Gold Face Creams?

Recently, there has been a lot of hype over the new fad of having gold particles encapsulated in various skincare products. But does this actually have any effect? or is it just a costly stunt introduced by cosmetic companies looking to charge a few extra bucks by labeling a product with gold.



Well the Chantecaille Nano Gold Energizing Creme, priced at a hefty $420.00, touts its "nanoparticles of 24-karat gold [which] are bound to silk microfiber, a natural protein that is moisturizing, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. Through nanotechnology, these elements reach the cellular level where they act as the ultimate healing and preserving force."

While this description may sound promising, the science behind it is a little shady.

There are a few truths behind the advertising. The nano-sized particles do have the ability to penetrate the epidermis of the skin much more effectively than say, simply gold flecks, but once the gold gets under the skin, does it really have an effect?

While there is no concrete evidence of the benefits touted by the cosmetic companies, there maybe evidence of some potential dangers associated with nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles have been shown to be toxic to certain cells in the laboratory setting. While some cosmetic companies claim the amount of gold nanoparticles within these cosmetics is too small to really make that much of a difference.

At the same time, the small amount of gold nanoparticles in the cream is too small to be of any benefit as well, should there even be benefits in the first place, which still remains disputable.


jennymu