Is a €330 face mask made from gold worth the price?
SOPHIE Goodall tests Mimi Luzon’s 24K Pure Gold Treatment, which is loved by supermodels like Irina Shayk and the Hadid sisters.
Even though I’ve followed a strict skincare routine since I was a teen, I’ve never got much further than a basic bottle of moisturiser, trying to drink plenty of water, and slathering my skin in SPF.
That’s why I was intrigued by Mimi Luzon’s 24K Pure Gold Treatment. As it’s a face mask made from gold costing €331.62, it’s certainly a step up from the products I normally use.
Aside from the fact its main ingredient is ‘pure gold’, beauty buffs will happily pay good money in exchange for expertise – and 30 years of experience suggests Mimi Luzon knows a thing or two about skincare. The skin wellbeing expert decided to take a step away from treating her celebrity clients to develop her own product line, which boasts fashionable fans like Bella and Gigi Hadid, Kaia Gerber and Irina Shayk.
Inspired by Cleopatra, gold is said to renew skin cells, slow the decline of collagen production, improve elasticity and reduce wrinkles – therefore keeping skin youthful and plump. So, the 24K Pure Gold Treatment suggests it can turn back the clock.
With this kind of price tag, the product itself is certainly elegant. Nestled inside a golden gift box, I unwrap a tube of corrective anti-wrinkle mask, a booklet of gold leaf sheets tucked between layers of fine tissue paper, and a set of instructions.
The first task is to apply the corrective anti-wrinkle mask to your face. I massage the lotion into my skin, which has a balmlike consistency that feels thick and luxurious. It glides on surprisingly easily, given that it’s technically a ‘mask’, and it can also be applied before bed, or as a quick 15-minute treatment during the day. I use one pump – which goes a long way – just as if I am applying any other daily moisturiser. My skin is left feeling instantly plumped and hydrated.
Removing the gold leaf from the tissue paper is tricky, and I end up with the sheets of gold flaking away on my fingertips – which feels quite wasteful, considering the price. The best way to apply the gold leaf to your face is by simply pressing the tissue paper directly onto your skin. Once it’s on, my face felt a little stiff and itchy, as though someone had heavily dusted it with a powder. After 10 minutes, I dip my fingertips into water and massage the gold leaf into my skin, rinsing off the residue.
I’m pleased to say that my skin was glowing afterwards, but no more than if I’d used a standard brightening mask. And I can’t help but wonder if the gold leaf left a reflective residue on my skin, tricking the eye into believing it’s brighter.
However, I am addicted to the cream. Packed with hyaluronic acid, it has a gorgeous sweet scent and is luxurious to apply – there’s really nothing to dislike. Its versatile consistency means it can work as both a day moisturiser and an overnight mask, and it leaves my skin dewy and glowing without any oily residue. While the gold leaf is an indulgent touch for glamming up your pamper time, I’m not sure it’s worth the high price. The mask, however, is worth its weight in gold.