Bird poop facials and toilet masks: Skin care of the past

Summary

Forever Ago — "Bird poop facials and toilet masks: Skin care of the past"

Host: Joy Dolo
Co-host: Roop
Release Date: May 6, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this family-friendly episode, host Joy Dolo and co-host Roop take listeners on a quirky, delightful journey through the fascinating and sometimes bizarre history of skincare. From ancient Roman "pimple patches" to sheet masks and even facials made from bird poop, they explore how humans have been obsessed with skin health and beauty trends for millennia. Along the way, the hosts mix fun anecdotes and a touch of humor with real historical facts, encouraging curiosity and critical thinking about evolving beauty rituals.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Is Skincare and Why Do We Care?

• Skincare is introduced as a broad category, including items like pimple patches, facials, and makeup (02:01).
• Roop shares that skincare is popular among friends but they're not "too into it" and only use makeup for special occasions.
  • “If it’s like a fun event, I’ll do, like, some glittery eyeshadow and, like, a little bit of blush, but usually nothing more than that.” — Roop (02:42)
• Joy muses that glitter is always cool — for all ages!

2. Pimple Patches — Not Just a Trend

• Modern pimple patches are playful, sometimes star-shaped, but their lineage is ancient (04:03).
• In ancient Rome, people used leather patches in various shapes to cover pimples and scars (04:12).
• The French aristocracy of the 1600s revived these as "mouches" (French for "flies") — sticky, black patches as both cover-ups and fashion statements (05:09).
• Placement and shape of mouches could signal relationship status or even political affiliations (06:16).
• Memorable moment:
  • “Who knew? The ancient Romans were just like us.” — Joy (04:31)
  • “It’s cool that pimple patches went from something people used to cover up to an accessory people use to show off.” — Joy (06:31)

Notable Quote

"Some people even use their own spit if they were in a real pinch." — Joy (05:34)

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3. “First Things First” Game: Pop Culture Trends

• Joy and Roop guess which came first: Ugg boots, boba tea, or Squishmallows (07:00).
• Roop reasons: "Uggs first… then boba tea… squishmallow definitely…the branding stuff, it all looks more modern." (08:11)
• Results revealed at the end (see Timestamps).

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4. The Long History of Facials

• Facials: face treatments (mask, serum, or paste) for deep cleaning and skin softening (10:40).
• Earliest facials included clay masks (ancient India, Aztecs, Egypt), thought to draw out skin oils (11:06).
• The legendary Cleopatra reputedly used clay and even milk and honey masks (11:18).
• Japan: For centuries, the "Geisha facial" or bird poop facial has been used. Made from dried, sterilized nightingale droppings, it was originally a textile cleaner before being co-opted by geishas to remove heavy makeup (11:31–13:07).
• "Poop is super rich in nitrogen and amino acids, which are actually great for skin." — Joy (11:59)
• Despite the ick factor, bird poop facials are still a luxury spa treatment (13:00).

Notable Exchange

“Bird poop? That’s not so yummy.” — Roop (11:39)
“No prank, just poop. Please don’t ask me how I discovered this. Just trust. It really works.” — Joy (12:54, roleplaying Geisha conversation)

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5. Sheet Masks and “Toilet Masks”

• Sheet masks: Fabric soaked in serum, worn 10–20 minutes, widely popularized by Korean and Japanese skincare brands since the 1990s.
  • “About as long as an episode or two of Bluey.” — Joy (15:52)
• East Asian tradition of soaking cloths in homemade skin-soothers dates back hundreds of years (16:10).
• Toilet masks: Victorian England, late 1800s. Not a toilet cover, but a full facial latex/rubber mask lathered with cream, worn overnight for "brilliant, beautiful" skin (17:10).
• “It kind of looks like something out of a horror movie, right?” — Joy (18:18)
• The word "toilet" used to mean "anything to do with grooming yourself." (16:54)
• Advertisement described Madam M. Rowley’s Toilet Mask as a "face glove" to be worn overnight (18:04).

