Precious Metals
And we all thought the price of gas was outrageous. La Prairie, the company that brought us gold and caviar anti-aging products has now come out with the crème de la crème: Cellular Cream Platinum Rare at the heart-stopping price of $1,000 for a 1.7 oz jar. Admittedly, it is one gorgeous jar, nestled in a velvet cushion inside a silver case: jewels for your face. A cute little sun and moon applicator (the chemical symbol for platinum!) adorned with a little Swarovski crystal completes the package.
Okay, we get that platinum is rare and precious: 10 tons of ore nets a single ounce that is pricier than gold. But what’s that got to do with skin care? According to La Prairie, platinum maintains the “electrical balance” in the skin. The cream contains “an ingenious blend of negatively-charged particles of pure platinum” to counteract free radicals. Plus peptides said to rebuild the “extra-cellular matrix” (Note to La Prairie: “Huh?”), smoothing away lines and wrinkles.
Really?
We asked Dr. Brent Wainwright, an assistant clinical professor at New York University’s school of medicine and a board-certified dermatologist with a practice in Cross River. “I am unaware of any studies looking at the efficacy of platinum as an agent to counteract free radicals or otherwise alter skin appearance. In addition to its exorbitant cost, potential side effects include sensitization and allergic dermatitis.”
Dr. Wainwright allowed that the cream did contain peptides and essential lipids that are known to help restore the skin barrier, but using sunscreens will do the job. “Routine use of sunblock will help prevent UV-induced free radical damage,” he says. “Or you can pick up some Oil of Olay’s Regenerist UV Regenerating Lotion ($17.99 for 2.5 oz) at the drugstore. It contains antioxidants and a palmitoyl peptide (like La Prairie) PLUS a sunblock!”
Now that’s a beauty bargain.
Available in September at Neiman Marcus.
