This post shares my honest experiences with Caudalie’s best and worst products. Note, I am not a dermatologist or skincare expert, just a normal girl who’s been using Caudalie for the last 3 years.
How I Fell in Love With Caudalie
I can’t remember exactly where I first heard about Caudalie, but I do remember being determined to stock up on their products during my trip to Paris in the summer of 2022. It was love at first try.
Since then, I’ve repurchased their products many times and used them consistently—until a few months ago.
I ran out of a couple of my regular Caudalie items and was deep in a Korean-drama phase. So I gave Korean skincare a try, since it was all over my social media. After researching, I ordered a few products from TikTok Shop (that shall remain unnamed 🤐)… and boom. I started getting cystic acne for the first time in my life—right on my chin.
Every time I thought my skin was clearing up, another huge, painful zit would pop up.
Why I Came Crawling Back to Caudalie
Eventually, I returned to my regular Caudalie routine. Within a few weeks, my skin calmed down. That whole ordeal made me realize just how much Caudalie had helped keep my skin clear and problem-free over the years.
They say you only miss something once it’s gone—and that couldn’t have been more true in this case.
That experience inspired this post. Over the years, I’ve tried a ton of Caudalie products. Some have become non-negotiables in my skincare routine, others were total duds. Let’s dive in!
- What Is Caudalie?
- How do Caudalie prices in the US compare to Europe?
- Where can you buy Caudalie (for cheaper) in the US?
- 3 Best “Holy Grail” Caudalie Products:
- 3 Runner-Up Caudalie Products I Love:
- 3 Worst Caudalie Products You Can Skip:
What is Caudalie?
Caudalie is a French skincare and beauty brand known for using materials sourced from grapes and grapevines. The brand was founded by Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas, a French couple inspired by Mathilde’s upbringing on a vineyard in Bordeaux.
In recent years, Caudalie has exploded in popularity particularly on social media. They are well known for their gentle yet effective products, popularized by trends like the “clean girl” aesthetic.
How do Caudalie prices in the US compare to Europe?
Caudalie is wildly overpriced in the US—whether you’re buying from Amazon, Sephora, or even Caudalie’s own American site. For example, the 50ml Vinoperfect Moisturizer with Niacinamide costs $65 in the US. But in Europe, you can find it for 30–35 euros.
I’ve bought it for around that price in both France and Greece. At current exchange rates, that means US shoppers pay nearly double the price.
In Europe, Caudalie is a drugstore brand. In the US, it’s marketed as luxury skincare. That’s why I used to stock up during trips abroad. I’d buy 6–10 products at a time. When I ran out? Too bad. I’d switch to something cheaper back home—and that’s what led to my cystic acne disaster.
Where can you buy Caudalie (for cheaper) in the US?
I recently found the best place to buy Caudalie in the US—Care to Beauty! It’s a Portuguese company that ships European beauty products worldwide, including to the US.
(FYI: This isn’t sponsored. But Care to Beauty, if you see this—send me free stuff. Thanks.)
Their prices are already lower than US retailers. For example, the Vinoperfect moisturizer costs $45 on their site, compared to $65 at Sephora. On top of that, they regularly offer brand-specific discounts. I caught them during a Caudalie sale and got products at European pharmacy prices—with fast shipping to my California address.
Here’s what I ordered in March 2025:
3 Best “Holy Grail” Caudalie Products:
1. Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Dark Spot Serum
Believe the hype. This serum genuinely helped calm my skin after the Korean skincare experiment gone wrong. After just 2 weeks of daily use, I saw my acne scars fading—especially on my chin.
But more than that, this serum keeps my skin balanced. When I use it daily, I don’t break out. I’ve even used it without moisturizer while traveling, and my skin was totally fine.
I can honestly say that no other skin care product gives me as much “peace of mind” as this serum does. When I dropped it from my routine to experiment with replacements, I IMMEDIATELY noticed problems (like acne) popping up. For that reason alone, I will probably continue to repurchase this serum for a very long time.
2. Caudalie Instant Detox Mask
This is probably Caudalie’s second most viral product, and I hate to sound like a band-wagonner, but it is once again VERY worth the hype! I use this mask as a “skin reset” once every couple of weeks when my skin is feeling particularly gross or dull. It never fails to clean out all the gunk from my pores, reduce blackheads, and leave my face feeling smooth and refreshed.
