TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
The 'Fairy Dusts': Diamond, gold or pearl beauty treatments
Gold treatment: A girl is seen in 24k gold leaf mask
Change Size
Gold treatment: A girl is seen in 24k gold leaf mask.(Courtesy of Gold Dust Beauty Lounge )" border="0" height="350" width="512">Gold treatment: A girl is seen in 24k gold leaf mask.(Courtesy of Gold Dust Beauty Lounge )Over millennia, diamonds, gold and pearls have become symbols of wealth and power but today, the beauty industry embraces these precious materials for beauty treatments.
The practice of using gold, which is believed to enhance oneâs beauty with its natural luminosity, can be traced back to thousands of years ago when Cleopatra was known to use gold masks to preserve her beauty.
Beauty consultant Louise Ashton said gold has many benefits for the skin.
âGold works as an anti-aging substance by reducing the appearances of lines and wrinkles. It improves metabolism and secretion of waste, slows down collagen depletion and fights off free radicals by preventing skin premature aging,â said Ashton of Gold Dust Beauty Lounge in Bali.
She said skin could also absorb gold easily, a process that works immediately when the mask is applied on skin and one can feel the mask tighten the skin in 30 minutes.
âGold has a very small particle, so if we apply gold [on our skin], or the 24 carat one, we can see the results right away,â said Fenni, an aesthetic doctor from a Bali hospital.
Like gold, silver is also a popular agent.
âSilver worked differently than gold,â said Fenni. âIt is commonly used as an antibacterial agent.â
This precious metal is also found in some beauty products, such as soaps, toothpastes, wet wipes, deodorants, lip products, as well as face and body foams that can fight acne and help attain flawless skin.
If a golden-glow-wrinkle and acne-free face is not enough, perhaps women should try pearl essence for fairer, youthful-looking skin.
Gold treatment: <)
Gold treatment: A girl is seen in 24k gold leaf mask.(Courtesy of Gold Dust Beauty Lounge )
Over millennia, diamonds, gold and pearls have become symbols of wealth and power but today, the beauty industry embraces these precious materials for beauty treatments.
The practice of using gold, which is believed to enhance one's beauty with its natural luminosity, can be traced back to thousands of years ago when Cleopatra was known to use gold masks to preserve her beauty.
Beauty consultant Louise Ashton said gold has many benefits for the skin.
'Gold works as an anti-aging substance by reducing the appearances of lines and wrinkles. It improves metabolism and secretion of waste, slows down collagen depletion and fights off free radicals by preventing skin premature aging,' said Ashton of Gold Dust Beauty Lounge in Bali.
She said skin could also absorb gold easily, a process that works immediately when the mask is applied on skin and one can feel the mask tighten the skin in 30 minutes.
'Gold has a very small particle, so if we apply gold [on our skin], or the 24 carat one, we can see the results right away,' said Fenni, an aesthetic doctor from a Bali hospital.
Like gold, silver is also a popular agent.
'Silver worked differently than gold,' said Fenni. 'It is commonly used as an antibacterial agent.'
This precious metal is also found in some beauty products, such as soaps, toothpastes, wet wipes, deodorants, lip products, as well as face and body foams that can fight acne and help attain flawless skin.
If a golden-glow-wrinkle and acne-free face is not enough, perhaps women should try pearl essence for fairer, youthful-looking skin.
This ocean's treasure was once popular in many ancient civilizations, including Chinese, Egyptians, Mayans and Indians.
Marketing manager of Lluvia Spa Ngurah Astawa said pearl was safer to use compared to other expensive ingredients because as an organic product, pearls had a molecule structure similar to humans.
'Pearls contain melanin, which can help control pigment production to keep skin fair and flawless while protecting it from ultraviolet rays,' Ngurah said. 'It is also a good source of calcium.'
The latest craze in the beauty industry is infusing diamonds in skincare products. This luxurious material is said to make skin look naturally young, glowing and flawless.
'Some studies have found that diamonds can boost collagen, make skin look radiant, increase skin elasticity and help increase better micro circulation to the face and internal body,' said Fenni.
As the most lustrous crystal, diamonds have particles that are able to disperse light of different colors, which is why it has been treasured as a precious gemstone for jewelry for thousands of years.
Beauty experts believe those reflective properties may have the same effect on skin, making it a perfect product to fight aging. It also works as an exfoliant.
The latest beauty trends include the use of diamond dust in microdermabrasion treatments to remove dead skin cells and reduce wrinkles, especially fine lines around the eyes.
Human skin cells reproduce once every 21 days, making it best to undergo microdermabrasion once a month to allow new cells to regenerate, resulting in a brighter glow, says Fenni.
'A diamond tip has soft abrasion so it can remove fine lines better if used on the skin's outer layer. It can also dilute stretchmarks but only the soft ones. However, it's usually used on face,' she said.
The expensive substances are touted as good transporters for other elements to penetrate the skin. Without those expensive substances, it is believed skin will need more time to absorb them.
'The purpose of those expensive substances in skincare treatment is primarily for anti-aging,' said Fenni. 'But there is no scientific evidence to back this yet. However, there are other ingredients that have been approved by the [Food and Drug Association] FDA for anti-aging, such as retinol, vitamin A, C and E, peptide, AHA and many more.'
When asked about side effects, she said there were no particular side effects, but some people may be allergic to the substances.
She said gold, for example, may not be suitable for people with oily skin or have acne since gold tends to hydrate skin and act as a moisturizer.
'It is best to find the right product for your skin type. France and Japan have beauty products with those
expensive ingredients for specific skin types,' said Fenni.
She suggested customers seek out information on products or first consult with a doctor before using new products.
'You can't expect all products to work well with your skin. You need to know what ingredients a product contains and the effects on your skin,' she said, 'As long as you do it right, the results will amaze you.'
