A grape escape: spa products from vineyards
Luxury Vancouver spa CHI has launched a new menu of services featuring products from the prestige skincare brand Caudalie.
The family-owned French brand specializes in creating natural products that harness the power of grape extracts derived from the vineyards of Bordeaux, Champagne and Burgundy.
Ripe with anti-aging properties such as vine resveratrol, hyaluronic acid and antioxidants, the products purportedly benefit the skin, sans the use of any harsh chemicals or additives.
And now Vancouver beauty fans can get a taste of the French brand’s trademark beauty processes and products (some of which are for sale at the spa) without having to jet off to Paris, New York City or Toronto.
The new spa menu offers five services: the CHI Premier Cru Facial; Vinoperfect Radiance Facial; Vinosource Hydrating Facial; Crushed Cabernet Body Treatment; and Divine Indulgence Body Treatment, each with its own list of skin-benefitting claims.
We tried the Crushed Cabernet Body Treatment — a “sculpting” service that includes an exfoliating body scrub, steam shower and body butter application — and the Vinoperfect Radiance Facial, which uses “essential oils combined with massage, using hot and cool stones, to stimulate skin’s luminosity,” according to a news release.
The body treatment was an absolute treat from start to finish. Unlike some scrubs that can feel too coarse or too soft, the
Caudalie exfoliator was just right. The recipe features grape seeds, essential oils and brown sugar to gently rough up dead skin and reveal a smoother, softer surface.
The formula, which blissfully features a honey ingredient so the formula sticks more to your skin than the surrounding surfaces, is applied by hand from collarbone to toes. Following the exfoliation, guests head to their private steam shower to briefly relax and then rinse off the rough-flecked goop.
Our tester was most pleased with the body butter stage of the treatment. The subtly scented cream is thick and soft, the texture much like whipped butter being slathered across freshly exfoliated skin. The result? A feeling of absolute hydration and resurfacing that leaves even the most winter-hardened skin feeling soothed and renewed.
The facial focuses on cleansing and exfoliating skin. We loved the gentle technique of the cleansing step, and the warm towels were a treat, but the facial exfoliator was a tad stingy, and may not be best for those with sensitive skin (alternatives are available by request).
Overall, the experience left skin glowing, pleasantly scented and velvety smooth — from face to feet.