Test Drive: The 24 Karat Gold Rejuvenation Facial at Callaway Gardens

Cleopatra was rumored to have worn a facial mask made with gold every night
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24 Karat Gold Facial
Illustration by Eirian Chapman/Jacky Winter

Cleopatra and I don’t have much in common. She reigned over Ptolemaic Egypt, and I can barely keep my kids under control. But we have tried the same beauty treatment: a wrinkle-reducing, skin-firming facial mask made with gold.

The pharaoh was rumored to have worn one every night. I gave it just one go with the 24 Karat Gold Rejuvenation Facial ($140) at the Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens.

The 80-minute treatment, in a quiet room that smells blissfully of lemon and eucalyptus, begins with a cleansing and exfoliating process featuring steam, rose water, toners, washes, and lotions from Jurlique. Then the facialist spreads on a thick gel flecked with real gold and massages your hands and feet while the mask solidifies into a soft wax. She then gently peels it off, revealing glowier skin. My seemingly permanent brow furrow looks less severe. The fine lines around my eyes are plumped with hydration. And I feel, if only temporarily, ready to rule.

This article originally appeared in our Spring/Summer issue of Style Book.

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