Pots 'o OROGOLD

In honor of St. Patrick's day and its mythology (I.e. the proverbial pot of gold art the end of the rainbow), it somehow seemed appropriate to do a little digging. Come to think of it, when it comes to beauty products, we're all searching for gold of some kind..that magical substance that will make one of our most precious assets - our skin - glow and prosper.

In Beverly Hills, Century City and other upscale shopping enclaves, OROGOLD has set up camps, many displays featuring now 40-Something-but-still youthful actress Denise Richards standing behind the product. A few weeks ago, Richards even had her coming out party as the OROGOLD's golden girl at the W Hollywood, with so much fanfare that it meshed perfectly into award show season and all the parties and primping that go with it.

OROGOLD pushes the concept of prestige/investment product to the next level. before you get to the sleek containers themselves, you will find jewelry store inspired packaging, and a certificate of authenticity. There is also a separate men's line that appeals to the man who has almost everything and is determined to get what he wants - an ageless look the line promises.

And yes, there is gold in them jars and bottles. This 24K ($248) Gold Anti-Aging Eye Serum, designed to firm the delicate skin and reduces the appearance of crow's feet blends 24K Gold, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, and Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C). Deep Day Moisturizer Cream ($128) which reduced the appearance of wrinkles, dryness and lines contains 24K Gold along with Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Green Tea. 24K Caviar Micro-Beads Cream ($400), is formulated with Gold, Caviar Extract, Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate) and Vitamin A (Retinyl Palmitate). The Caviar extract in itself is a very potent ingredient, which helps diminish the look of aging skin.

Although everybody has a different gold standard as to what makes a beauty product effective, there is historic evidence gold was a part of the royal beauty regimen in different cultures.  Cleopatra slept in a gold mask every night to enhance her captivating beauty. In ancient Rome, gold salves were used for of a variety of skin problems. In ancient Chinese medicine, gold was the key to youth; as the queen of the Ch'ing dynasty used a gold massage roller on her face daily.

Before you buy, OROGOLD retailers in Beverly Hills and elsewhere can answer questions and offer samples about the various products  addressing such specific skin care concerns such as acne, aging, and rosacea, as well as targeted products for specific areas like, the eyes, neck, and lips.

Although some of the products are dramatic at first glance, especially the black caviar beads and the flecks of gold in the eye gel, they go on in a wonderfully luxurious way and for me, had to have an almost cooling, soothing feel on application. While long term results depend, like anything else, on extended use, my skin did have a just-from-the-spa sheen after a handful of days.