Caudalie masterclass: Viniferine, skin and science — on pigmentation, memory and care

At an event hosted by Caudalie in Portugal, I had the honour of sharing knowledge with a select group of influencers on a subject that runs through not only dermatology but also the sensitive history of skin: hyperpigmentation.

The event marked twenty years of the Vinoperfect line and took place in an unusual and symbolic setting: the Menês flower shop, in Porto. There, among flowers and conversation, we approached skin as living territory, crossed by memories, emotions and pigmentary changes that, far from being “defects”, are expressions of an organism that feels and reacts.

How the class was structured

The meeting was divided into three main parts: education, science and sharing. We began with the fundamental concepts of hyperpigmentation, including melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) and solar lentigines. We also discussed hypochromia, as in vitiligo and idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis.

Drawing on updated histological data (Kwon et al., 2019), we showed how conditions such as melasma are linked to photoageing, disorganisation of the basement membrane, increased vascularisation and the presence of mast cells. These changes are not merely cosmetic: they reveal deep processes of cutaneous physiology.

Left to right: Ellene Papazis, Madalena Gusmão and Joana Gomes

Viniferine as scientific protagonist

ε-viniferine is a polyphenol extracted from vine sap and is one of the pillars of Caudalie's Vinoperfect line. Laboratory studies show that viniferine:

• Inhibits the expression of genes such as POMC, MITF and TYR, crucial in melanogenesis

• Reduces the activity of tyrosinase, the key enzyme in melanin production

• Reduces melanin in melanocytes by 37% (in vitro test)

• Reduces the transfer of melanosomes to keratinocytes by 47%

• Is not photosensitising and can be used by all skin types

By comparison, viniferine proved to be four times more effective than kojic acid, sixty-two times more effective than vitamin C, and 43% more effective than 10% niacinamide.

Studies such as Nivelle et al. (2018) reinforce its antiproliferative potential in melanoma cells, without causing cytotoxicity to normal fibroblasts.

Therapeutic approach and safety

We emphasised the essential role of sun protection (tinted, where possible), of antioxidants, of the judicious use of depigmenting acids, and of oral photoprotection (such as Polypodium leucotomos and nicotinamide). Hyperpigmentation should be treated with patience and follow-up, respecting the skin type, the phototype and the history of that particular body.

In closing

Skin communicates. Pigmentation speaks of our relationship with the sun, with hormones, with emotions and with time. In treating, we look carefully. In educating, we empower. And in sharing responsibly, we build a new way of seeing: more scientific, more affectionate, more real.

References

• Kwon, S.-H., Na, J.-I., Choi, J.-Y., & Park, K.-C. (2019). Melasma: Updates and perspectives. Experimental Dermatology, 28(6), 704–708. doi:10.1111/exd.13844

• Nivelle, L., Aires, V., Rioult, D., Martiny, L., Tarpin, M., & Delmas, D. (2018). Molecular analysis of differential antiproliferative activity of resveratrol, epsilon viniferin and labruscol on melanoma cells and normal dermal cells. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 116, 323–334. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2018.04.043

• Caudalie. (2023). Vinoperfect & Vinosun [institutional material]