Gold dust masks - are they a patch on Asia's sophisticated face sheets?
The use of precious metals in beauty goes back centuries. It is said that Cleopatra slept in a gold mask every night, and Chinese empresses used gold rollers to massage their faces.
24 carat gold dust facials were once considered an expensive way to banish wrinkles, but the material has now been formulated in the form of a face mask for every day use in the West.
The gold particles reportedly trigger the replenishment of collagen while also having the ability to remove bacteria from the face, helping reduce conditions such as acne, as well as promoting lymphatic drainage, thus reducing dark circles under the eyes.
Combining powder and gel in masks
Spanish brand Casmara Gold is behind the latest gold dust at-home face mask, which claims to offer the anti-ageing benefits of a professional treatment for a fraction of the cost.
The product comes with a powder and gel which need to be mixed together, before applying to the face to create a gold ‘second skin' that solidifies and becomes rubbery in texture when left on for 20 minutes.
When it comes to Asia though, the land of advanced multifunctional face masks, will this product catch on?
Well, the gold dust 'experience' has been available at spas around the region for decades, and our regional expert Florence Bernardin says the concept is not new in, having been on the market in China and Korea for more than three years.
"Gold has no power on skin at all, it’s more of a gimmick product," she tells CosmeticsDesign-Asia.com.
Natural based face sheets most popular in Asia
Currently, natural based 'face sheets' featuring broccoli to deep sea water, charcoal and even snake venom extracts are dominating the market, offering consumers whitening, lifting, moisturizing and anti-ageing benefits in a more affordable way.
The material used for the treatments has been upgraded, from bio-cellulose to silk, collagen gel and cotton lace while design has become the best way to create differences among competitors; such as 3D masks with a parted line in the center in order to create face volume.
