A couple of years ago (I think it was in 2010) I heard about the Caudalie brand and the story behind the company. I loved the fact that they were using natural plant ingredients (especially grape and vine extracts) which are known to be rich in antioxidants. One of these active ingredients is resveratrol, a phenolic compound which protects the skin from free radicals and thus, premature aging.
Now I don’t exactly remember which product I bought first, but I remember I got a bunch of samples with it, namely a couple of samples of Caudalie Vinexpert Radiance day fluid SPF10.
As I was going on a trip (to Denmark), I figured I could simply pack these mini-tubes of moisturizer instead of my regular one.
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| Caudalie Vinexpert Radiance Day Fluid |
The very first impression: I LOVED the smell of this product! It has a refreshing fruity scent that would always put me in a cheerful mood. It hydrates the skin well without feeling heavy and leaves a pinkish sheen. Now, after using it every day for 10 days, I actually noticed that my skin looked fresher and clearer than before leaving for Denmark. Maybe it’s because of the fresh air in this Scandinavian country, but I hold Caudalie responsible for this change. After coming back home and getting a bunch of compliments on my skin, I didn’t think twice before buying this product. Later, I understood that it was intended for women over 50 years, as it has powerful anti-age properties, so I didn’t use it regularly, but rather occasionally, when I wanted to give my skin a boost of radiance.
I was surprised to find out that they discontinued this product, and renewed the whole line, but even now, I can’t find the Vinexpert skin care line on the Caudalie site.
Over the years, I tried out many different Caudalie products. When it comes to facial skin care, I used:
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| 1. Instant Foaming Cleanser 2. Grape Water 3. SOS Thirst Quenching Serum 4. Premières vendanges Moisturizing Cream |
Instant Foaming Cleanser
This is a mild cleanser that doesn’t dry out the skin. However, it didn’t leave that feeling of squeaky clean skin, which I kind of missed, so I didn’t repurchase it.
Grape Water
I used the Grape Water after washing my face and throughout the day when my skin was feeling a bit dry. It’s ok, but I am not sure if it actually did anything for my skin.
SOS Thirst Quenching Serum
This moisturizing serum was really good and I’m planning on repurchasing it. During the summer I felt that it was moisturizing enough on itself, and that I can completely skip the cream at the end of my routine. Smells refreshing, reminds me of the Vinexpert fluid that I mentioned at the beginning of the post.
Premières Vendanges Moisturizing Cream
This was a good moisturizing cream, light enough for my combination skin. Nevertheless, when I used it up, I decided to go back to my (then) usual moisturizer (Vichy Aqualia Thermal).
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| 5. Divine Oil 6. Fleur de Vigne |
Fleur de Vigne fragrance
Caudalie also has a fragrance line that is perfume-free, alcohol-free and non-photosensitising. I tried the fresh Fleur de Vigne fragrance that I find perfect for the summer. It combines the scents of citruses, such as mandarin orange, grapefruit, bergamot and lemon, with wonderful sandalwood, cedar and watermelon notes.
Divine Oil
I left one of my Holy Grail products - Caudalie Divine oil - for the very end. This is a wonderful dry oil that you can use on your face, body and hair. I, myself, used it mostly on the body and during the summer on the face. It smells simply - waaait for it - divine! It combines the scents of moroccan rose and bulgarian rose with sweet and woody notes of cedar, vanilla and white musk. Argan, grape, hibiscus and sesame oil are the base oils for this product, so it nourishes the skin perfectly. However, if you have (very) dry skin, I don’t think this oil would be enough. In that case, I would rather choose a heavy duty lotion that is intended for extra-dry skin. As a face oil, this product can be used alone as a moisturizer, or after your regular moisturizing cream, as the last step of your beauty routine.
There is one more good news when it comes to this product! For every sold bottle of Divine Oil, Caudalie is planting one tree. On their official website, it is stated that they have already planted over 600.000 trees since 2012.
Caudalie also has a perfume that should smell the same as this oil. The Divine Perfume was launched in 2014 and its creator is Jacques Cavallier. Mr. Cavallier is also the creator of Giorgio Armani’s Mania (for women), which I also love! I’m curious to try this perfume, and I think I will buy it as a birthday gift for myself in a couple of months.
Have you had the oportunity of trying some of Caudalie’s products yourself? If so, what are your impressions? Do you maybe have a favourite Caudalie product?
