Anyone who’s been with me in these past few months would be aware of my love for all things to do with beauty and skin care. I’m actually quite proud of my extensive knowledge of beauty and skin care and my overflowing collection of skin care and beauty products. But, at this point, I think that it would be prudent to tell you that even though I adore make-up and beauty, my first love has always been my skin and skin care. After all, when the mascara comes off, the only thing that defines the way you look is your skin. My mama always used to tell me that the skin comes above all else and I think it’s something that’s just stuck with me over the years.
As a skin care enthusiast, I don’t care about basing products on their brands, their marketing or their price tags. What I look for in products are their versatility, their ingredient list and the whether they contain any harmful chemicals that could hurt my skin. Even when I find something that I really like, I always make sure that I test the product on a small patch of my skin to ensure that it doesn’t react or lead to allergies. I would also recommend all of you to insist on free product demonstrations and patch tests when it comes to products that you’re trying for the first time. Remember, all products might not suit your skin and there might be a few ingredients that could lead to allergic reactions on your skin.
Doing a patch test is really simple. All you need to do is take a little bit of the product and test it out on a small area of your skin, preferably on the crook of your elbow or the pulse of your wrist. Leave the area unwashed for about 24 – 48 hours. If you don’t find any reactions, you can go ahead and purchase the product for your regular use.
When I was introduced to the Vine Vera brand, I fell in love with their products on the first shot. I think that for the first time in my life, the ingredient list was the second thing to impress me. The first thing that created a huge impression was the Vine Vera store itself. I have been to so many beauty stores across the US, but I have never seen such lavish creations. They literally seemed to be luxurious spas and not stores that sell skin care products. Another thing that really impressed me was the use of resveratrol, natural nutrients, essential oils and beneficial vitamins.
Selecting these wine inspired products gives you a chance of choosing something that cares for your skin, deals with your skin issues, helps you to look younger and offers products for all types of skin. Finally, Vine Vera is one of those few skin care brands that doesn’t make its male customers feel left out either. It has just so many products that are also known to be highly effective on the male skin.
I was particularly interested in the Vine Vera Chianti Collection and I decided to pick it up for myself. Chianti reminds me of the wine, its rich flavor of cherry and roses, its beautiful aroma. I think that the Chianti wine has a perfect taste with its medium – high acidity. Thus, by selecting the name Chianti, Vine Vera had unknowingly created a huge expectation from the collection (definitely in my case). Whether or not the collection manages to do justice to its name can only be understood once we try out the Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Collection.
The brand terms the Chianti Collection as its “warming collection”. I thought that this was a funny thing to state until I found out about the reasons behind the same. I was surprised to discover that these products actually warm up when they come in contact with your skin in order to let you know that they are working. Now, that’s what I call technology. That’s growth. I mean, who would have imagined something like this in the Medieval Ages? Like all other Vine Vera products and collections, the Vine Vera Chianti Collection uses resveratrol as its main ingredient. However, it also offers a perfect blend of other skin care ingredients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, collagen, sodium hyaluronate, palmitoyl oligopeptide, olive oil and kojic acid. Being a skin care enthusiast, I am well aware of all these ingredients, but I actually haven’t come across many products that offer all these “luxury” ingredients in the same collection. The Vine Vera skin specialist (yes, they have certified in-house skin specialists in each of their stores) told me that this collection was an ideal alternative to Botox and it was completely safe to use as well. Well, I decided to put her claims to test.
There are four products in this collection – the Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Revival Serum, Vine VeraResveratrol Chianti Morning Recovery, Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Overnight Recovery and the Vine Vera Resveratrol Chiani Thermic Mask. I tested out each of these products over the course of the day, using them as directed by Vine Vera Skincare, and here is what I have to say.
The Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Revival Serum
The Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Revival Serum offers a magnificent formulation and contains ingredients like resveratrol, vitamin C, palmitoyl oligopeptide and sodium hyaluronate. The ingredients present in this product work wonders on your skin and really go a long way in helping out with issues like anti-aging. I think that ever since I added the Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Revival Serum to my regular skin care routine, my skin certainly feels a lot softer and refreshed. Vine Vera advises you to apply the serum on the face and the neck area, paying particular attention to areas of most concern. They also state that one should always use gentle circular movements to massage the face and follow it with the Morning Recovery/ Overnight Recovery Cream. I have been using this product along with the rest of the Vine Vera Chianti Collection and I certainly think that the product works much better when you use the collection as a whole. After all, they make the products such that each product in the collection complements the other. Moreover, it always helps to use the serum after applying (before the mask dries up completely) the Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Thermic Mask. I read a few other customer reviews and most of them mentioned that using the Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Revival Serum regularly also supports your cell turnover, increases elasticity of your face and protects your skin from further damage.
The Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Morning Recovery
The Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Morning Recovery is an amazingly lightweight product that allows you to replenish your lost moisture and gives your skin a perfectly hydrated look. This product also goes a long way when it comes to issues like anti-aging and firming the skin. I checked out the ingredient list on the product and found out that the Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Morning Recovery contains ingredients like palmitoyl oligopeptide, olive oil, resveratrol, acetyl hexapeptide-8, aloe vera and vitamin A. They recommend customers to apply this rich cream generously to the face and neck area as a part of the morning skin care routine. I followed the instructions to a T and it worked out perfectly. Personally, I really liked the fact that this amazing product from Vine Vera helps you to enjoy a healthy glow all through the day and also allows you to look refreshed.
The Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Overnight Recovery
The Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Overnight Recovery has definitely become an extremely integral part of my nightly skin care routine. I found that this product works wonders in restoring the moisture content of the skin as well as the balance of the skin. The product also allows the skin to rejuvenate itself overnight. I had read somewhere that our skin loses its moisture on a daily basis and it also gets tormented by factors such as the damage caused by the UV rays of the sun as well as free radical damage. The Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Overnight Recovery prevents this damage from taking place in the first place. I checked out the ingredient list on that beautiful brown colored box and it said that the product contains ingredients like palmitoyl oligopeptide, collagen, sodium hyaluronate, vitamin A and vitamin E; all known to be amazing ingredients for the skin. For best results, they suggested that one should always apply a generous amount of product to the face and neck area and gently massage the product onto the skin for about 30 seconds. I feel that the Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Overnight Recovery acts as one of the best restorative treatments that not only gives you the pleasure of looking at a refreshed and rejuvenated face the first thing in the morning, but also works wonders in the long run. The active ingredients contained in this product work on your skin while you’re sleeping and give you a smoother look when you wake up.
The Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Thermic Mask
No matter what I say, I really cannot do justice when it comes to defining the Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Thermic Mask. I have really fallen in love with the heating effect that this mask has to offer. According to skin care experts, the heating effect helps the product to warm up the skin, thereby allowing the product to effectively deliver the nutrients and vitamins that it contains to the deeper lying layers of your skin. I used the Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Thermic Mask exactly as directed in the instructions guide that is also offered along with the product and applied the serum before the mask had dried up completely. When I washed my face, my skin looked so soft and so beautiful that I was jumping with joy. I checked the ingredient list of this product and discovered that the Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Thermic Mask contains a number of amazing skin care ingredients like sweet almond oil, resveratrol, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C and aloe vera. For best results, I would suggest you to apply the mask on your face and leave it on for about 15 minutes. Don’t forget to apply the serum before the mask completely dries out in order to boost the heating effect of the mask and make the product work even better.
The Vine Vera Chianti Collection can be brought from any Vine Vera store or from the Vine Vera website. The entire collection costs $1,584.00. The individual product prices are as follows:-
- Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Overnight Recovery – $296.00
- Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Morning Recovery – $346.00
- Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Thermic Mask – $596.00
- Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Revival Serum – $346.00
To help you guys further, I decided to list down some of the main ingredients contained in this collection and research on the exact benefits that they have to offer to your skin. Here’s what I found out about some of the main ingredients used in this amazing collection.
