When I become rich and famous, I shall not only drink the finest wines; I’ll be smearing them all over.
The wine facial is the latest in a series of skin care fads (diamond facial, anyone?) touted to the fabulously wealthy. Promoters of the product claim it improves blood circulation, clears up infections and reduces wrinkles. While there are not sufficient studies to support this, it is certain that red wine from grapes contains the antioxidant resveratrol, which has shown signs of promise as an anti aging ingredient.
When consumed in moderate quantities, resveratrol has been associated with:
- reduced cardiovascular health risks
- chemo rotective effects
- decreased risk of lung cancer and Alzheimer’s disease
The notion that topically applied (not ingested) antioxidants could be just as effective is not new. But skin care specialists are doing their utmost to make it appeal to those of us who want some expensive pampering.
Applications for various skin types have been devised: Acne? Red wine is ideal as it clears up infections and reduces the chance of breakouts. Oily skin? Try a wine facial with aloe. Dry skin? Almond essence added to your merlot facial pack should answer. Sounds like quite a feast for your face, doesn’t it?
Til my ship comes in, I’ll have to be content with drinking the stuff.
