We hope you enjoyed our interview with Lena Korres earlier this week. Today we journey to the vineyards of France to meet Mathilde Thomas, founder of innovative skincare brand Caudalie. Discover how your skin problems can be solved with the power of the vine…

Can you tell us a little bit about Caudalie? What’s the inspiration behind the brand?

The Caudalie history began in 1993 when during the grape harvest we met Dr Vercauteren, a researcher at the Faculté de Pharmacie de Bordeaux specialized in polyphenols.  He revealed to us the extraordinary anti-oxidant power of grapeseed polyphenols.

Those grape polyphenols provide exceptional protection for the skin against free radicals, the main cause of skin ageing. Caudalie is the first beauty company to use and patent stabilized grapeseed polyphenols in skincare.

registered a patent on the extraction and stabilization of grapeseed polyphenols in 1994. A new path in anti-ageing cosmetic treatments was opened.  The first 3 products in the Caudalie range were released in 1995. The following year, Caudalie signed a research agreement with the University of Pharmacy of Bordeaux, and installed its own team of researchers.

From the beginning, Caudalie products are formulated with a maximum of natural ingredients in order to preserve the environment and the skin. In 2006, Caudalie made an innovative move by removing parabens from all its products and replacing them with preservatives used by organic brands. Caudalie products contain no parabens, phenoxyethanol, mineral oils, and artificial colourings to protect both the skin and the environment. Caudalie‘s emblematic and bestsellers products are Vinoperfect Serum, Eau de Beauté, Crushed Cabernet Scrub as well as Premier Cru.

Caudalie recently launched Premier Cru – can you tell us what makes this special?

It took me 7 years to bring to fruition the dream of a cream that would combine the best in anti-ageing. The ultimate anti-ageing: Premier Cru could have been called the “Crème de la Crème”! Inspired by the finest vintages from the Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Premier Cru is a combination of the 3 Caudalie patent (Resveratrol, Viniferine and grape Polyphenols) with the most effective natural active ingredients to treat all the signs of ageing: wrinkles, lack of firmness, dark spots, oxidative stress, dullness, cutaneous dryness etc. Regenerated and redensified, the skin is smoother, firmer, more luminous and visibly younger. The results are spectacular. And since it does everything, it’s all I carry when I travel.

Which are your favourite Caudalie products in the range and why?

Premier Cru The Cream because it does it all! It’s a serum, moisturiser – it has all the incredible Caudalie patents in one. It delivers all the benefits of the active ingredients to the heart of the cells for an exceptional, comprehensive anti-ageing action. Its sublime texture, perfumed with vine roses, envelops the skin in absolute comfort and leaves it with an incredibly velvety finish.

And finally, what inspires your daily work?

My greatest sources of inspiration are my consumers. Each day, we receive hundreds of letters and testimonies of satisfaction from consumers all around the world. Their remarks constantly inspire me to improve the efficiency and quality of Caudalie beauty products.

Leave a Reply