In the general context, a gold facial involves the use of massaging sheets of 24-karat gold leaf. These are placed on the facial skin. It may also involve the use of colloidal gold, which is a liquid solution containing suspended gold nanoparticles. Gold facials help to cleanse, exfoliate, and extract, among other benefits. Gold nanoparticles can penetrate deeply into the skin for effective treatment, as per the American Chemical Society.

Gold facials have grown in popularity ever since 2006, back when a company from Japan innovated the method of helping gold penetrate the skin’s surface for enhanced aesthetic benefits.