All you need to know about vinotherapy?

Wine has been known since antiquity for its medicinal virtues and therapeutic use. Hippocrates said "wine is a wonderfully appropriate thing for man if, in health as well as in illness, it is administered in a timely and just manner, according to the individual constitution". The antioxidants present in alcohol make it possible to fight against certain pathologies. The polyphenol contained in the pips and the resveratrol contained in the vine are the antioxidants in wine. A good intake of natural antioxidants is recommended for the prevention of diseases. The condition is not to exceed 1 to 2 glasses of wine per day. If these quantities are respected, wine would help to prevent certain cardiovascular diseases, slow down the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and also strengthen the immune system. A man who drinks a glass of wine a day would have a life expectancy almost 4 years longer than someone who does not drink wine. The important thing is to drink in moderation!

If wine is so good for your body, why shouldn't it be good for your skin?

There is a domain where the vine can be consumed without moderation! It is beauty with vinotherapy. It took several years of research and waiting until 1999 for the opening of the first spa offering vinotherapy treatments. In 1999, Caudalie and Château Smith Haut Laffite innovated and opened a spa in Bordeaux offering treatments based on the grape and its richness. They create Les Sources Caudalie. This concept started in Bordeaux but is now famous all over the world.

What is vinotherapy?

The aim is to replenish the skin through the vine. Vinotherapy offers treatments based on grapes, the virtues of grapes, seeds and vine leaves. The vine is anti-ageing, preserves hydration and prevents pigmentation spots. We owe these benefits to several natural active ingredients present in the heart of the grape. Vine seeds are known for their richness in trace elements, vitamins and minerals.

Grapes are very rich in polyphenol, which gives radiance and youthfulness to the skin. It is an antioxidant that acts by capturing the free radicals that are responsible for the aging of skin cells and preventing the destruction of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is the guarantor of your youth, it hydrates and reconstitutes the skin. The problem is that with age the stock of this natural molecule decreases and wrinkles appear. The polyphenol is derived from grape seeds and gives the skin a plumped up appearance. It also promotes skin microcirculation.

Resveratrol is also very coveted in the vineyard. It fights against skin aging and promotes cell regeneration. It stimulates our production of collagen and elastin and fights against glycation, a process that accelerates skin aging.

The last natural active ingredient present in the grape and used in vinotherapy is viniferine from vine sap. It is an anti-stain active that is even more effective than vitamin C. It prevents the overproduction of melanin, it also regulates in order to prevent the appearance of spots and correct them. It gives radiance to the skin and illuminates the complexion. Viniferine beats all records in terms of effectiveness against spots.

The spas offering vinotherapy include all the techniques of care through the vine: baths, massages, masks, scrubs, wraps. Everything is good in the vineyard! This makes it possible to offer a large number of treatments and to seduce lovers of vinotherapy.

Vinotherapy has seduced more than one person. Today, there is a long list of spas offering vinotherapy treatments. All of these vinotherapy spas are an enotouristic experience that benefits the wine-growing regions and also the winemakers. What is interesting about these spas is that the vinotherapy offers treatments but the experience within the spas is much more complete than that. The complementary activities following the treatments allow you to get to know the wine better, to discover the terroir, those who shape it, and to taste it. Tasting wine is also the best way to build loyalty. Vinotherapy is more than just care, it is an opportunity for wine tourism by highlighting the vine and all the wine terroir.

Lou Dubois for Les Grappes