It's not the first time that precious materials such as gold being used in the pursuit of beauty. We have seen gold flecks used in facials, and crushed bits of other semi-precious gems such as sapphires and pearls used for moisturisers and the like.

And the benefits of using gold in your skincare routine, with properties such as the metal's non-toxicity, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. Research also shows that skin received a higher amount of blood after a gold treatment, and restores skin's elasticity, slows down collagen depletion and elastin breakdown to prevent sagging skin. Lines and wrinkles are also diminished as it stimulates cellular growth to provide a tightening effect.

And it seems the trend in incorporating precious materials into beauty products still continues to make waves. The latest to ride the gold bandwagon is cosmeceutical skincare specialist, Bioxil. This time, they have combined gold with silk to yield even more benefits for skin, as silk is a natural moisturiser which can retain 10,000 times its weight in water. It is also easily absorbed by skin and provides a natural barrier against water loss through your skin.

Teri Tay, Consulting Skincare Specialist at Bioxil answers these questions about the new Bioxil Clarity and the properties that may be beneficial to skin.

Q: What percentage of gold can be found in Bioxil Clarity?
A: Bioxil Clarity uses 99.9999 gold.

Q: Can the silk component in Bioxil Clarity be taken for a sun-block, since silk absorbs UV rays?
A: No. While silk does absorb some UV light, it is not recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory bodies as a sunscreen. As silk still allows a certain percentage of UB light to penetrate, it cannot function as sunblock. The use of a proper sunblock is still recommended.

Q: Are there certain skin conditions or types which may not be suitable for a gold treatment?
A: Gold is actually a very inert heavy metal. People don’t usually react to this metal, hence the large number of people wearing gold jewellery, have gold tooth fillings and so on.

Therefore, a gold skin treatment is suitable for all skin types. Similarly, the Bioxil Clarity range is suitable for most skin types, except for skin which is highly unstable or suffer from hyper-acne conditions. Skins that would benefit greatly from the Bioxil Clarity range are:

- dehydrated skins
- combination skins with patches of rough, dry areas
- skins that are beginning to feel less bouncy.

Gold and silk are deeply hydrating, calming and restorative for skin. However, people with skin that reacts to 24k gold should avoid using the Clarity range.

 
Q: Can you see effects from the products immediately after use?
A: As with all home care skin products, the effects of the Bioxil Clarity range vary on individuals. Some people may see immediate improvement, when they use the entire range of products. For others, it may take up to a month before skin improvements are noticed.

Bioxil Clarity Milk Cleanser (50ml) retails at S$55.
Bioxil Clarity Foam Cleanser (50ml) retails at S$55.
Bioxil Clarity Hydrating Toner (50ml) retails at S$65.
Bioxil Clarity Restorative Essence (4 x 10ml) retails at S$115.
Bioxil Clarity Balancing Moisturiser (40ml) retails at S$85.
Bioxil Clarity Protective Sun Block SPF30 (50ml) retails at S$95.

All products are available at the Bioxil Skin Lab at VivoCity #01-06 and selected Guardian Pharmacies. For more information and enquiries, log on to www.bioxil.com.