Notable Reaction

“I would think I was in a horror movie...I’m running out the door.” — Roop (18:47)

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6. Changing Attitudes About Skincare

• Joy and Roop note how skincare moved from covering up blemishes (Roman and French beauty patches) to accessorizing (fashion, communication).
• Beauty ideals flip-flopped: French era = dramatic makeup; Victorian = subtle, clear skin (17:15).
• Skincare practices reflect the values and resources of their times (19:43—20:04).

7. Game Results and Historical Facts

• "First Things First" answers (20:35–23:18):
  1. Ugg Boots: Roots with Australian farmers (late 1800s), modern manufacturing began 1978 with Brian Smith in California (21:22).
  2. Boba Tea: Emerged in 1980s Taiwan; "bubble tea" described a drink as early as the 1940s, tapioca pearls added in the '80s (22:05).
  3. Squishmallows: Debuted in 2017; inspired by Japanese plushies, became huge during the 2020 pandemic (23:18).
• Fun fact: The term "Ugg" is short for "ugly boots" (21:37).
• Joy and Roop agree Uggs’ modern popularity was their biggest surprise (“50 years…pretty recent”) (23:45).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Pimple patches went from something people used to cover up to an accessory people use to show off." — Joy (06:31)
• “Who knew? The ancient Romans were just like us.” — Joy (04:31)
• “No prank, just poop. Please don’t ask me how I discovered this. Just trust. It really works.” — Joy (12:54)
• “It kind of looks like something out of a horror movie, right?” — Joy (18:18)
• “I’m running out the door.” — Roop (18:47)
• “The trophy is my heart touching your heart.” — Joy (24:05)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------|---------------| | Intro to skincare and fun banter | 01:36–03:30 | | Ancient pimple patches (Rome) | 04:03–04:28 | | French “mouche” (beauty feature patches) | 05:09–06:31 | | "First Things First" game begins | 07:00–08:37 | | Facials: Origins and uses | 10:36–11:18 | | Bird poop facials and geishas | 11:31–13:07 | | Sheet masks in East Asian skincare | 15:32–16:21 | | Toilet masks in Victorian England | 16:31–18:04 | | Reflection on changing beauty ideals | 19:43–20:04 | | "First Things First" answers & discussion | 20:35–24:05 |

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Conclusion

This episode skillfully blends humor, pop culture, and deep historical trivia to paint a vivid picture of humanity’s enduring — and sometimes weird — obsession with skincare. Listeners come away with a sense of how beauty rituals evolve, influenced by social trends, available resources, and creativity…even if that meant wearing fly-shaped patches, using bird droppings, or strapping on a slightly terrifying rubber mask!
A perfect listen for curious kids and grownups alike who like their history with a dollop of fun.

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(No ads, intros, or outros included; all content reflects the conversational, silly, and family-friendly style of the show.)

Transcript

[A]

Lemonade.

[B]

Brains on universe.

[A]

Are you looking to relax? Who isn't? That's why you need Serenity by Joy. Serenity by Joy. The most splendid, serene spirit experience this side of the Mississippi. Serenity by Joy. We've got rooms to recline in. Excellent spa services and.

[B]

Joy, are you talking to yourself again?

[A]

Oh, hey, Rube. I'm just dreaming up some ideas for Serenity by Joy, my new spa. Serenity by Joy.

[B]

Ooh, a spa. That sounds nice.

[A]

It's gonna have all the bells and whistles. I've put them all in this bell and whistle room.

[B]

Wow. I've never seen so many wind chimes.

[A]

They make a great sound bath, am I right? I'm also training Hermey the elephant to be a massage therapist. Let me tell you, his giant trunk is perfect between the shoulder blades. Gumpy, the living pile of old chewing gum is helping by waxing eyebrows and big toes.

[B]

I also do nose hair extensions. Perfect job for him.

