Caudalie Skincare Review

quality skincare that really works

I have always been one to take good care of my skin. And when I got into my 30s, I doubled down in investing in quality skincare that really works. One of my go-to brands is Caudalie – the French skincare brand known for luxurious, effective clean skincare formulations.

I use a lot of their products in my skincare routine and have tried nearly the entire line…it absolutely takes up a lot of real estate in my bathroom! I’ve fully updated my review with my latest thoughts and favorites to help you shop the line.

What Is Caudalie?

The brand was founded in the 1990s and has grown to feature a lineup of products to treat all sorts of skincare concerns. The beauty brand is beloved by French women for its mindful prices and effective formulas and can be found widely throughout France and now the rest of the world as well.

The Caudalie line is based around products harnessing extracts from the grape and grapevine that have been proven effective in aiding skin. Why? The line got its origin story in Bordeaux, in the heart of the vines at Château Smith Haut Lafitte which is the winery belonging to Caudalie founder Mathilde’s parents. The winery is now also home to a five star luxury hotel you can visit.

The Caudalie line is cruelty free and also works to limit their use of plastics and environmental impact of the products as they’re produced. The brand is focused on key ingredients that really target your biggest concerns – think aging, dark spots and lack of radiance or lack of firmness.

I first began using Caudalie after picking up minis of the brand at French drugstores while on trips to Paris. Now I’ve been using it for the better part of a decade! Consider this post the mother of all Caudalie Reviews from someone who has used the products regularly to really get results.

My favorite products from Caudalie come from four different lines. The Resveratrol line which is dedicated to anti-wrinkle and firming technology. The Premier Cru line which is the high end, anti-aging line. The Vinopure line which is all things anti-acne and aids in helping oily and problem skin. And the Vinoperfect line which is all about brightening skin that looks or feels lackluster. That particular skin care line is also great if you have any dark spots you’re trying to diminish.

There are a few products I absolutely love that are not part of particular lines as well that you’ll find at the bottom of this post.

I have tried other Caudalie products that are not included in the below review as I didn’t find them to work for my skin type. So those below are what I’ve tried, tested and re-purchased time after time. Much of the line is formulated with sensitive skin types in mind which I appreciate as I have had bad reactions to skincare products from time to time but never with any Caudalie products.

Caudalie Resveratrol

My favorites from the Caudalie Resveratrol Line

This line had a refresh in recent years and was re-released with a new patent (in partnership with Harvard University) and now features a vegan collagen alternative that is 2X more effective than retinol to visibly firm skin.

Caudalie Resveratrol Lift Instant Firming Serum

If you’re over the age of 30 do not miss this serum! It does an amazing job of firming skin that is aging and therefore losing collagen and firmness. It’s oil-free and after a few weeks of use I noticed my skin was visibly more firm and lifted. Better yet? It features Caudalie’s exclusive patented alternative to retinol – one of the best anti-aging ingredients around. The brand says it is 3x more effective than retinol for firming and lifting the appearance of the skin. It is potent yet gentle. They liken it to their botox in a bottle sort of solution.

I also love that the new formulation is vegan and comes in recyclable packaging! I use this serum at night as part of my P.M. skincare routine.

Caudalie Resveratrol Lift Firming Eye Gel-Cream

This eye cream is great if you are noticing more fine lines around your eyes. It has a soothing gel formula and it glides on beautifully and can have makeup put atop it with no pilling if you use it in the morning. I find myself reaching for it morning and night and love that it works to make fine lines less noticeable by plumping and firming the skin around my eyes.

Caudalie Resveratrol Retinol Alternative Firming Cashmere Cream

For aging skin that is feeling less firm, reach for this cream. I love how nourishing it feels and it absolutely works over time to help firm skin and diminish signs of aging. My skin instantly feels more taught after I apply this in the morning and I definitely find it helps with fine lines and wrinkles.

There is also a Night Cream version of the Cashmere Cream I like.

Consider this set to test out the line’s bestsellers.

When the line is used together and used consistently, you’ll really notice a difference in the firmness of your skin. I like the effect it has had in firming my jaw line / double chin.

My favorites from the Caudalie Premier Cru Line

Caudalie Premier Cru

Caudalie Premier Cru Rich Cream

This newer cream is utterly gorgeous and my skin loves it. It works to target eight signs of aging and really works to put hydration back into your skin. In the morning my skin looks more plump and is less flaky and patchy when I use this at night.