Resveratrol
Haven’t you heard mentions of this miracle ingredient just about everywhere of late? Well, that’s because of the continuous stream of studies which keep coming out with new wonders that this amazing skin care ingredient has to offer. Resveratrol is a red wine compound that is commonly found in the skin of red grapes, a plant called Japanese Knotsweed and certain fruits and nuts. It is mostly famous for its outstanding antioxidant properties. I was delighted to learn that Vine Vera makes use of resveratrol as a signature ingredient because I am completely bowled over by this particular skin care ingredient. I believe that any brand which uses this ingredient is really worth a try. Resveratrol’s anti-aging benefits have been well documented through numerous studies and this has ultimately led to the creation of brands like Vine Vera. In order to understand how it truly works, you first need to understand resveratrol itself. This ingredient is produced by certain plants as a means of withstanding lack of water, lack of nutrients or to fight off attackers. The ingredient first came into being around the year 1940 and its immense value was discovered by the 1970s. The cardiovascular benefits of red wine were attributed to resveratrol in the 1990s and its popularity hasn’t dwindled ever since. In the past few decades, numerous studies have also confirmed all sorts of benefits that this ingredient has to offer. You might argue that there are all sorts of antioxidants that are used in skin care products. So what is it that makes resveratrol so special as an antioxidant. Well, resveratrol is considered to be truly unique because of its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and its ability to protect the human brain and the nervous system. Moreover, resveratrol also works wonders in protecting the skin cells from free radical damage as well as sun damage (I believe very few ingredients offer both types of protection), keeping the heart healthy, preventing the spread of cancer, inhibiting Alzheimer’s disease and lowering the blood pressure. Other benefits of resveratrol include preventing cardiovascular problems, increasing mental sharpness, increasing the endurance levels and improving the eyesight.
Another highly interesting aspect about resveratrol is that it helps out with calorie restriction. Research has already shown that calorie restriction can delay the signs of aging and can also prolong life. These benefits have been confirmed for a number of fruit flies and primate species and it is believed that similar benefits should also be experienced in the human body.
Since resveratrol is an antioxidant which can reduce inflammation in your skin and protect your cells from oxidative damage, it offers some exciting anti-aging benefits. In fact, studies show that resveratrol is more potent than idebenone as an antioxidant. Oxidative damage usually occurs because of the damage caused by the free radicals that are produced by exposure to sunlight and oxygen. These compounds break down the collagen and elastin in your skin and lead to wrinkles and fine lines. Resveratrol simply prevents this damage, thereby reducing the appearance of aging signs on your skin.
Olive Oil
Olive Oil extract is one of the active ingredients in the Chianti Collection. It is known to be full of antioxidants and it also boasts of offering anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Olive oil is often used as a skin moisturizer as it softens and conditions the skin. It helps to protect the skin from environmental factors such as sun damage, harsh weather conditions and wind, while reversing signs of aging to a large extent. Since olive oil is full of antioxidants, it can help control free radical damage and make the skin look young and healthy.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A, popularly known as the anti-ager, is one of those skin care ingredients that boasts of having hundreds of studies to its name. Its benefits have been well documented and it can really bring about a visible difference to the way your skin looks within a short period of time. Vitamin A is commonly found in night creams and over-the-counter lotions as well as prescription products. Some of the biggest benefits of adding vitamin A into your skin care routine are that it helps to fade brown spots, smoothes rough skin and reduces the appearance of your wrinkles. I would say that anyone wanting to enjoy younger looking skin and deal with anti-aging must look for vitamin A in his or her product. A word of caution – the ideal time to use vitamin A is at night. Vitamin A can make your skin more susceptible to sun damage, and this means that you should always add products that contain this ingredient into your nightly skin care routine. In fact, this was something that the lady at the VineVera store brought to my notice.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, another popular anti-aging vitamin, is equally essential for your skin care. One of the biggest advantages of vitamin C is that it is water soluble. This means that you can never overdose on vitamin C, irrespective of the quantities consumed through your skin care products and your diet. Some dermatologists recommend that you should look for products which mention vitamin C towards the middle of their ingredient list. This implies that the vitamin has been used in the right proportions. Insider Tip – This logic applies to all skin care products. The FDA has mandated that brands need to list ingredients based on the quantities used in the product formulation. This means that the ingredient listed at the top has been used the most while the ingredient listed towards the bottom has been used sparingly.