[A]

Ooh, I'll need other treatments too, like facials. Maybe a lip scrub or a mud bath. There's just so many options, it's hard to know where to start.

[B]

Maybe we could look to history for some ideas.

[A]

Roop, you know what? I like your thinking. You're listening to Forever Ago, part of the brainzone universe. I'm your host, Joy Dolo, and I'm here today with my co host, Roop from Lincoln County, California. Hey, Roop.

[B]

Hi, Joy.

[A]

So today's episode is all about skin care.

[B]

Things like pimple patches and facials. Those are skincare products.

[A]

The exact sort of thing I need to think about for my spa. Roop, when I say skin care, what kind of thing comes to your mind?

[B]

It's like, things. I don't know. A lot of my friends like skin care. I enjoy skincare, but I'm not into it too much.

[A]

You actually wrote to us asking about the history of makeup. So what got you curious about that?

[B]

Well, I kind of noticed that makeup is something a lot of people use every day, and I was just wondering more about it.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, skin care and makeup kind of go hand in hand. So do you find skincare interesting? Like, what about it do you like kind of?

[B]

I like how there's so many different products for, like, so many different things.

[A]

Do you. Do you wear makeup?

[B]

Sometimes for special occasions. If it's like a fun event, I'll do, like, some glittery eyeshadow and, like, a little bit of blush, but usually nothing more than that.

[A]

Yeah, I'll tell you what, glitter is the Best accoutrement.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You could have for the rest of your life. Like, not just when you're a kid. Like, I still wear glitter sometimes.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And it's super fun. So if you could come up with a special spa treatment of your own, what would it be?

[B]

Oh, it would probably be, like, something simple, just like a warm bath. And then it's just like something like that. Just a nice warm bath to relax in.

[A]

Yeah. Like, would you think of a fun name for it?

[B]

Fun name would probably be, like, I imagine it, like, during a storm. Like, the calm of the storm.

[A]

Ooh, Calm of the Storm by Rupe. Yeah.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

You got the job.

[B]

Thank you. Yes.

[A]

So skincare might seem like a new fad, but humans have tried different things to care for their skin for millennia. Take pimple patches, for example.

[B]

They're like little stickers people use to cover up a pimple.

[A]

Pimples are little bumps that form on your face when tiny openings in your skin called pores get clogged. You might also call them zits or ac.

[B]

Lots of people start getting more and more pimples as tweens and teens.

[A]

If you want to learn more about pimples and teenagery, you can listen to Puberty, the podcast from our pals at Brainson.

[B]

We'll have a link to that in our show notes.

[A]

So back to pimple patches. Today, some of these patches come in fun colors or shapes like yellow stars.

[B]

They're almost like an accessory.

[A]

They might seem like the latest skincare trend, but did you know pimple patches can be traced all the way back to ancient Rome thousands of years ago, ancient Romans made patches out of leather to cover up pimples and scars.

[B]

They might have even used different shapes like crescent moons and stars.

[A]

Who knew? The ancient Romans were just like us.

[B]

The ancient Romans weren't the only ones who loved pimple patches.

[A]

Right. The pimple patch became popular again in the late 1600s in Europe, back before cars or trains, when people used horses to get around or walking.

[B]

And they used candlelight instead of light bulbs.

[A]

But they still had great taste in fashion.

[B]

The styles were very dramatic.

[A]

Think of big billowing dresses and ruffled shirts adorned with ribbons and lace.

[B]

People also wore wigs full of tight curls. They powdered their faces and used lots of blush.

[A]

And they used pimple patches, too. This was especially trendy with French royalty and aristocracy, AKA rich folks. The French called these patches mouche, which translates to flies like the bug. Yeah. Usually these patches were made from little pieces of black paper or fabric, so they Kind of looked like little flies on your face.

[B]

People used glue to stick them on.

[A]

Some people even use their own spit if they were in a real pinch.

[B]

Yet these patches actually became really fashionable.

