The Craziest Sh*t Real Women Have Done to Get Good Skin

We’ve all done some weird-ass shit in the name of excellent skin. At least, that’s what I tell myself each time I coat my face with a yogurt-turmeric-oat mask, or avoid chocolate for a week, or go on yet another prescription cream in hopes of making my rosacea and breakouts disappear.

And to prove it to myself that the world is filled with other skincare maniacs—a.k.a. my brethren—I asked a bunch of women to tell me the craziest, most-bizarre things they’ve ever done to get good skin. Ahead, 10 stories guaranteed to make your dermatologist cringe.

"I feel like I’m confessing sins," Liz A. told me—before assuring me multiple times that she has since been to a dermatologist and never again stuck a needle in her face. Erin D. echoed a similar sentiment, noting that her skin eventually started looking good on its own: "I guess the moral of the story is that it all works out in the end. And your skin problems are basically just your hormones going crazy, so maybe don’t try to fuck with all that shit?"

Truer words, Erin, truer words. And although you should go make a dermatologist appointment right now and never try these things at home, I know that most of you will still attempt to treat your zits with over-the-counter products. So to help you out, I cherry-picked my absolute favorite products, below.