A gold facial is a type of spa treatment that includes the application of a facial mask made with 24 carat gold foil. This kind of facial can often help to diminish the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines for a more youthful appearance. This softer precious metal's composition allows the skin to more readily absorb it; a gold facial can have benefits for both dry skin and oily, acne-prone skin. A somewhat smaller number of select salons and day spas tend to offer this higher-end skin treatment, and an aesthetician with specialized training in the use of gold facial kits should ideally apply this type of facial mask.

Depending on each client's age and skin type, a gold facial can help purge the skin of common environmental toxins and reduce the appearance of sun damage. Gold has been shown in some lab tests to speed up the regeneration of skin cells, which can often have noticeable skin brightening effects. Since gold face treatments have detoxifying properties, they can also help reduce levels of acne-causing bacteria on the skin as well as prevent some new blemishes from forming.