[A]

Right. Some people started wearing them even when they didn't have pimples to cover up. Yoo hoo. Francois, my most favorite makeup artiste. Could you paint me like one of your French girls? And by that I mean pale as a ghost and covered in beauty spots. But of course. Anything for you, Duchess. I'll glue one here and another here, and voila. It's like there's four flies on my face. Tres chic.

[B]

These patches also came in all sorts of shapes.

[A]

Tiny circles, triangles, diamonds, hearts, stars, moons, you name it. Sometimes the placement could even communicate different things, like whether you were married or looking for love.

[B]

They could even show which political party you supported.

[A]

It's cool that pimple patches went from something people used to cover up to an accessory people use to show off.

[B]

Yeah, they're even like, a way to communicate.

[A]

Totally. Oh, wait, I want to try something. What do you think my pimple patches are trying to communicate?

[B]

It looks like you spelled out ftf.

[A]

Bingo. That's because it's time for first things first. So this is the game where we take three things from history and try to put them in order of which came first, second, and most recent in time. And today, we've got three other trendy items. So we have boba tea, Ugg boots, and squishmallows. Roop, do you know about these three things?

[B]

Yes, I definitely know about squishmallows. My younger sister loves to collect them. Oh, yeah, she has a bunch.

[A]

So squishmallows are those really soft, round stuffed animals. And then Ugg boots are those soft leather boots with the lined with sheepskin. And boba tea is iced milky tea, like an iced milky tea drink that has tapioca pearls in it. So you need one of big straws to slurp them up, you know? Have you had boba tea or seen Uggs before?

[B]

I haven't really had boba tea. I've been wanting to try it for a while, and I've definitely had a pair or two of Uggs.

[A]

Oh, nice. Nice ugging it up. So which do you think came first, which came second, and which came most recently in history?

[B]

I'm gonna say Uggs first, because their shoes and, like, they're kind of boots. I feel like, as people did, like, more farming, they're probably gonna want, like, good boots for that.

[A]

Yeah, that's a Good idea.

[B]

Yeah. And then second, I'm going to say boba tea because I feel like just Squishmallows is definitely something like pretty recent, like their branding stuff. It all looks more modern. And then by default, boba tea is going to go second.

[A]

Oh, yeah. Well, that's a great guess. I love the the reasoning behind the ugg boots and the farming and boots and just being out in the weather. I think that's a really great call. So we have ugg boots, boba tea, and squishmallow bringing up the rear.

[B]

Yes. That's awesome.

[A]

Okay, we'll hear the answers at the end of the episode right after the credits.

[B]

So stick around. Just like a pimple patch.

[A]

We love hearing from you. If you are inspired by an episode or learned something cool about history, share it with us. Maybe you've heard a new slang word or learned about a cool artifact from the Titanic. Whatever you think up, tell us about it by going to brainzon.org contact we might feature it in our mailbag.

[B]

Thanks and keep listening.

[A]

At Great Wolf Lodge, there's adventure for the whole family. You and your pack can splash away in the indoor water park where it's always 84 degrees. There's a massive wave pool, a lazy river, and tons of water slides for your pack to enjoy together. And the fun doesn't stop there. Get ready to explore and play at Adventure packed attractions from Magiquest, a live action game that takes place throughout the lodge, to the Northern Lights Arcade. There's also a bunch of great dining options and complimentary daily events like nightly dance parties, all under one roof. And the best part, with 22 lodges across the country, you're always only a short drive away from adventure. So bring your pack together at a lodge near you. Book your stay [e-mail] and strengthen the pack. Foreign, You're listening to Forever Ago. I'm Joy. And I'm Roop, and we're talking all about skin care.

[B]

Before the break, we learned about pimple patches. They're like little stickers you use to cover spots on your face.

[A]

These patches date all the way back to ancient Rome and were super popular with the French aristocracy starting in the 1600s. They've really stood the test of time.

