetus from infections.
After birth, the placenta is no longer needed and is passed out of the woman's body in the hour after birth. Often it's discarded.
The test
The placenta revital essential sheet mask from Hikoco costs $3. Photo / Hikoco
First we tracked down our very own placenta face masks at Korean beauty store Hikoco for only $3.
Cam and Gracie were the brave contenders to take the test and - potentially - their skin care to the next level.
They were noticeably more comfortable when they discovered the placenta was from a sheep, rather than a human.
Their first impression of the product, which contains hydrolysed placental extract, was that it smelt nice, and "kind of floral," Cam said.
However he wasn't so impressed with the texture, commenting: "Ooh that is slimy."
They pair popped the slippery face masks on, stretching them from the top of the forehead and pulling them tightly. Then they set a timer for 15 minutes - the packet recommended 10 to 20.
The alarm went off and they tapped all over their faces to ensure full absorbtion of the "placenta juice."
The verdict
They were both instantly impressed. Cam exclaimed: "Oh my gosh you look 10 years younger!"
It’s been an Onslow signature menu item since day one. Now, Josh Emett’s famous crayfish eclair has clawed its way into the Iconic Auckland Eats Top 100 list. Video / Alyse Wright
