Wine therapy in recent decades has become a fashionable trend in aesthetic cosmetology. Thanks to their antioxidant properties, grapevine products are used in the production of skin care products, and wine spas are visited by thousands of tourists every year. Treatments in wellness centers help relieve stress and relax, get rid of cellulite and get a boost of energy. Next, we consider the features of this phenomenon.
Who Invented Wine Spas
According to legend, wine was used for cosmetic purposes in ancient Rome. Only wealthy women could afford blush from rose petals or red clams, so ladies from the poorer strata of society rubbed their cheeks with the remnants of red wine from jugs. However, wine really came to the beauty industry only two thousand years later, when scientists discovered the healing properties of grapes and found that the berries are rich in polyphenols and antioxidants, which slow down aging and have a beneficial effect on the skin.
Matilda and Bertrand Thomas are considered to be the founders of wine therapy; in the early 1990s, a married couple grew grapes on their estate in Bordeaux. They were friends with the professor of medicine Joseph Verkauteren, who was researching the properties of the vine at the pharmaceutical faculty of the local university. The scientist discovered that the concentration of polyphenols is especially high in the bones left after squeezing the juice, and shared his discovery with the Tom spouses. Further experiments have shown that extracts from the seeds have powerful anti-aging properties.
Mathilde and Bertrand decided to apply the results of Dr. Vercauteren’s research to the beauty industry and in 1995 launched the first products of the Caudalie skincare line. The development of cosmetics was carried out in close cooperation with scientists from the University of Bordeaux. Four years later, the company patented the proprietary ingredient Resveratrol, which has proven effective in combating age-related skin changes. The success of the Caudalie brand has led to the emergence of dozens of new brands using wine products in cosmetics.
The couple did not stop there and in 1999 opened the first wine therapy hotel Les Sources de Caudalie on their estate, where they offered unusual services to guests:
- massage with grape seed oil;
- face and body treatments with branded cosmetics;
- wine baths.
The popularity of the resort was promoted by a mineral spring, which the couple discovered right on the estate at a depth of 540 m underground. Now the hotel guests have at their disposal four buildings with comfortable rooms, a French restaurant and a Spa center with a large pool filled with heated mineral water.
Wine Spa treatments are popular in Europe and are indicated for circulatory problems, stress, insomnia, poor skin condition, cellulite and beriberi. The success of the Toms inspired hoteliers, and today wine therapy centers operate in Italy, Spain, Japan, the USA and South Africa.
Wine Spas around the world
One of the most famous Spanish wine therapy centers Marqués de Riscal is located near the city of Elciego. The hotel impresses with its unusual architectural solution and avant-garde design. The Spa offers treatments with Caudalie cosmetics: massages, peels, body wraps and masks. Especially popular is the bath with pomace from grape seeds, which visitors take in an oak barrel.
The South African Santé Winelands Spa specializes in detox treatments. Cosmetologists use products based on the seeds, peel and juice of red grapes grown on organic farms. Wine therapy at the hotel is practiced along with water and relaxation treatments.
In Russia, visitors to the wine tourism center in Abrau-Dyurso can immerse themselves in the world of Champagne Spa. The comprehensive treatment program includes a champagne bath, massage, scrub, body mask and grape wrap. Around the center there are as many as four hotels, which allows tourists to combine wine therapy with relaxation by Lake Abrau.
The benefits and harms of a wine spa
The founder of the trend, Mathilde Thomas, warns against excessive use of wine products during procedures and considers bathing in pure wine unhealthy. However, hoteliers in an effort to attract customers with exotic entertainment often neglect these tips. For example, at the Japanese hotel Hakone Kowakien Yunessun, guests can relax in the pool, where red wine is poured directly from the bottles. Such a procedure can cause dehydration instead of recovery.
At the Ella Di Rocco Baths in London, organic wine, vegetable protein and freshly squeezed grape juice are added to the bath water, and customers are warned not to drink the liquid.
Visitors note that in combination with massage, the procedure makes the skin smooth and velvety, and the result lasts for several days. However, research from the American Chemical Society suggests that the antioxidants in wine do not penetrate the skin’s protective barrier very well, so the cosmetic effect of bathing cannot be called long-term.
Wine spa treatments are safe for healthy people, but can cause allergic reactions. Absolute contraindications for vinotherapy include infections, intolerance to red grapes, endocrine diseases and alcohol dependence. Before visiting the Spa, it is not recommended to stay in the sun for a long time and eat heavily.