Caudalie VineActiv: how to give your skin a little piece of Bordeaux

In January, air pollution in London reached the highest possible level, surpassing even Beijing. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, called the situation a ‘health crisis’. If you live in a big city, you’ve got long working hours, horrible commutes, impossibly high rents and expensive living costs – it seems a little unfair to add respiratory, inflammatory symptoms and damage to your skin to that list. While you may not be able to up sticks and move to rural France, your skin can with a little help from Caudalie.

The VineActiv range from Caudalie is a capsule line of four products, with anti-ageing and anti-pollutant properties – vitamins A and C, grape-seed polyphenol and spruce extract (anti-oxidants all) abound. Caudalie founder Mathilde Thomas says the products “strengthen the skin’s capacity for self-defence against external aggressions, every single day”.

The focus on anti-oxidants comes from well-established skincare principles. Anti-oxidants prevent free radicals from damaging your skin; your body naturally produces free radicals but they can also be introduced through outside sources like pollution. Free radicals are molecules which are missing an electron; they attach themselves to a cell which has an electron and steal it, making the cell unstable. Applying anti-oxidants isn’t going to make an overnight difference to the condition of your skin, but over the longer term, there’s evidence to show that anti-oxidants can create healthier, younger looking skin.

Each of the VineActiv products have their own balance of anti-oxidants and other ingredients. The Overnight Detox Oil is rich in omega 6, vitamin E, and essential oil, the Glow Activating Anti-Wrinkle Serum uses hyaluronic acid, the Energizing and Smoothing Eye Cream has peptides and plant extracts which target puffiness and dark circles, and the 3-In-1 Moisturiser uses hyaluronic acid and polysaccharides (which helps skin repair and renewal).

We loved the VineActiv moisturiser and serum. The moisturiser feels light and fresh, with a slightly sweet, blossom scent. The moisturiser is easy to apply and has mattifying powders, so it’s a great one to use underneath summer make up. The serum is lightweight and has a watery texture which feels refreshing on the skin. It has a noticeably leafy scent when it’s first applied but it doesn’t linger. The serum is absorbed quickly and leaves the skin feeling hydrated and looking a little plumper and more radiant than before.

The VineActiv range is pretty affordable in the world of spa; the price starts at £27.50 for the eye cream up to £36 for the serum. Caudalie is also part of the "1% for the Planet" movement and donates one per cent of sales to not-for-profit organisations that work to protect the environment, so your money feeds back into the natural world that created the ingredients.

The VineActiv range is natural, fresh, light and gentle enough even for sensitive skin. It feels and smells beautiful and Caudalie’s eco-credentials will keep your conscience as squeaky clean as your skin. Time to bring a little piece of Bordeaux to your city slicker skin…