You may have seen the photos on Instagram of Ricky Martin and other celebrities using 24-karat gold masks for their skin. So is this a wacky celebrity fad or a real treatment? In reviewing available literature, here’s what we found about the benefits of gold for skin care:

#1 Inflammation Reducer
According to dermatologists who use it in their practices, gold can help calm skin inflammation. This benefits us for obvious reasons, since irritated, flushed skin is not our goal.

#2 Antioxidant
There is some preliminary evidence to suggest that gold offers antioxidant benefits, say skin care scientists from Adore Organic Innovation, a company specialized in developing formulations from natural products like gold. Again, very important, since skin aging is strongly related to the natural process of oxidation in which free radicals are produced. This is why skin care experts are unanimous in recommending topical antioxidants to promote fresh, radiant skin.

#3 Wrinkle Reducer
Other research suggests that gold-infused cosmetics can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This could be from a moisturizing effect and possibly gold’s inhibition of elastin breakdown in the skin, say Adore Cosmetics scientists.

Going beyond Ricky Martin, Jessica Alba and Sienna Miller, many beauty editors and regular folks who try gold masks seem to swear by them for helping their faces feel fresher, younger, more luminous and…as good as gold.