We’re Calling B.S. on 24K Skincare

Gold. It’s fucking awesome. Slap on some door knocker earrings, gild your fingers with pretty little rings and dust some gold leaf on your chocolate cake.

Get that bling, but please for the love of the skin gods, do NOT fall for gold-infused skincare. Who do you think you are, Liberace? That shit looks like some 24 karat magic, but it’s actually some bougie B.S. Here’s why it’s not worth the cash, and what you should use instead.

All That Glitters Isn’t Actually Working

Gold skincare products make every tempting claim: wrinkle-reducing, brightening, anti-inflammatory, and more. The real truth is that there are no significant scientific studies that have shown that gold does any of these things for your skin.

While gold may have mild antioxidant properties, it can’t really sink into your skin, which means it can’t actually do very much to improve your skin’s health. The only real benefit of using gold-infused skincare is that it adds a little glimmer to your skin. But so does highlighter.

Our take? Skip the gold skincare, and spend your hard-earned paper on ingredients that really work to improve your skin's health.

What to Use Instead  

The good news: there are thousands of research-backed ingredients that actually improve skin health. Here are a few of our fave alternatives to the 24K craze.

For hydration, use hyaluronic acid: Hyaluronic acid has the power to hold up to 1000x times its weight in water. That’s good news for your skin, which needs lots of moisture for peak health. Hyaluronic acid draws moisture into the surface layers of your skin that need it most, giving you a dewy glow that’s juicy, not greasy. Find it in our Day & Night Hyaluronic Cream.

For brightness, try vitamin C: Vitamin C is good for more than just warding off the flu. It’s one of the planet’s most potent antioxidants and can protect your skin against free radicals that cause signs of aging. It’s also a proven skin brightener. Vitamin C helps prevent abnormal melanin production, helping to brighten and even out the skin tone over time. Find it in our Vitamin C + E Serum.

For anti-aging, retinol is the best: Virtually no anti-aging ingredient can rival retinol. Retinol helps speed your skin’s natural cell turnover, replacing damaged skin cells with fresh new cells. This helps soften the look of wrinkles, brighten hyperpigmentation, and smooth out your skin texture. Find it in our Retinol Night Cream.

We can’t promise you gold, but we can promise you damn good skin. Check out our collection of skincare made with ingredients that actually work. Once your skin is so healthy that it glows on its own, you won’t even be tempted by that gold-plated bullshit.