We Tried a DIY 24-Karat Gold Facial
Do gold facials really impart a lit-from-within glow? According to celebrity fans of the treatment, yes! It’s said that a 24-Karat facial packs major anti-aging benefits for your complexion. And although the treatment in a spa will set you back about a month in rent, the at-home Glow Facial Kit by Bella Schneider Beauty brings the luxury to the comfort of your own vanity at a fraction of the original cost. But we thought to put the kit to the test! We askedInStyle.com Associate Producer Katie Donbavand to try her hand at the method, and report back on the results. Keep reading to find out if the kit really worked.
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Between the frigid winter weather and the lack of sleep that comes with InStyle’s busy awards season, I was in desperate need of a soothing facial when I was offered the ultimate gilded beauty treatment. Bella Schneider Beauty’s Glow Facial Kit ($50;labelledayspas.com) promised that my winter-ravaged, sleep-deprived skin would be completely made over thanks to its not-so-secret potent ingredient: Gold.
Yes, gold. The gilded stuff has long been a symbol of luxury and wealth, but lately beauty brands have embraced its anti-aging, pro-radiance powers. It’s been rumored that Cleopatra slept with a gold mask on to maintain her legendary beauty (of course she did!). Modern-day celebs like Cameron Diaz, Nicole Kidman, andBar Refaeli have all tried solid gold facials. My motto has always been, “if it’s good enough for a supermodel, it’s good enough for me!” (Note: this does not apply to juice fasts.)
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Here’s how I got gilded:
Step 1: First, I took off all my makeup and rinsed the New York City grime out of my pores with a cleansing milk.
Step 2: Next, I used the pure gold and caviar scrub to exfoliate. This was my favorite part (next to the gold, of course). It felt amazing rubbing the luxe slush all over.
Step 3: This is the fun part! I very, very gently placed a sheet of pure gold leaf, backed with tissue paper, on to my face. It clung to my skin instantly and easily slid from the tissue paper. Repeat, Miss Cleopatra, with the remaining three sheets.
“You look like a Bond villain,” my husband said, peeking into the bathroom. He was right. It looked like I was seconds away from holding the moon for ransom and laughing maniacally while stroking a fluffy cat. I took some Goldfinger selfies (natch) and finished off the facial by adding a few drops of serum and massaging the gold into my pores until it was all dissolved (along with my aspirations of world domination).
The results? I might have looked like a Bond villain during the facial, but I had Bond Girl skin afterwards. As promised, my skin was luminous. It was plump and so soft that I couldn’t stop touching it. It looked like I had applied the Valencia filter IRL. I loved the results so much that the next day at work, I skipped wearing any makeup (seriously!). In spite of my bare face, I got several compliments on my glowing skin. Would I use the BSB Glow 24 Karat Facial again? Absolutely! Especially when I have a wedding, high school reunion, or any other event where I have to achieve J.Lo-levels of incredible skin.
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