[B]

Definitely. And there's another type of skincare that's been around for forever. Facials.

[A]

Yes, facials. Facials are a kind of treatment you leave on your face and then wash off for super fresh, soft skin. They usually look like a paste or a serum or goo that you might paint on your face.

[B]

Sometimes. Facials are also called face masks, right?

[A]

Because they can kind of look like you're wearing a mask when you paint them on your face.

[B]

People have been using facials for thousands of years.

[A]

Clay, or mud, has been a popular skin treatment across many cultures, from ancient India to the Aztecs in South America.

[B]

That's because clay is like a sponge that draws out oils from the face.

[A]

Clay masks were also popular in ancient Egypt. It's rumored Cleopatra even used it to keep her complexion. Ancient Egyptians also made face masks out of milk and honey.

[B]

Mmm. Yummy.

[A]

Yeah, yum. Meanwhile, for honey, Hundreds of years in Japan, people have been making facials from dried bird poop.

[B]

Bird poop? That's not so yummy.

[A]

No, it's definitely no milk and honey, that's for sure. So the poop comes from nightingale birds. First, the droppings are collected, then dried and sterilized before being ground up into a fine powder mixed with a little water, it becomes a facial.

[B]

And what's so great about this bird poop?

[A]

Well, the poop is super rich in nitrogen and amino acids, which are actually great for skin. This nightingale poop was originally introduced to Japan from Korea. Not a skin care, but as a way to strip dye from fabric and create designs on clothing.

[B]

So how did the bird poop go from fabric to facials?

[A]

Nobody quite knows who was the first person to test it on their face. But the poop became popular with Japanese entertainers called geishas.

[B]

Oh, I've heard of them. They wear super heavy white makeup, right?

[A]

Yeah, yeah. And back then, geishas discovered that nightingale poop was actually really helpful at taking off their thick makeup. Whoa. How'd you get your makeup to come off so fast? I've got so many layers of white paint on my face, I could glow in the dark. I'm just using a little bit of dried bird poop. Bird poop? You've got to be pranking me. No prank, just poop. Please don't ask me how I discovered this. Just trust. It really works. These nightingale facials are still used today. Sometimes they're even called geisha facials.

[B]

Wow, that's some promising poop.

[A]

Right? All this poop talk is giving me some great ideas for my spa Serenity by joy.

[B]

Oh, I don't know where you're going with this.

[A]

I'm just thinking of all the facial possibilities that might be unexpectedly nice, like cold spaghetti and marinara. So soothing, right? Or maybe I finally repurpose all that dryer lint I've been saving Up.

[B]

Okay, let's put a pin in that.

[A]

Okay, more skin care after we check the mailbag. So many fan letters to my hero, Hermie. Oh, not for me. Okay, what about this one? To the greatest of all time, Herme. Oh, well, he's popular. Oh, here's one for me. It says, we listened to the History of Teddy Bears episode and we were thoroughly entertained as we learned about Billy Possum. Evelyn has been smitten with opossums for half her life and had to get her gear together for a photo. Thanks for the fun episode. And then they sent a pict of Evelyn with her possum posse. So it's exactly that. Evelyn is wearing this awesome apron with two giant possums on them and some flowers and then also holding like a stuffed possum. And I think that's like a purse. Like a possum purse. If there isn't an opossum purse, there needs to be one soon because I will buy 10 of those. They look so cute. You look so happy, Evelyn. If you want to send us something for the mailbag, just go to brainson.org contact. Thanks. Want forever ago without ad breaks. Sign up for Smarty Pass. You support what we do, plus you get an ad free feed of all the shows. You'll get invites to online hangouts with our crew, discounts on merch and more. Go to smartypast.org to join. Thanks.

[B]

I'm Roop.

[A]

I'm Joy. And I'm getting more and more ideas for my spa by the minute. Serenity by Joy.

[B]

Joy, have you heard of sheet masks? Those could be good at your spa.