Coming back to vitamin C, this exciting skin care ingredient is a proven fine line and wrinkle fighter that helps in alleviating issues such as sagging, wrinkling and other aging symptoms. Vitamin C is also known to be beneficial for diminishing brown spots and firming up the skin. In fact, in a particular study, women who used vitamin C to treat their sun-damaged skin for a period of 6 months saw huge improvements in terms of discoloration and fine lines. I would recommend you to use your vitamin C based products as a part of your morning skin care routine, before using the sunscreens. This helps to shield your skin from any free radicals that manage to surpass the sunscreen protection.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is commonly used in anti-aging skin care products in formulations of close to 1%. This means that the vitamin is usually listed towards the middle of the ingredient list. What makes vitamin E so special for your skin care routine is that it can neutralize the damage caused by free radicals. This is one of the main reasons why vitamin E is commonly known as “the protector”. One particular study also managed to prove that vitamin E can greatly reduce the unstable molecules that are caused by cigarette smoke on the skin. An ideal way to use vitamin E would be to add it to your morning and evening skin care routine. It perfectly supplements both vitamin A and vitamin C and really works wonders by offering amazing anti-inflammatory action as well.
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Acetyl hexapeptide 8, or Argireline, is a peptide compound which is commonly used in a number of skin care formulations. Most people develop fine lines on their face due to repeated facial expressions such as furrowing the brow, frowning or smiling. Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 works by getting rid of these wrinkles. It intercepts the relevant messages from your brain and prevents muscle contractions.
Collagen
Did you know that there are 25 different types of collagen present in your skin? I certainly was surprised to hear that! I’m sure that you must be knowing that collagen is responsible for giving your skin its structure and texture. The problem is that the skin begins to reduce the production of collagen as it begins to grow older. This is why it ends up developing things line fine lines and wrinkles. Things become worse because of things like stress, pollution, improper skin care, etc. because they make the rate of collagen production even slower. When used topically, it is an amazing water binding ingredient that can hold the natural hydration of your skin and keep it looking plump and soft. Moreover, collagen also protects the skin from moisture loss and is non-irritating. This is why it is known to be an ideal ingredient in luxury skin care products.
Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium hyaluronate refers to the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is found in our joints, in our skin and in our eyes. However, like collagen, the level of hyaluronic acid in the body tends to decline with age. Since hyaluronic acid is also responsible for giving the skin its volume, this decline makes the skin look older. However, hyaluronic acid cannot be used in skin care products because it fails to penetrate the skin when added topically. This is where sodium hyaluronate comes into the picture. It is known to be smaller than hyaluronic acid, which allows it to penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin. This is extremely advantageous because sodium hyaluronate acts as a powerful humectant which holds onto water and plays the role of the perfect skin moisturizer. The water binding properties of sodium hyaluronate also lead to swelling, which in turn reduces the presence of wrinkles and fine lines to bring about a younger appearance. These properties make sodium hyaluronate an ideal ingredient in all sorts of anti-aging products and the fact that the skin already has hyaluronic acid makes the prospect even more appealing. Furthermore, we always look out for ingredients which won’t irritate the skin and are not toxic. Sodium hyaluronate again acts as the perfect fit. Finally, this ingredient doesn’t leave behind a greasy feel, which makes it suitable for people with all types of skin. I feel that any ingredient which can offer so many amazing benefits is a must for anyone dreaming of a well-defined and effective skin care regimen.
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide
Palmitoyl oligopeptide is a mixture of several amino acids such as arginine, alanine, histidine, proline, glycine, aspartic acid and palmitic acid. This ingredient is used in skin care formulations because it is known to have the ability of being able to encourage the production of intercellular matrix substances such as hyaluronic acids as well as stimulate the production of collagen. When choosing this ingredient for your skin care, you can be rest assured that there are a number of products which contain palmitoyl oligopeptide. However, some products might be listing the ingredient as palmitoyl hexapeptide-12. In most cases, this ingredient is found in high-end skin care products only. This is why I believe Vine Vera offers the perfect all-round protection for your skin. It is one of those brands which shall always contain the ingredients you would want to see in your skin care products and never contain ingredients that you don’t want to see in your skin care products.
