The specialist dispelled myths about the effect of gold and snail mucin in cosmetics

The effectiveness of gold, caviar, and snail mucin in cosmetics does not always make sense. Whether the ingredients will be useful depends not on their prestige, but on the concentration, shape and stability in the formula. On July 6, Ksenia Varakina-Mitray, an Avon Russia product development and testing specialist, told Izvestia.

"Snail mucin can actually help restore the skin barrier, but only at a concentration of 2% or more and after thorough cleansing. Caviar extract is comparable in its action to conventional vegetable oils such as jojoba or argan oil," the specialist explained.

As for gold, according to Varakina-Mitrai, its particles can create a visual effect of radiance, but they do not have an independent anti-aging effect.

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The expert notes that in some cases, precious components actually work. For example, the combination of spherical particles with a gold nanolayer provides both an instant "soft focus" effect and a prolonged improvement in skin quality. However, the key is not the ingredient itself, but its proper inclusion in the formula.

For example, if Gold is written large on the packaging of cosmetics, it is important to understand what exactly is behind this word. It can be real colloidal gold, gold-coated microparticles, or just a marketing ploy when gold is listed in the ingredient list in a microscopic amount that has no noticeable effect on the skin.

In high-quality products, it is mandatory to indicate exactly how much gold is used and what role it performs. If there is no such information, most likely, the "gold" in the composition plays a more decorative role. Therefore, brand transparency and an honest approach to the formula are the main guidelines when choosing care, the cosmetics tester warned.

"When choosing cosmetics, it is important to pay attention not to big names, but to the transparency of the composition and the evidence base. If the brand does not indicate the concentration of "gold" in the formula, it is most likely just a marketing ploy," the expert said.

Varakina-Mitrai emphasizes that the available ingredients — chamomile, nettle, glycerin, panthenol extracts — often work as well as premium ones.

According to her, you should not chase after "expensive" components. Quality care is based on scientifically based formulas, not on the prestige of ingredients. Proven plant extracts and vitamins, when combined correctly, can give no less impressive results than exotic supplements.

Earlier, on April 16, Natalia Mikhailova, a cosmetologist and creator of the MESALTERA by Dr. Mikhaylova brand of professional cosmeceuticals, told Izvestia that mild cleansers should be used in the warm season — foams, gels or mousses with the addition of acids or enzymes.