Skin Care Beauty Products Burlington VT

Get Glowing!

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By Lindsey Galloway

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but gold, silver, and other gems are her skin’s new go-to pal. Once reserved only for jewelry, precious metals and stones now appear in skin- and haircare products such as garnet exfoliants, 24-karat gold facials, and amethyst-infused scalp oils. These add a touch of luxury to your usual beauty routine and may even help delay signs
of aging. But is all this bling really worth your beauty buck?

Just because these stones glitter doesn’t necessarily mean they’re skincare gold, argue some experts. “There’s definitely a paucity of studies on these gems in skincare. Definitely not enough to justify a $2,000 ruby skin cream,” says Jeanette Graf, MD, dermatologist and advisor to “Life … supplemented,” a national consumer-wellness campaign. “But we do know the microcrystals of these precious stones can exfoliate the skin.”

Whether your product contains ruby, garnet, amethyst, or even a more common mineral like salt, the end goal remains the same: to slough off the top layer of dead skin. “If the skin isn’t naturally shedding its cells, the enzymes don’t work, and skin appears dry and dull,” explains Graf. “When you exfoliate, you’re helping along your skin’s natural process.”

While the science on how these gems affect skin is still rough, energy workers, as well as ancient practices, attest to the stones’ complexion-boosting benefits. “An old technique, known as lithotherapy, uses gemstones as part of the healing process and is still used by some holistic-medicine practitioners today,” explains cosmetic chemist Ewa Farjon. “According to this theory, stones and crystals emit different vibrations, which can have a good influence on our bodies and on our skin.”

Farjon prefers using products with precious metals that remain on the skin, so their healing properties have time to make a difference. “The best time to put any rejuvenating preparations on our skin is at night,” she says. “When we sleep, the skin easily absorbs ingredients.”

According to some dermatologists, certain metals can have an antioxidant, anti-aging effect by neutralizing free radicals, while others have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial qualities to fortify the skin’s defenses. The top performers include:

Jade and tourmaline. Korean scientists have studied the infrared radiation these two gems emit and found promising results. Infrared radiation may protect skin against ultraviolet-light–induced aging.
Copper. One of the most frequently used metals in skincare concoctions, copper supports collagen repair and evens out discoloration.
Amber. In Baltic countries, says Farjon, people use amber in cosmetics to smooth, nourish, and add elasticity to the skin, as well as protect it from the sun’s damaging rays.
Gold. A study with arthritis patients found that gold has strong anti-inflammatory properties. Whether the mineral similarly benefits skin remains to be researched, but spas such as the Stone...

Author: Lindsey Galloway

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