Listen here: French women are known for their no-nonsense approach to beauty. They are impossibly chic yet — at the same time — they always look effortlessly pulled together. Thus, it’s safe to say that French women have the market cornered on natural beauty and aging gracefully. No one exemplifies that more than Mathilde Thomas, who, along with her husband, Bertrand, is the brains and face behind French beauty brand Caudalie.
Here’s what makes them special: the birth of Caudalie first began in Bordeaux, France, at the heart of the vineyards on the family estate. The rare beauty of this natural setting inspires the founders everyday — so much so that they discovered that vines and grapes possess exceptional powers for the skin — powers which were simply waiting to be developed. In Mathilde’s vineyard, they say: “When the vine cries, the faces of women illuminate.”
Ever since Caudalie’s birth, the founders have maintained a strict cosm-ethics policy. The commitment to women who use their products is to create products using the maximum about of natural ingredients that respect the environment. And that’s why you’ll never find the controversial and artificial ingredients in Caudalie’s products. Instead, when formulating their products, Caudalie is commited to selecting natural, environmentally-friendly and active ingredients wherever possible:
- Patented vine extracted from the French vineyards
- Organic grape water
- Botanical oils (grape-seed, free trade argan, evening primrose, hibiscus, rose musk, etc.)
- Plant extracts with a variety of benefits for the skin (chamomile, verbena, sweet mint, rosemary, olive squalene, etc.)
- Essential oils (carrot, lavender, lemon, neroli, rose, rosemary, sandalwood, etc.)
- Botanical butters (free trade shea, apricot, avocado, grape, mango, etc.)
With that, here’s our top 5 Caudalie’s obsessions:
1. CAUDALIE Grape Water
A cult favourite amongst makeup artists and celebrities like Katy Perry, consider this a much-needed ‘refresh’ button for your face. The 100% organic grape water comes straight from the vine and is filled with moisturizing elements for a fresh, dewy complexion. Rich in naturally hydrating trace elements, mineral salts, vitamins and polysaccharides, the water works to tone and hydrate, but we personally love it for mid-day makeup touchups!
$21 (was $23), VIIMART.com
2. CAUDALIE Instant Foaming Cleanser
This best-selling, 99% natural cleanser by Caudalie is everything we want in a daily wash: a satisfying lather that detoxes our skin and leaves it feeling soft and hydrated. The rich foam uses plant-derived cleansers to gently unclog pores and melt away makeup and impurities while soothing skin. The soap-free formula respects the natural radiance of the skin to restore radiance, softness and comfort.
$28 (was $32), VIIMART.com
3. CAUDALIE Vinoperfect Radiance Serum
They may look cute on the 101 Dalmatians, but dark spots are a serious bummer when they pop up on our skin. Good thing we found this oil-free, targeted serum, which fades the look of pesky spots and prevents them from making an unwelcome reappearance. The formula glides on smoothly, and its potent grape-derived antioxidants work overtime to lighten discoloration and even out skin tone.
$94 (was $106), VIIMART.com
4. CAUDALIE Vinosource Moisturizing Matifying Fluid
Our shine-control ally! When you’re living in a humid season, an ultra-lightweight moisturizer isn’t a want — but a need. The deeply hydrating yet practically weightless fluid features an instant matifying effect and long-lasting oil-control action (we can surely testify to this). Dubbed as the ideal shine-control and moisturizing treatment for combination/oily/sensitive skin all year round, the skin’s balance is restored for a refined, velvety matte finish.
$40 (was $46), VIIMART.com
5. CAUDALIE Instant Detox Mask
A juice cleanse isn’t the only way to rid your body of unwanted toxins. The ultimate in skin rehab, this detoxifying mask brings stressed, city-dwelling skin back to. Perfect before a night out or after a stressful week, it clears the pores of impurities and toxins, purifies from pollution, invigorates lackluster skin for a boost of immediate radiance. However, what we really love has gotta be how it doesn’t suck the life out of your skin — the formula is eco-friendly and gentle on skin.
$39 (was $43), VIIMART.com
