Right Brain reports:
According to iParenting, Jennifer Aniston uses a French skin care line called 
Caudalíe (pronounced koh-da-lee) because it contains a grape seed ingredient that has powerful anti-aging properties. Could this be true???? Could celebrities like Jen have access to fountain of youth technology that we regular people can only dream about? To find out we have to take a look at the science of Caudalie.
Caudalie science or fiction?
The secret of Caudalie involves the antioxidant properites grape juice. Ok, it’s not exactly grape juice, it’s really a special extract of grape seeds but it supposedly reduces chemicals called free radicals that damage skin. And according to Caudalie, free radicals cause 80% of skin aging.
Is this really true? Well, it is true that free radicals cause skin damage and that damage does make the skin appear older. But we can’t find any other source that attributes “80%” of skin damage to free radicals. And, if you read Caudalie’s claim carefully, they don’t say that their product stops 80% of all skin damage, they just say that their product is effective against the thing that causes 80% of the damage. See the difference?
Pro Antioxodant
The experts agree antioxidants are important but they say that sun protection is a key to fighting skin damage and premature aging. According to Smartskincare.com polyphenols, like those used by Caudalie, “appear to exert sun damage protection by quenching free radicals and reducing inflammation rather than by blocking UV rays” and therefore “may synergistically enhance sun protection when used in addition to a sunscreen.” So, while grape-based antioxidant treatments can be helpful, you should still use a sunscreen.
Are there other antioxidants that work? You bet. Although Caudalie claims their grape derived ingredient is highly effective, there are other scientific articles that show that green tea is pretty darn potent too.
The Beauty Brains bottom line
Celebrities like Jennifer who use Caudalie maybe getting good protection against free radical damage but they’re certainly paying a pretty penny for the brand name. There are plenty of other products that offer similar functionality at a much lower price. Hey, if you can afford Caudalie go for it. But if you can’t, don’t despair. Antioxidants help but the important thing is to protect your skin with a good sunscreen. You can have great skin even if you can’t afford what the celebrities are using.
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
I hear about all these products that I’m supposed to slather on my skin and stay young, but what about the drinks like Purple that have tons of antioxidants in them? Shouldn’t that “cascade effect” be good not only on my skin but in my body? I mean, I would love to have the youthful look of Jen –who wouldn’t? As an average person, what is the best regimen –inside and out –?
Caudalie is a french brand and it’s not expensive (here in france, 20 € for a face cream). Their antioxydant is resveratrol, a very interessing and famous one. And of course, you can use a sunscreen, but you can also be suspicious (as I am) about sunscreens and ther chemical secondary effects. Don’t worry, I’m not working for Caudalie…I’m just a beauty editor in France and I love your website !!!
I have been reading Beauty Brains for a long time, and I was shocked to see that the picture for this post is NSFW. You just lost a reader.
Ug. No offense, BBs, but I really don’t want to start my morning looking at another woman’s nipples.
Boo on this post – I’m sure the content was great, but I wasn’t able to read it because there is a large NSFW photo on the front page. Honestly. I realize that BB’s goal is to pick interesting or funny pictures for their posts, but this is just inappropriate.
OMG! That is the last time we let Mid Brain choose the picture without running past one of the main brains.
Thank you for hiding them. I appreciate it.
Since I break out so easily I don’t use face creams anyway. But I always heard that consuming antioxidants in the form of food or supplements – like drinks made with grape seed or green tea – works better then putting it on your skin.
You’re all such prudes – I mean it’s not like she wasn’t wearing a shirt! (It was just a little see through, that’s all.)
Um, see through enough it could get some people FIRED, MB. Thankfully I wasn’t at work today. And frankly, if I’m going to look at nipples, I’d rather see a man’s nipples then a woman’s. I can’t help it. I’m a straight female.
WOW, you actually covered it up. I didn’t think it was offensive. People are always acting like a woman’s body is sooo “offensive”. Maybe if women didn’t talk about how disgusted they are at seeing another woman’s body. We could learn to love our bodies more. I would rather pass that down to my daughter than anorexia/bulimia.
Tab – the problem is THAT PICTURE COULD GET PEOPLE FIRED FROM THEIR JOBS!
Or weren’t you paying attention? Geez.
Jami, as a straight female I’d rather straight female, I’d rather see a woman’s nipples than those of a man. I can’t help it. Since we’re being frank and all. That picture was fine, and if you’re at work, stop reading a cosmetics science blog.
I wasn’t at work, the others were. Learn to read and shut up.
Oh, and one last thing – that feminist nonsense above is utter crap. Actually, seeing Jennifer’s boobs made me feel WORSE about my own body.
Modesty is a virtue. Keeping yourself mostly covered, giving only hints and flashes but not revealing all makes a woman way more enticing. By making her more enticing men are more interested, which boosts her self esteem.
A woman whom shows everything, however, just lowers herself. Makes her body contemptable and worth hating.
Finally, if it’s not proper to show on tv before 10 PM it’s not proper for a basically family site like BB. Porn needs to be kept in it’s own place. You want to look at nipples and boobies, fine, go to Playboy’s website, not BBs.
The posting of that picture was disrespectful to women and to this site in general. It’s not prudish to demand it be removed or covered up. It’s showing respect for those whom do not wish to be bombarded by such an image. Period.
A lot of you need to grow up.
Modesty is a virtue. Keeping yourself mostly covered, giving only hints and flashes but not revealing all makes a woman way more enticing. By making her more enticing men are more interested, which boosts her self esteem.
Yeah, screw you gay women! Ladies, get your self-worth from the mens!
Hell, why wear cosmetics? I bet the world would value us more if we kept entirely covered…
Breasts aren’t pornographic, Western society imposes sexual value on them. They actually exist for breastfeeding.
P.S. BB’s, I usually love your blog but I’m so sad that you covered up that pic. I really am dismayed that you gave in to mob rule. Frankly, it’s illogical, I expected better of people promoting scientific values. Women’s bodies are nothing to be ashamed of and we really need to stop sexualizing breasts.
What are you people doing reading a cosmetics blog at work, anyway?
Am I being off-topic if I say I how much I love Caudalie’s lip balm?
Jami: Modesty is a judeo-christian value. It’s pretty arrogant to assume everyone else has the same moral framework as yourself.
Jami- YOU should be paying attention to your job and not a website. Oh sorry you must not have good work ethic:)
Karen, I’m going to join you on being off topic and saying I quite like their hydrating cream mask
Gemma: That’s their other product that I love! In the middle of harsh Chicago winters, it’s my one and only source of relief. When my skin gets dry, I’m prone to “excited skin syndrome”, a state of skin hyper-irritability from products. That’s when I turn to Caudalie’s Hydrating Mask. I put it on and what a difference it makes for me!
Could we get back to the topic of the post and ask the Brains to recommend some of those cheaper products with antioxidants? Thanks!
Jennifer Aniston is a fantastic woman and deserves happiness and the achievement she already has and more.
Its good to hear that Jennifer Aniston is encouraged by Cameron Diaz for being a highly praised for her trendy attires. She is sexy and beautiful as ever. Don’t ever change Jen
I agree with Jami. Plus, it would have been nicer and rather suited to see a facial shot of Jen close up with glowing completion, after all we are talking about skincare. Weird picture.
Complexion sorry, silly iPhone predictive text.
{ 3 trackbacks }