YOUR 24-KARAT FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
For thousands of years, the use of gold in beauty treatments has been worshipped as an anti-aging fountain of youth.
The ultimate status symbol is now available to mere mortals with Gold Dust beauty lounge’s signature 24-karat Gold Leaf Facial. Situated within one of the hippest and fastest growing holiday destinations in Bali, the beachside community of Echo Beach in Canggu attracts relaxed jet setters from around the globe to enjoy the coast’s sparkling black sand beaches, a myriad of international restaurants and bars, and thanks to a dynamic wife and husband team with strong roots in Bali, a sophisticated spa oasis that showcases an irresistible selection of attractively priced treatments and packages.
In Cleopatra’s day, the luminous and most precious of metals was added to the beauty treatments of the queen and her uber-wealthy friends. Rumoured to slumber in a gold mask every night to preserve her legendary allure, the Queen of the Nile was on to something as it is now believed by skin care experts that gold facials assist in diminishing fine lines, fighting free radicals, strengthening elastin, decreasing inflammation and reducing age spots through slowing down the skin’s melanin secretion process. Unlike gold facials that are priced between US $380 to $770 throughout the world’s best spas, you can experience one of Asia’s most effective and professional facial treatments for IDR 1,200,000 at Gold Dust.
Located across the jalan from Deus, Bali’s trendy Mecca for boutique motorcycles and late night garden parties, Gold Dust is housed within a chic two-storey building that is shared with a stylish café and “The Beach Store”, offering an extensive variety of bathing suits and coastal accessories. Flanked by twin tasselled Balinese umbrellas and two hand hammered copper pots filled with marigolds, a floor-to-ceiling glass door welcomes you into the sun-filled space.
A helpful receptionist sits behind an ornately carved credenza, hand painted in gold. The glamorous “spa boutique” epitomises understated elegance with eggshell-white stone flooring, an eye-catching beaded glass chandelier, a gold table topped with colourful mala necklaces available for purchase, a crisp white shelf lined with a rainbow of OPI and butter LONDON nail shades (ranging from midnight black and lavender to that perfect crimson), and gilded racks of easy-to-wear pieces from Uptown Girl, a popular Bali resort wear line in must-have solid colours and attractive prints.
After filling out a brief form, the receptionist leads you up to the second floor, featuring an inviting lounge, comfortable reflexology chairs and a mani-pedi area that beckons relaxation. Rustic plank wood flooring, a vaulted open beam ceiling, crisp furnishings upholstered in white, and sunshine yellow accents create a happy and calming ambience. Your treatment suite is adorned with one softly lit glass lantern and a cosy, Portobello mushroom-hued blanket that keeps you warm within the refreshing, air-conditioned room. Your therapist is dressed in a matching marigold-yellow uniform and a welcoming smile that puts you immediately at ease.
Once dressed in your sarong and laying comfortably on the treatment table, your treatment begins with a gentle facial massage, setting the tone for indulgent, yet highly effective pampering. Once you are relaxed and settled into a light meditative state, your therapist cleanses your face, neck and décolleté with a creamy, nutrient-rich and natural cleanser. Followed by a refreshing and pleasantly aromatic toner, a walnut and apricot polish precedes a second foaming cleanser to ensure that your skin is prepped for Gold Dust’s Midas touch.
Boasting an exclusive relationship with a French supplier of 100% natural, top quality gold leaf sheets, the whisper thin sheets are layered upon an antioxidant collagen serum that has been readily absorbed by your thoroughly cleansed skin. While the gold takes effect, creating the ultimate non-invasive skin rejuvenating treatment, your therapist proceeds with a nurturing neck, shoulder, hand, scalp and foot massage, indulging you in a full-body experience as the gold works its magic. Instead of peeling off the mask like most facials, a light mist is sprayed over your entire face and the therapist gently massages the gold into your skin, ensuring that every drop is absorbed and assimilated, helping the immediately visible results to last several days. To top it all off, the treatment ends with a heavenly upper back massage, allowing your body one more chance to fully relax and unwind before heading back into the lounge for a French press of jasmine tea.
