Caudalie Vinoperfect Enzymatic peel mask
pic credit: luxuryhairandbeauty.co.uk

Caudalie-Vinoperfect-Enzymatic-Peel-Mask is one of my favorite prep-products. I love myself a good peeling session, and this mask is a gentle yet effective way of achieving an even, luminous complexion, perfect before a night out.

Because this is packed full of soothing and moisturizing ingredients in addition to the chemical (glycolic acid) and biological exfoliants (papaya enzyme), this leaves your skin glowing yet pampered, as opposed to that almost tender feeling you might get after a more smack-pack-peel-away-that-face-mask.

The heroes of this product:

1. Glycolic acid: Glycolic acid is used to improve the skin’s appearance and texture. It may reduce wrinkles, acne scarring, hyperpigmentation and improve many other skin conditions, including actinic keratosis, hyperkeratosis, and seborrheic keratosis. Glycolic acid reacts with the upper layer of the epidermis, weakening the binding properties of the lipids that hold the dead skin cells together. This allows the stratum corneum (upper-most layer of the skin) to be exfoliated, exposing live skin cells.

2. Papain: Is an enzyme originating from the papaya fruit. This enzyme is found in meat tenderizing agents, but in cosmetics it serves a biological exfoliant, breaking up dead skin cells and removing them. It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

Papaya fruit, containing exfoliating and skin soothing papaya enzymes- an ingredient in the caudalie vinoperfect enzymatic peel mask.
pic credit: bbc.co.uk

3. Vitis vinifera- Grape seed oil: Adjusts moisture balance and corrects hyper-pigmentation. In fact, it has been shown to be 62 times more effective than vitamin C, 4 times more effective than kojic acid and at least 13 times more effective than arbutin in boosting skin radiance and fighting dark spots.

4. Panthenol: Is a pro-vitamin of vitamin B5. Panthenol is a humectant, emollient and moisturizer. It improves hydration, reduces itching and inflammation of the skin and accelerates and improves healing of epidermal wounds.

5. Squalane: Squalene is one of the most common lipids produced by human skin cells. It is a natural moisturize, and tests have also shown that the ingredient not only provides hydration, but it can also help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. This is likely due to its antioxidant properties; squalene is able to prevent free radical damage that causes the breakdown of collagen and elastin. It has also been known to relieve symptoms related to eczema and psoriasis.

6. Bisabolol: Bisabolol has a weak sweet floral aroma and is used in various fragrances. It has also been used for hundreds of years in cosmetics because of its perceived skin healing properties. Bisabolol is known to have anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. Bisabolol is also demonstrated to enhance the percutaneous absorption of certain molecules.

7. Arginine: Is a semi-essential amino acid (amino acids make up the building blocks of the proteins in our body). It has been found to speed up wound healing, and increase production of collagen in mice. - Journal of Trauma

8. Grapewine Shoot Extract: Has been attributed to potent antioxidant properties in skin- link

9. Tocopherol (vitamin E): As an antioxidant, vitamin E acts as a  radical scavenger, preventing the propagation of free radicals in tissues. As it is fat-soluble, it is incorporated into cell membranes, which protects them from oxidative damage.

In an attempt to make these review posts a little more personal I present to you this hideous photo of me with my Caudalie Vinoperfect peeling mask on my face.

The mask is a thick white creamy, yet clay like substance that is easily spread on the face. It has a slight smell of, flowers, cucumber, perhaps? Anyway, its there, but faint enough to make you feel like you’re treating yourself to something nice and skin beneficial.

You end up looking like a ghost for the 10 minutes it’s supposed to be on, but that’s part of the fun of facial pampering, is it not? You can get away with a thinner layer than I put on here. I just slabbered on some extra, fearing it wouldn’t show up on camera if i didn’t.

After 10 minutes the mask is washed off with warm water, and your skin feels soft, and radiant, especially after you add a serum or a moisturizer. The effects are also seen and felt the next day. I did this mask last night, and today my skin is plump and happy with just a little of my dermalogica clean start brighten up moisturizer.

Why I like it:
1. It contains active ingredients, with documented skin boosting benefits

2. It leaves my skin glowing, and moisturized

3. It’s great for prepping skin before going out, and because it leaves it so moisturized, it eliminates the necessity of having to put a skin-calming, pamper-product on after. Just a dash of serum, or regular moisturizer will do.

The Caudalie Vinoperfect Enzymatic Peeling mask can be found on feelunique with free delivery for £26.10 Caudalie-Vinoperfect-Enzymatic-Peel-Mask.