Kojic Acid
Kojic acid is a white powdery substance that was discovered way back in the year 1989. This ingredient has been used in numerous skin care products because of the outstanding benefits that it has to offer ever since. The ingredient is extracted from certain mushrooms that grow in Japan. Its main role in skin care products is to act as a skin lightening agent. When the ingredient is added in the right amounts, it interferes with the production of melanin by preventing an enzyme called tyroinase from starting the reactions which are essential for creating the pigment. Apart from offering skin-lightening properties, kojic acid is also known to be a rich antioxidant. This means that it has the potential to combat any oxidative damage caused to your skin cells and protect the skin from free radicals. This ultimately implies that kojic acid acts as a fantastic anti-aging ingredient as well. Finally, kojic acid has anti-bacterial properties which saves the skin from bacterial infections.
To summarize my experience, I decided to feature some of the wonders that Vine Vera and its products had to offer.
Natural ingredients
Vine Vera offers skin care products that are formulated using natural ingredients. This helps in keeping the skin looking healthy and beautiful. It also improves prevailing skin problems and gives you the glowing and gorgeous look that you always wished for.
Expert advice
A lot of people fail to take proper care of their skin because they end up choosing the wrong skin care products. This is why Vine Vera stores have skin experts who suggest the best collection for your skin based on your skin issues and your skin type. They also guide you on how to use of products and offer complimentary product demonstrations of each product that you wish to purchase. Only when you’re completely satisfied with the product, you can purchase them and use them as directed for best results.
Against Cruelty to Animals
Although this has nothing to do with skin care, this is something that I love to see in a brand. Vine Vera stands against cruelty to animals and doesn’t test its products or collections on animals. This is extremely important to me as I am an animal lover and I simply cannot tolerate them being used for testing and research processes.
A spa-like experience
Vine Vera always offers its customers an amazing spa-like experience, both at the store and at home. Its products are really luxurious in their application and the stores really take opulence to another level altogether. Each store features highly trained personnel and also offers complimentary services such as product demonstrations, skin consultations and VIP facials.
Highly effective products
These products have exciting capabilities when it comes to reducing sun damage and the signs of aging. Adding the right Vine Vera collection into your skin care regimen can not only give you a luxurious spa-like feel, but also work wonders in alleviating your skin issues, making your skin look younger and flawless and leaving you with a beautiful looking glow. Each product also offers an amazing mix of peptides, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, botanical extracts and hydroxyl acids. I like the fact that the brand has 10 different collections on offer. Each collection has been made for different skin types and different skin issues. This means that there is always something special in store for your skin at the Vine Vera store. Better yet, in addition to treating those specific skin conditions, all Vine Vera products also concentrate on offering anti-aging benefits.
Before taking my leave, I would once again like to sum up the various products contained in the Vine Vera Chianti Collection and the unique benefits that they offer.
Vine Vera Resveratrol Chianti Collection- This collection strives to improve the appearance of expression lines from your skin. It enhances your skin care routine and takes it to the next level. The presence of ingredients such as resveratrol, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, palmitoyl oligopeptide and acetyl hexapeptide-8 allow the Vine Vera Chianti Collection to improve your skin tone and give it a youthful glow.
The Resveratrol Chianti Revival Serum- If you want to transform your skin care routine into something unique that gives you amazing results, apply the Resveratrol Chianti Revival Serum. Massage a few pea sized drops of this amazing serum on your neck and your face.
The Resveratrol Chianti Morning Recovery- Formulated to help give a smooth and soft look; the Morning Recovery is truly a magical solution. The signs of aging shall drastically reduce through regular use of this amazing moisturizer. A small amount of the product should be applied to your neck, T-Zone and face area.
The Resveratrol Chianti Overnight Recovery- It is essential to keep your skin looking fresh the next day, and the Resveratrol Chianti Overnight Recovery lets you do just that. It gives your skin a softer and smoother look and helps in diminishing wrinkles and fine lines. Massage the product on the cleansed face as a part of your nightly skin care routine.
The Resveratrol Chianti Thermic Mask- This is certainly my favorite product in the Chianti Collection. The Chianti Thermic Mask heats up when it comes in contact with your skin, and this lets you enjoy an amazing spa-like feel in your own home. It features a special formula which gives an instant warming effect the moment it comes in contact with your skin. In order to use the product, cleanse the skin and apply a thin layer of the mask. Leave it on your skin for 15-20 minutes and wash off with cool water.