What’s the Deal with Diamond Dust in Beauty Products?
Are there benefits to diamonds in your beauty products? (Photo: Getty Images)
From snail slime to dragon’s blood, the beauty industry has a tendency to utilize a lot of attention-grabbing ingredients. While some of them work (the snail slime, for example) others are often just marketing hype. So I admit, I was a little skeptical when I kept coming across products that boasted diamond powder and dust as the standout ingredient — especially since these products don’t break the bank. Can you actually incorporate diamonds into your beauty routine for $20? And what would it even do? It turns out the luxe ingredient does boast a few skin and hair benefits.
“When people are including diamond powder or dust in a cream, the benefit for your skin is a little bit of exfoliation, because diamonds are hard,” says Dr. Sajel K. Shah of Smarter Skin Dermatology in New York City. “You’re really using it for its physical properties because it’s a little bit rough — even when it’s fine, it still gives you a bit of exfoliation.” Shah points out that the hard texture of diamonds is what makes them great for microdermabrasion tips. To get the exfoliating benefits without a visit to your facialist, try The Refining Facial from La Mer ($90), which uses the brand’s signature Miracle Broth and pure diamond dust to polish skin.
Another benefit to diamond-infused products? Brightening. Shah says that the physical luminescent qualities of diamonds can help to brighten up dull skin. It’s important to keep in mind that diamonds are not an active ingredient, so they aren’t like a retinoid that can promote skin turnover leading to brightening. What you get from diamonds is going to be a physical effect. Soap and Glory’s new Wish Upon a Jar Night Cream ($22) is infused with diamond dust and antioxidants to help hide imperfections like enlarged pores and discoloration through the reflection of light.
Theses same light reflecting benefits can also apply to your hair — which is where Label.m’s new Diamond Dust Shampoo and Conditioner ($36, each) enter the game. Sheree Ladove Funsch, CEO of Development at the brand, started looking for a way to utilize black and white diamond dust in hair products after visiting a high-end diamond-cutting factory in Antwerp, Belgium. “I was determined to find a way to engineer the diamonds into the best hair and skin products,” she tells Yahoo Beauty. “In addition to the shine properties, diamonds have heat protection benefits that protect hair and skin. They form a solid barrier.” The shine factor is definitely what stands out about this product — you can see the shimmer from the second you pop the top off the bottle. I don’t know about you, but I’ll take glowing skin and hair over a rock on my hand any day.
Related:
Dragon’s Blood? It’s Not as Scary as You Think
Diamonds, Sapphires, Skincare, Oh My!
