Is wine good for your skin?

Skincare fanatics, raise your glasses. New developments in the cosmetics industry indicate red wine could be good for your skin, as both an active ingredient and a drink.

Research shows that drinking a glass of organic red wine everyday can give you clearer, younger-looking skin. Thanks to the high levels of antioxidants, wine can help protect your skin against the damage caused by free radicals, which cause wrinkles and fine lines.

One glass of wine a day has been shown to improve skin’s elasticity, especially organic dry red wines. Pinot Noir is considered the “healthiest” wine, as it is high in antioxidants and low in sugar. However, you should avoid overdoing it, as excessive amounts of alcohol can cause damage to your skin.

But the uses for wine as a beautifying elixir extend beyond just consuming it. Recently developed skincare brands have incorporated wine waste into their products, such as Brad Pitt’s range, Le Domaine Skincare.

The serum, cream, and cleanser from the actor’s collection are all made from organic matter collected from pressed grapes. Infused with active ingredients GSM10 and ProGR3, Le Domaine aims to harness the reparative qualities of the antioxidants found in wine.

Le Domaine products are produced at Château Miraval in Provence, the winery Pitt bought in 2011 with then wife Angeline Jolie for $67 million. But his skincare line is not the first to partner with a winery. Caudalie, a French brand, pioneered the idea of incorporating vine extracts from their vineyards into skin products. The products are developed at Château Smith Haut Lafitte in Bordeaux.

Even British skincare brand, Pelegrims, partnered with Westwell Wines in Kent to formulate their 2020 Vintage Collection. Grape by-products, such as seeds, skins and stems, are used to create extracts containing polyphenols, which are high in antioxidants.

If you’re intrigued by the skin-rejuvenating possibilities of wine – but you’re not quite ready to spend £290 on Pitt’s Le Domaine serum – some aestheticians even claim it can be applied straight from the bottle.

Using wine as a treatment in your skincare routine can help you reap the benefits of ‘Vinotherapy’. Stephanie Ivonne, a licensed aesthetician, suggests using red wine as a face mask to reduce signs of ageing and acne. Cheers to that!