This extra rich moisturizer is powered by patented TET8™ technology to correct deep wrinkles, fine lines, firmness, volume, elasticity, dark spots, intense moisture, radiance. So while it is expensive, it also really goes to work.

I love that the brand has made the jar refillable so when you finish it you can just order a refill!

I will say there is a strong fragrance to it at first but it dissipates quickly.

Caudalie Premier Cru Eye Cream

Feel like the skin around your eyes is starting to show more signs of aging? Call in the big guns with this award winning eye cream. I use it at night often but it is good in the morning too as it has pearlizers in the formula that help make the skin around your eyes look more awake. The metal tip applicator also helps diminish puffiness!

If you want to try the pricier Premier Cru line without committing to full size, the brand offers a great Trial Size Premier Cru set.

Caudalie Vinopure

My favorites from the Caudalie Vinopure Line

Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Toner

This toner is a game changer for breakouts. I discovered it first after wearing facial masks during the 2020 pandemic became a regularity and my usually breakout-free face started getting loads of angry pimples. The toner + the below Vinopure serum from the same line completed cleared up my maskne and healed my breakouts in less than two weeks.

It features 100 percent natural salicylic acid to control oil and diminish the appearance of future blackheads and breakouts. If I ever feel breakouts coming on I reach for this toner right away and begin using it after cleansing. It goes to work right away.

Caudalie Vinopure Natural Salicylic Acid Pore Minimizing Serum

If you suffer from breakouts or overly oily skin – reach for this serum. It’s a lightweight gel powered by 100 percent natural salicylic acid to address blackheads, pores, breakouts, and excess oil.

I use it whenever my skin is feeling congested or like I might be breaking out soon in tandem with the Vinopure toner. It has a bit of a soapy texture to it which I don’t love but I’ve found that as long as you let it soak in and dry before you apply other products, it’ll solve that.

Vinopure Color Correcting Spot Solution with Salicylic Acid

I am so glad the brand finally came out with a spot treatment! This one goes to work quickly to visibly reduce breakouts in size in as little as 4 hours. Formulated with 100% natural Salicylic Acid, Tea Tree and 2% Niacinamide, this fast-acting cream visibly purifies and reduces redness thanks to its green hue.

If you suffer from acne or breakouts, I can’t recommend the Vinopure line enough.

My favorites from the Caudalie Vinoperfect Line

I initially used a Vinoperfect regimen for one month straight to test this line and the products ended up being staples in my routine.

I’ve found it highly effective in boosting my skin’s radiance and overall my skin tone is more even and past dark spots and acne scars have been minimized with regular use of the below products.

I use the Radiance Serum and Glycolic Essence every single morning.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum

This serum has a cult-like following for good reason. It’s highly concentrated to get to work fast. It’ll combat any dark spots that are bothering you, even your skin tone and boost your overall radiance.

I’ve gone through more bottles of this than I can count. It’s the first that always hits my skin every morning post cleansing. There’s a reason they have sold millions of bottles and it has name recognition. It is truly a magical serum.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Glycolic Essence

This essence made a big difference in my skin when I began using it every morning. I apply it after my Radiance serum and before my moisturizer of the day. It uses glycolic acid to gently remove dead skin and grape water to hydrate. My skin became brighter, smoother and my skin tone appeared more even. Be sure to press this product into the skin as you apply it.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Moisturizer with Niacinamide

This is my go-to moisturizer for days I am not wearing makeup. It instantly adds glow to your face so it looks as though you’ve applied a tinted moisturizer with some glow. It’s a lightweight, oil-free gel formula with brightening viniferine, niacinamide, and natural pearlizers to address the look of dark spots, visibly even tone, and give skin a glowing appearance. I also love that this moisturizer is vegan, gluten-free, comes in recyclable packaging, and is reef safe.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Glycolic Night Cream

If you need extra TLC for dark spots, reach for this rich night cream. Glycolic acid smooths and you’ll awake with brighter skin. This is a thick formula so a little goes a long way. This is my night cream of choice often whenever I feel like my skin needs a bit of love.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Dark Circle Brightening Eye Cream with Niacinamide

My current go-to A.M. eye cream. Great for if you suffer from dark circles, this eye cream visibly brightens, evens out the under-eye texture and hydrates the eye contour, while its cooling ceramic applicator reduces puffiness and awakens tired eyes.

I rotate through all three eye creams featured above depending on how my skin is feeling. They are all great!

If you want to try a few of these SKUs they offer a great Discovery Set for the Vinoperfect line.

