The 24-carat facial: gold and diamonds make for sparkling skincare

A woman with gold foil on the side her face

Skincare has never been more luxurious, with new treatments being created from the world’s most precious resources

(Image credit: Rhys Thorpe)

last updated 1 November 2022

Never mind the humble mud mask, facial treatments have taken an extravagant turn of late, with gold and diamonds not merely appearing as ingredients in products, but being used on skin in their pure form as well. At the Sun Gardens resort in Dubrovnik, the OCCO-run spa is famed for its Soin Mille Lumière (£145 for 90 minutes), a rejuvenating facial using Maria Galland’s gold-infused serum and face cream, and a mask comprising sheets of 24ct gold leaf. At London’s Four Seasons, meanwhile, the deep-cleansing Black Diamond facial (£125 for 60 minutes) is designed for men by skincare label Hommage and relies on black diamond-dust powder to brighten the complexion.

As originally featured in the December 2015 issue (W*201)

INFORMATION

Photography: Rhys Thorpe

Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.