Nothing screams luxury more than gold (well, maybe diamonds which we all know is a girl’s best friend). In addition to wearing it as jewelry, gold can apparently be worn on your face. There are a number of products featuring gold, and while the jury is still out on gold’s true effectiveness on skincare, this is one trend in beauty that allows you to feel like you are treating yourself with something lavish. Behold: ALLEGRESSE Illuminating Facial Peel. I received this gem of a product when I attended Cosmoprof North America, an annual beauty tradeshow, and since then I have been enjoying the benefits which includes luminous, glowing skin.

Product Claims: Gold helps skin appear revived. Pomegranate and natural oils help reduce visible lines and wrinkles. Algae and ginseng extracts help revive texture. Overall, the product removes dull skin cells and encourages skin renewal.

Ingredients: According to the company’s website the peel is enriched with extracts of algae and natural ginseng, as well as Borage Seed Oil, Evening Primrose Oil and Pomegranate Extract.

Directions: Massage over wet skin in circles, creating a foamy layer. Rinse thoroughly.

My thoughts: The scent of this product is soft and delicate, so and doesn’t linger when you wash it off, which is kind of a bummer because it does smell wonderful. I do think it’s weird that the product is called a peel, because really, it’s just a gentle exfoliator; it doesn’t have any harsh exfoliating beads or particles. The texture is very gel-like and the instructions says that it will create a foamy layer, but foamy isn’t exactly what I would use to describe it. It’s more like a very light bubbling effect, so don’t expect a significant amount of lather. After using the product (I only use it at night), my skin always looks dewy and healthy, and I wake up to glowing skin. However, I wouldn’t compare the glow or exfoliation level to anything similar to a chemical peel I get at the spa, so don’t expect to have celebrity-radiant skin. I do question if some of the glow comes from the consistency of the gel-like texture of the product itself versus, is my skin really becoming more youthful looking from using the product? The main reason for this is that it does leave a film or residue on my hands, which leaves me to believe this must also be left on my face causing the glow affect. There are little tiny gold flecks which do make you feel like you are using something special. Bottom line: use if you want glowing skin and a gentle exfoliator, but don’t expect miracles.

Cost: $79.00