Gold! The New Pond's Radiance Line and a Mini Review

I am not even sure if I was born yet when this song was released but this was my top of mind thought when I opened a gold shantung - ish box Ponds gave me for review purposes:

Soon enough, my mind was dancing to the infamous Spandau Ballet track, "Always believe in your soul, you've got the power to know, You're indestructible." I had images of cobra hair, shoulder pads and I thought of myself swimming in gold flecks and shining, shimmering confetti. I had, too, an image of my 15 year old self {albeit in 2001}, in a gold, backless shantung gown, going to my prom. It was then that gold has made a comeback into the fashion arena, and all of my matrona / Saudi gold images of the word gold flew out of the window.

If only wearing gold to make skin better was as easy as dressing up in gold. Then again, maybe it will be.

The All New Ponds Gold Radiance Line

The gold micro particles used in Pond’s Gold Radiance is 99% real gold which has known good effects on skin. Gold as a natural mineral is known to give instant radiance to the skin while enhancing skin’s renewal process (replacing dead skin cells with new healthier ones) and skin elasticity (ability of the skin to go back to normal state once stretched).

This little factoid was of course, confirmed by Ponds' dermatologist {whose name always escape me, dammit!}that gold, indeed lends youthfulness and infuses radiance to our skin that's exposed to smoke, dust, sunlight and many other factors that make us age.  

I wonder how many girls would be thinking of aging as early as their twenties? I've always been wary of aging, primarily because I've imperiled myself by smoking for years, getting out of my house and standing on any Manila road where smoke is given a new meaning and well, a lot of stress, too. Add to that the fact that I'm not the world's healthiest eater ---- my skin is doomed to fail if I don't do anything.

But all things considered, through two plus years of pseudo beauty blogging, I have learned that a simple moisturizer {or sans one, if one thinks we're too oily already} doesn't cut it. For how many years, I've decided to stick with very, very light moisturizers because any more than I already produce would trigger the radar of oil miners somewhere in the South. Wrong. I learned that as the skin deem you're in need of moisture, the more it a) flakes like crazy or; b) produces more oil, hence the need for a truckload of oil blotters. I have fallen into category b and when I finally decide to be more generous with myself with moisturizers and use an anti-aging cream, my face finally stopped producing oil fit for my whole body instead.

I've sworn on Olay TE for the longest time, and sincerely the product works on me like a miracle. However, as any beauty blogger would know, there would come a time when the product doesn't make any sense any more, since your skin {and body} is so used to it already. Enter the new Ponds Gold Radiance Line, of which the first thing I have tried is the Ponds Gold Radiance Precious Youth Serum.

See the empty space at the top of the bottle?
That's what I've used so far and the missing gold flecks
have been to my face already!

Here's a little more close up shot. For some reason, when I apply this
serum, the gold flecks disappear and no, I don't look like a little disco ball.

Luxuriously infused with flakes of real gold, each concentrated drop of this most precious formula melts into your skin to smooth texture and helps boost your skin's youthful radiance. Contains Vitamin B3, proven to reduce age spots.

I've started using this little gold dust since almost two weeks ago and here are bits and pieces of my observations, if you will:

The Good:

• As opposed to sticking with the more potent formulas at night, I decided to use this as part of my morning regimen, just after I apply my morning moisturizer. I've noticed that since the weather has been more forgiving as compared to the rest of the year, an extra boost of moisture would be beneficial and yes, yes, it was.
• I've already been having red spots even before I used this product and though I still have them at night when I have inhaled all the smoke, and pounced upon all the stressors of my life, I find that they are less visible in the morning {take note, that even if there's a bunch of things I need to try, I've dedicated two weeks, and counting, to this product alone}. That means, too, that it ain't breaking me out.
• Not too oily nor greasy. Perfect for non-average Philippine weather. Like today. Or for mornings / afternoons, even nights.
• I have a theory: I think the gold flecks tend to melt into the skin upon use because I can't see them anymore after application. Just a theory.
• Do I look more radiant? Yes, sir. You know that perfect combo you get when your skin is not tightly dry and you have that appropriate amount of moisture {after make up} and into the noon and you don't want to use a blotter because it's not ugly oily? It's just plain, unadulterated, pretty moisture, the perfect complexion for teenybopper protagonists, that is.
• The plastic bottle makes it easy for me to be clumsy and not fear I'm going to break a figurative and literal gold mine.
• The medicine dropper is a nice innovation (but see The Bad) for it helps keep the product clean.
• The scent reminds me of a perfume I had when I was 12: Barbie.And anything that remotely reminds me of my childhood will always be a winner in my book.
• The gold packaging will always be sosyal to me. 
• Locally available, at all supermarkets and drugstores nationwide starting first week of November. Hooray! 
• I'd like to believe it helps me delay my skin's aging but we'll talk about that in, say, 15 years.

The Bad:

• I can use a better pump. The medicine dropper is really a nice touch but somehow, since the serum is more gellish than, say, the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Serum, it's harder to suck it in through the dropper. I always end up shaking the tiny bottle so it would all go into the middle and be properly vacuumed in {for the lack of a better term}.
• Ponds users are definitely in for a higher price tag, with this baby retailing for Php 799 a pop. Then again, beauty, or great skincare for that matter is never cheap, except if you were born with perfect skin.
• Because it works like a good girl with pink hairbands would, I just added a new step to my already complicated morning regimen. Now I feel like it wouldn't be the same anymore without it. Although, I don't think I can use this in the morning of summer days. I will die!
• Just a word of warning: Just like any serum that's rich, if used exceedingly liberal, this might cause breakouts so be careful, loves!

 Directions for use:

• Turn the cap to open.
• Press button to pump serum.
• Press button to dispense and apply on the skin. Gently massage in an upward motion and avoid the eye area. To stimulate and relax the facial muscle, place both palms and fingers over cheeks.

With one product down for testing, I am actually excited to try out the rest of the line {really wished they already had the night cream here but apparently, it was selling like pancakes in Thailand they have no more left for Manila as of the moment, boo} so if I get inspired enough, I'll share my thoughts with ya =P

If you see this out on the market, would you love to try it? 
And do you have memories with the color gold?