Efficacy is key

According to Mathilde, the idea of "clean for the skin" means two things: one is eliminating 73 ingredients which are suspected of interfering with the hormonal system, and the other is no irritation.

To fulfill its mission, Caudalie has been strengthening partnerships with top scientists to seek the effectiveness of natural ingredients, such as grapevines, in the last 28 years.

In 1995, after Mathilde learned about the fact that grape seeds contain powerful antioxidants from professor Joseph Vercauteren, laboratory director of the Pharmacy University of Bordeaux, the brand began its journey toward a balance of efficacy, safety and sensorial experience while maintaining its natural origins.

In 2013, the brand created a partnership with David Sinclair, professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, who is known for research on anti-aging mechanisms.

"My collaboration since 2013 with Sinclair has focused on various lines of research carried out into anti-aging mechanisms. My natural raw materials and biology departments take inspiration from the mechanisms and look for natural active ingredients with similar properties. The work is covered by intellectual property shared with Harvard," she said.

The "No List" created by Caudalie in 2006 is another great effort of the brand to promote the concept of "clean for the skin". It began with five substances 17 years ago, and since then, the list has expanded to ban 73 ingredients including parabens, mineral oils, sodium laureth sulfate and animal ingredients.

"I do not make any compromises. I have been intransigent about my product formula for 25 years. In applying the precautionary principle, as soon as I was able to substitute parabens, phenoxyethanol, mineral oils, phthalates, animal ingredients and sodium laureth sulfate in my formulas, I did," said Mathilde.