[A]

Serenity by Joy. Oh, yeah, I've heard of those. They're usually sheets of fabric that are cut into the shape of a face that are soaked in different treatments. You can wear them like a facial for around 10 to 20 minutes.

[B]

So about as long as an episode or two of Bluey.

[A]

Exactly. Then you peel them off and reveal super smooth looking skin. Sheet masks are popular in Korean and Japanese skincare. They come from an East Asian history of soaking cloth in homemade serums to soothe skin.

[B]

This practice was used for hundreds of years in Korea.

[A]

It wasn't until the 1990s that skincare brands in Korea and Japan started mass producing individually wrapped sheet masks.

[B]

Now you can find them in beauty departments all over the world.

[A]

There's this other thing from history that kind of reminds me of a sheet mask. It was called the toilet mask.

[B]

The toilet mask. First bird poop facials and now this.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, hear me out. So you heard it right. It is the toilet mask. So this wasn't a mask for your toilet, Although that could definitely be a feature of Joy Spa. Serenity by Joy.

[B]

Yeah, maybe.

[A]

I digress. It was called a toilet mask because back then, the word toilet referred to anything having to do with grooming yourself or getting ready. So the toilet mask was an invention of Victorian England back in the late 1800s. Hundreds.

[B]

This was still before cars and TVs and phones, but trains were around and pretty popular.

[A]

This era of beauty was all about looking natural with clear skin. Obvious makeup was considered a big no

[B]

no, which is the total opposite from the French style of makeup from 200 years earlier.

[A]

Right. And this is where the toilet mask comes in. It was a rubber mask that people could lather with creams or ointments or serums before strapping it to their face. Check out this old advertisement from 1890. Roop, how would you describe this toilet mask?

[B]

Okay, so it's like a mask that covers the whole face. Like, everything with tiny little holes for your eyes, nose, and mouth.

[A]

Oh, good.

[B]

And it looks like it straps in the back of the head. It doesn't look very comfortable,

[A]

but at least you can breathe through it.

[B]

Yeah, that's a positive.

[A]

What if, like, I have a big forehead? What if you have different facial dimensions?

[B]

Maybe you would have to, like, get it custom. Maybe you can get, like, custom ones.

[A]

Oh, custom toilet mask. Oh, my gosh.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. So it kind of looks like something out of a horror movie, right?

[B]

Definitely, yeah. Because it straps in the back of your head. Almost like a torture device.

[A]

Yeah, it does look like a torture device. So this advertisement reads, madame M. Rowley's toilet mask, otherwise known as a face glove. It says it'll leave skin soft, clear, brilliant, and beautiful.

[B]

It also suggests that you wear it overnight while you sleep.

[A]

Okay. Rupe, how would you react if you saw somebody sleeping in one of those?

[B]

I would think I was in a horror movie because I don't want to see, like, somebody from my family. I just wake up and I see that I'm, like, running out the door.

[A]

I'm sleeping somewhere else tonight, definitely. Oh, maybe it could be part of the spa experience. Serenity by Joy.

[B]

Joy, you don't want to scare everyone out of the spa.

[A]

Well, hear me out, okay? A scare could be good for the skin, right? It's invigorating, like. Like cold plunging, a jolt to the system. First, a toilet mask jump scare, followed by a hot lavender bath.

[B]

Okay, I don't think I'm on board with the toilet mask idea. But lavender is always nice.

[A]

And maybe a lint facial.

[B]

Maybe you lost me there.

[A]

Maybe. Root, please. What if there's free boba tea?

[B]

Okay, now I'm back on board.

[A]

Humans have been taking care of their skin for millennia.

[B]

Pimple patches can be traced back to ancient Rome.

[A]

The patches later became fashionable accessories starting in the 1600s in Europe.

[B]

Historically, there have been many facials made from milk, honey, clay, and even bird poop.

[A]

Sheet masks can be traced back hundreds of years in Korea.

