Royal treatments to pamper your skin

Gold, for 24-carat skin Get your fix: Ayurveda advises using gold not just in topical skin formulations but also ingesting it as medicine. Gold is found in creams, gels and serums. How it helps: “Gold gives radiance to dull skin. It is now widely present in off-the-shelf products, as well as in those used exclusively in spas,” says Preeti Kulkarni, skin expert. “It increases the skin’s moisture levels, helps collagen production and gives the skin a glow.” Manjul Gupta, Bodycraft Salon and Spa, Bangalore says, “Gold-infused products are great for people with reddish skin, as it balances the skin tone by adding a yellow tinge.” Fair warning: Always test the product on the underside of your arm before facial application to rule out an allergy to the metal. Go gold: Willing to spend Rs 22,000 to get skin that shines like gold? Get a gold leaf facial. Thin gold leaves are laid on your skin before being massaged in. The massage, they claim, lets the gold get absorbed into your skin and the skin cells reject the gold particles as foreign objects. This makes them create more cells in response, to protect it against infiltration, giving your skin the ‘glow’. Fool’s gold, one might say! Diamonds, a girl’s best friend Get your fix: Primarily found in face packs and exfoliating scrubs, diamonds are also available in cream and gel forms. How it helps: This rock is not just something to flaunt on your fingers. It can help your skin sparkle too. Manjul says, “Diamonds are used in products that treat pigmentation to give glowing skin. Many cosmetic clinics use microdermabrasion equipment with diamond dust on the heads, which makes it very effective for polishing skin.” Preeti adds, “It provides radiance and luminosity to the skin by eliminating dead cells. Being a hard substance, it is a great medium for exfoliation.” Fair warning: Manjul advises people with sensitive and troubled skin to avoid this, as it can cause the skin to look grazed because of its abrasive quality. Bejewelled face: Beauty product line Borba’s special treatment involves crushing diamonds and rubies into a powder and applying on your face, for an ‘expensive’ glow. Platinum, the wonder metal Get your fix: Nano technology has brought platinum into modern creams and packs by reducing it to fine particles that work effectively on your skin. How it helps: “Platinum particles emit negative ions that restore the skin’s ionic balance and slow down ageing. It is absorbed immediately by the skin and targets the harmful free radicals in your skin, also boosting its natural repair function,” says Preeti. According to Manjul, “Platinum creams usually do not have an oily base, which is why it works well for people with oily skin. Despite not being oily, it helps restore the oil balance. It also helps in the absorption of other beneficial components of the cream or pack.” Fair warning: People with dry skin are advised against the use of the product because it may dry the skin further. Use your platinum card: Need a reason to max out your credit card? Make this your next beauty buy. La Prairie’s Platinum Rare range contains the beauty enhancing powers of this rare metal, and it could be yours, if you can pay the price. You can have the Cellular Cream, Cellular Eye Cream and Cellular Serum, all for a little over Rs 1 lakh. Caviar, gourmet food for skin Get your fix: This luxury food for the rich is now available for your skin in the form of creams and facials. Even Angelina Jolie swears by its wonderful moisturising properties! How it helps: Manjul says, “Caviar is a new entrant in the Indian market, and most caviar creams and masks are imported. It has extreme hydrating and anti-ageing properties. The major issues with mature skin are dryness and fine lines, which makes this ingredient really good for this skin type. The high oil and protein content in caviar helps firm up loose skin by stimulating the production of collagen.” Preeti adds, “Caviar contains phospholipids or fats and protein that soften skin and guard against fine lines.” Fair warning: Preeti recommends caviar products only for people who need high levels of moisture and advises people with oily skin against using them, as they can cause breakouts. Wine with your caviar? La Prairie’s White Caviar Illuminating cream can be yours for just Rs 25, 525. The perfect accompaniment to your caviar cream? A wine massage, of course. Wine is known for its antioxidants, great for glowing skin. At a good spa, this will set you back by about Rs 4,000.