This post will review the Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum.
Once in a while, I jump on viral products. Sometimes I regret it. Other times, I don’t. But if there’s one thing I’m definitely not, it is someone that jumps on any and every viral trend.
Caudalie is a French Pharmacy Skincare brand known for naturally sourced, heavily fragranced and pricey products. Yes, you can definitely call them a high-end clean beauty brand.
For anyone familiar with this blog, you would know that French Pharmacy products are a staple in my routine. Even fragranced brands like Nuxe still find their way into my routine. But for some reason, I never tried anything from Caudalie. There just wasn’t anything appealing and worth justifying the price for.
But then the Vinoperfect serum started trending, and I figured this was the most appealing product I’ve seen from the brand so far. After contemplating and comparing prices around a few European cities I travelled to, I finally settled on a 35% deal from Sephora UK.
While I was finally excited to try out this serum that has been on my wishlist, I also did not have too many expectations. Over the years, I’ve learnt how to manage my expectations with products with little to know clinically studied and proven ingredients.
I’m halfway through the bottle and thought I should share my thoughts so far.
First Impressions of The Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum
According to Caudalie;
This serum is both effective and gentle on the skin, correcting dark spots and preventing them appearing for a brighter complexion. It acts on all types of dark spots (sun, acne, melasma, age) and is suitable for all skin types, even the most sensitive.
Ingredient List & Fragrance
As you can already tell, this is a brightening/complexion-correcting serum. Like many effective brightening serums, you should expect certain product ingredients. But imagine my surprise when none of those familiar tyrosinase inhibitors was on the ingredient list.
As someone that struggles with hyperpigmentation, I can already tell the effectiveness of a brightening serum based on the ingredient list.
Before we go any further, let’s dive into the ingredient list.
aqua/water/eau, butylene glycol, glycerin, cococaprylate/ caprate, squalane, palmitoyl grapevine shoot extract, polyglyceryl-3 distearate, bisabolol, glyceryl stearate, xanthan gum, caprylyl glycol, microcrystalline cellulose, polyacrylate crosspolymer-6, potassium sorbate, glyceryl stearate citrate, citric acid, sodium phytate, sodium hydroxide, parfum (fragrance)
As you can see, there’s really nothing special about the product. But according to Caudalie, there’s a patented ingredient which I’m guessing is the Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract, also known as Viniferine, that claims to improve the visibility of dark spots up to 63%.
That’s some really strong claims. But I guess the brand hasn’t been questioned about these claims because this serum is one of its bestsellers.
Anyway, long story short, I’m not a fan. I wish some Alpha Arbutin or Tranexamic Acid was included to improve the effectiveness of this product. This way, People of Color with more intense hyperpigmentation can also see results.
Also, I don’t have sensitive skin, so the fragrance is bearable. But if you do, I suggest you try a sample first to see how much you can bear. Since I layer it with other hydrating products, the fragrance dissipates quickly.
Packaging, Texture & Consistency
The serum is packaged in a 30ml glass dropper bottle which is great for the environment as it is recyclable. On application, the dropper dispenses just the right amount of product you need for your entire face.
It has a lightweight milky texture but a slightly viscous consistency, which I find quite hydrating. It reminds me of a lot of the milky Korean products I use.
Other than that, it is easy to e across all skin types. It absorbs immediately into the skin without leaving a greasy finish despite Squalane being at the top of the ingredient list.
Price & Affordability
Asides from the ingredient list, the other problem I have with this product is the price. Yes, I understand it has a patented ingredient. But it still doesn’t justify the price.
It retails for $82/£50, which I honestly think is daylight robbery. If the brand claims the product is as effective as it is, you will need to run through a couple of bottles to get results. This is definitely not sustainable. There are cheaper and more effective products on the market so take it from me and save your money.
If you want to try it, wait for Black Friday or get it on sale. Don’t settle for anything less than 25- 30% off. It is definitely not worth the full price.
Review of the Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum
There’s never a time when I’m not struggling with hyperpigmentation. In fact, it is so bad that I have staple products for dark spots in my routine. So when I was ready to try this product, I could easily fit it into my morning and nighttime routine without any issues.
Perhaps the singular positive thing about the minimal ingredient list is that I can layer the serum with Exfoliating Acids and Retinoids without any problems. Also, since I found it quite hydrating, there were no conflicts with my other hydrating products.
Performance
I use this product all over my face. I did not need to spot the treat because it was not necessary. I figured if this product was ineffective for my dark spots, the least it could do was brighten up my complexions since the brand claims Viniferine is 62 times more effective than Vitamin C.
As expected, there has been no noticeable or distinct difference in my dark spots. My face is a bit brighter, but the fresh and old dark spots haven’t shifted. Again, my hyperpigmentation improves with a combination of tyrosinase inhibitors like Kojic Acid, Alpha Arbutin, Tranexamic and Azelaic Acid. Anything outside these ingredients isn’t really effective for me.
Verdict
Now, despite this overly priced product not working for me due to the intensity of my hyperpigmentation, it is worth checking out if you have fresh mild dark spots.
Some people with red marks claim to have gotten results, but it depends on what your skin is most effective with. If you can treat post-acne pigmentation with Vitamin C and get results, this product might work for you. Anything other than that, just don’t bother.
At the end of the day, the Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum is honestly just nice to have. I like to use it in the mornings as an antioxidant to supercharge my sunscreen. If you want to treat yourself to a high-end product for self-care days, this product is worth a spot in your routine.
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