Additional Caudalie Favorites

Caudalie Grape Water

This has cult-status with my French friends (and their mothers!) This 100% organic grape water features 100% natural origin ingredients and sustainable packaging while being rich in minerals, potassium and moisturizing polysaccharides to deliver intense, immediate hydration. It is particularly great if you have sensitive skin that needs soothing! I keep this on my nightstand whenever my skin feels like it needs a good drink via a face mist.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

A cult-status multi-tasker that I love to use as a mid-day pick me up, a makeup setting spray, a refresher on travel days and before I ice roll my face. It tightens your pores, make you feel more refreshed and can even refresh your makeup mid-day.

I keep a mini on my desk at all times and never get on a plane without it, either! It is an absolute travel essential for me.

I personally recommend picking up the mini Beauty Elixir before committing to the larger size. I keep the larger size on my bathroom sink though to spritz throughout the day and before bedtime every night.

Caudalie VinoHydra

Caudalie VinoHydra Deep Moisture Cream

This night cream is the best for dry, dehydrated skin. You’ll notice an improvement in your dry skin in just one use. I add it back into my routine every November/December as the air gets colder and dryer and indoor heating kicks in. I’ve used up several jars and I’ve never found another cream to rival the hydration this one gives (even La Mer didn’t do as good of a job!) I have found that a little goes a long way and this cream will absorb best when you let your other skincare soak in first.

The creams in this line used to come in jars but now come in tubes and you can pick the one best suited to how much moisture you feel your skin needs.

Caudalie VinoHydra Moisturizing Mask

If you need a boost of hydration in the Winter, this mask will do the trick. I always reach for it in winter when my skin starts to feel tight or dry in patches. Hyaluronic acid delivers hydration to dry skin and a Caudalie ingredient called Vinolevure soothes any redness or irritation and strengthens skin to retain more moisture over time.

The mask also features grape seed oil and olive squalane to nourish and therefore further protect the skin’s barrier and preventing future dehydration. Better yet? I love that you can use this either as a 15-minute fix or you can leave it on overnight by applying it as your last step in your nighttime skincare regimen.

Caudalie VinoSun

Caudalie at long last has released an SPF in the U.S. as of 2024! You shake this SPF before applying it and I love that it is a mineral formula and blends easily into skin (as long as you’ve shaken the bottle first!) It dries down well and works well under makeup. I’ve been a convert ever since I first tested it!

They have a great value set I would recommend grabbing while it is available to try it + my favorite serum.

Caudalie Instant Detox Mask

I always reach for this clean mask when my pores feel clogged and overly congested. I recommend using it once a week after taking a hot shower when your pores are most open. Skin will feel healthier and look better after just one use.

The formula kind of does it all – Grape marc powerfully detoxifies, while pink clay and coffee absorb blackhead-causing dirt and excess sebum.Then Papaya enzymes invigorate and brighten, and organic essential oils like lavender and sage actively fight off bacteria, reducing the probability of future breakouts. Win/win/win! This mask is a bestseller for the brand is often sold out.

Caudalie Gentle Buffing Cream

If you have sensitive skin but want a good scrub, reach for this gentle buffing cream that rids skin of excess dead skin to look more revived without irritation. Skin feels super soft afterwards and I love it as a little refresh. Every time I get a facial at Caudalie, the estheticians always add a bit of this to a foaming or cream cleanser to do a deeper clean. This is a great tip you could use at home!

Fig Body Oil Elixir

A new and deeply moisturizing, antioxidant-rich oil that hydrates and smooths skin. It is enriched with a blend of firming Prickly Pear, Grape Seed & Argan oils and thanks to being lightweight you can use it on body, cuticles, hair – you name it.

Is Caudalie Worth It

I think this line is absolutely worth the investment. I find the products to be well priced for the benefits you get. Like any skin care, you must use the products regularly to get results! If you’re trying not to spend a lot of money, I recommend you try some of their minis available in the gift sets on their website. I also personally purchases these so I can have minis of my favorite products with me when I travel.

But always remember – consistency is key!

Caudalie Before And After

If you want to see some of the above Caudalie products in action – check out my Morning Skincare Routine. I have used the Vinoperfect Serum and the Essence every morning in particular for over six years and love the results I have. In this photo I have done no editing to my skin and I have never had any Botox or fillers done captured at the age of 37.

En Route to Rêverie

Caudalie Skincare Review

What Is Caudalie?