A few months ago I had a fantastic opportunity to not only try Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum, but to interview the brand’s owner, April Gargiulo. This potent little bottle of active ingredients has caused a stir in the beauty world after Gwyneth Paltrow told a magazine it had changed her skin. It costs an eye-watering £175, though as any beauty fan knows, those rare game-changing beasts that turn your skin around and rejuvenate it beyond belief do exist, and they’re an investment worth making. April (who is absolutely adorable) spoke to me on the phone from her family’s working vineyard in California – the brand’s name though, she tells me, is not about her as the vintner’s daughter, it’s named after her own daughter. April started working on the serum after trying numerous expensive products on her problem skin. Becoming exasperated she wanted to create a universal skin-nourishing and clearing product that was purely botanical, no chemicals, nothing dodgy whatsoever. She wanted to redefine luxury to mean artisan, and is serious when she says the product was more important to her than revenue. When April started working with laboratories they told her there were quicker and cheaper ways to produce Vintner’s Daughter, but she wanted to use whole plants, nothing freeze dried, seeing her background in wine making as something that gave her confidence in pushing for quality.
We talked a bit about beauty blogging and influencing, and how the beauty industry has become an entertainment – quick Instagram and YouTube videos, the emphasis on collecting and experimenting. April said that you get to a point when you’ve bought numerous skincare products that cost £45 each and seen little change, you want something that’s actually going to work. Her brand is very green and natural, and we talked about how some other green brands have good intentions for the environment but compromise on performance. Vintner’s Daughter is the optimal ratio of amino acids, omegas, minerals, and antioxidants. It’s for any skin age or ethnicity, though April points out the disclaimer that some people may be allergic to the natural ingredients (always read the label). I agree that we need to reframe our idea of beauty luxury, not every thing with a luxury price tag is good quality and delivers results. I’ve used Vintner’s Daughter for the past few months and not only is there still half a bottle left, the results have been fantastic for smoothing and brightening my skin. You can use it day or night (it’s totally fine to put makeup on top of) though I prefer pressing it in to my face as part of my night time routine. The scent is definitely un-perfumed, but not unpleasant like some natural oils can be. I’m so impressed with this serum, I agree with Gwyneth, it’s a skincare revolution.
Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum is available in the UK from Cult Beauty