[B]

And toilet masks weren't made for toilets. Just for nightmares.

[A]

This episode was written and produced by Ruby Guthrie. It was also produced by Molly Bloom. It's edited and fact checked by Sandon Totten. Engineering help from Devin Ford with sound design by Rachel Breese. Original theme music by Mark Sanchez. Special thanks to Joss Kuner, Navi Riar, Nudie, the Skr Clan, Andy Doucet and Anna Wagle.

[B]

And if you want access to ad free episodes and special bonus content, subscribe to our smarty pass.

[A]

Okay, Roop, it's time. Ready to hear the answers for first things first?

[B]

Yes. I'm so ready.

[A]

Oh, me too. So, just a reminder for everybody. First up we have ugg boots and then boba tea and then the squishmallow. Drum roll, please. Drum roll. Drum roll. Oh, no. Oh, no. You got them. All right. Yay. You rocked the house.

[B]

Yeah. Thank you.

[A]

So absolutely right. Number one was Ugg boots, and that was in 1978. So Ugg boots are sheepskin boots, and they were worn by Australian farmers as far back as the late 1800s. So you were totally right about the farmer's guest, by the way.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They were manufactured in the early 20th century and became popular with surfers during the 1960s and 70s because they kept feet so warm. They were generally referred to as uggs, short for ugly boots.

[B]

Why would you call those boots ugly?

[A]

They weren't cute back then. They're cute now. But back then they're like, ugh. The company that we know today officially got its start when Australian Brian's Smith founded it back in 1978. So Brian left Australia to visit Southern California and noticed none of the surfers there wore sheepskin boots like they did in Australia. So he decided to start his own company in 1978.

[B]

Wow, that's surprising. It's, like, so modern.

[A]

Yeah, it's a lot sooner than I thought, you know. And then only a few years later, we have boba tea. That was in the 1980s. So boba tea is also known as Pearl tea or bubble tea. And it got its start in Taiwan in the late 1980s. So the name bubble tea was originally used back in the 1940s to describe a sweetened milk tea that was shaken. So it had a bubbly, foamy top, sort of like foam on root beer. But the boba, those tiny chewy balls made from tapioca, weren't added to the tea until the late 1980s. There are competing stories on who was the first to make the combination. Two popular tea shop owners claimed they were the first to do it. There's no disputing. It's. It's delicious. We'll have to try it now.

[B]

Yeah, definitely.

[A]

I actually haven't had it before either. I've seen it before, but, you know, I have a thing with mayonnaise. There's. Yeah, I have a thing with textures. So every time I saw it, I'm always like, I don't know if I can handle that.

[B]

We should try it together.

[A]

Oh, yeah, we should do a whole, like, follow up episode where we try boba tea. And I need to have a squishmallow. I need to hold one. Feel what it squishes like.

[B]

Yeah, that would be awesome. Episode.

[A]

And then last but not least is the squishmallow, which you were right. It came out in 2017, so that is very fairly recent.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

So squishmallows were designed by toy maker Sunny cho back in 2017. These cuddly stuffies were inspired by Japanese plushies and became super popular during the 2020 pandemic when lots of people were looking for a source of comfort. Okay, so which one of these were you most surprised by?

[B]

I think the ugg boots. I was expecting like the 1900s because they have, like an older look to them. I don't. When I saw them, I didn't feel like they'd be so recent.

[A]

Right?

[B]

50 years. Yeah, that seems like pretty recent compared to, like, other things.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah, I was pretty surprised by that too. And the name for ugly boots, which I'm gonna call them now forever and ever. Oh, where'd I put my ugly boots?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay, well, great job. You got them. All right. I wish I had a little trophy to give you, but just know the trophy is my heart touching your heart.

[B]

Oh, thank you.

[A]

Do you feel your trophy?

[B]

Yes, I do. Awesome.

[A]

So join us next week for a new episode. Episode all about soccer.

[B]

Thanks for listening.