The mask applies as a pink liquid, and dries into a pinky, white clay like texture. You will both SEE and FEEL the mask working: the dried out mask will show the spots where your pores are, and you will feel the mask tightening on your face as it sucks out all the gunk while drying. I also like that you don’t have to apply it to your entire face – you could just target problem areas like nose or t-zone.
This is a great mask to have on hand for your self-care routine, or even for sleepovers and spa-nights with friends!
3. Caudalie Vinopure Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid
This is probably the best moisturizer I’ve used, point blank period. You might be wondering – if it’s a moisturizer, why is it called a “mattifying fluid”? This moisturizer truly does have a noticeable smoothing, pore-minimizing effect after you apply it. After using this moisturizer, my skin feels smoother to the touch, almost like a baby’s bottom.
I also prefer lightweight moisturizers that don’t clog up my pores, and this checks that box perfectly. My only gripe with this product is that the tube it comes in is way too small! Just a few months of use and you’ll need to buy a new one.
3 Runner-Up Caudalie Products I Love:
1. Caudalie Shampoo
The Caudalie Shampoo is probably the most UNDERRATED product in their entire lineup. I don’t hear people rave about this enough. It smells like absolute HEAVEN, and makes me look forward to every shower. According to Caudalie’s website, the scent of the shampoo is “the sensual scent of Thé des Vignes, featuring notes of Neroli, Ginger and White Musk.”
This is literally a must-buy for me every time I see a retailer carry it (I actually debated putting it into my top 3 holy grails). Aside from smelling great, the shampoo itself is also gentle, sulfate free and doesn’t strip your hair of natural oils.
2. Vinoclean Gentle Foam Cleanser
I’ve tried 3 Caudalie face washes – the Vinoperfect Pore purifying gel cleanser, the Vinoclean gentle cleansing almond milk, and the Vinoclean Gentle Foam Cleanser, and I have to say the foam cleanser is my favorite. It is gentle and perfect for sensitive skin, yet strong enough to feel like a true cleanser that actually gets your sunscreen and makeup off. This cleanser is also designed for normal to dry skin, so if you want something hydrating that won’t strip your face of all it’s natural oils, this one’s perfect for you.
3. Vinoperfect moisturizer (Day & Night)
I love the Vinoperfect moisturizers. The day cream is the Vinoperfect Dark Spot Brightening Refillable Moisturizer with Niacinamide, and the night one is the Vinoperfect Brightening Glycolic Refillable Night Cream. Both are designed to even out skin tone, boost hydration, and help fade dark spots.
Confession: I don’t strictly use them as “day” and “night” moisturizers. I reach for the night cream during winter or whenever my skin feels especially dry, and I use the day one more regularly. The Vinoperfect day cream is light, breathable, and still hydrating—perfect for daily use. The night cream is thick, rich, and almost mask-like—ideal for very dry skin or cold climates.
Used together, they’ve kept my skin hydrated, even, and generally problem-free. Definitely a duo I keep coming back to.
3 Worst Caudalie Products You Can Skip:
1. Beauty Elixir Mist
Guys I’m so sorry to be a hater but….it’s scented water 😭 Don’t get me wrong, it smells good (herbal, minty smell) and feels “zesty” and refreshing on the face, but I didn’t notice any tangible benefits.
They advertise that it “tightens the pores” but I didn’t notice much of a difference after finishing 1 small bottle of this spray. I’ve also heard that people use this as a “setting spray” after putting on makeup, but I don’t wear makeup on a day to day basis so didn’t have much use for this feature.
This elixir did remind me a bit of the Evian facial spray – fun for carrying around (especially on planes) and spraying on to feel fancy shmancy, but at the end of the day…..it’s water 😭.
2. Premier Cru Eye Cream
This is a cult favorite, but it just didn’t work for me. My top skin concern—aside from hyperpigmentation—is dark under-eye circles, and this product is supposed to help with that plus anti-aging.
First off, the applicator is so…awkward. You’re supposed to put a few dots of product onto your eye area, then smooth it out with the metal bulb applicator. Except the cream never gets smoothed out properly onto the skin with the applicator alone, so I end up just rubbing it in with my fingers, which drags the sensitive under-eye skin area. I would prefer a rollerball serum or brush applicator instead for this kind of eye product.
And as for the effects – well, my dark circles are about as persistent as ever after using up almost 1 tube. The Premier Cru Eye Cream might also just be the wrong product for me, since it is primarily focused on anti-aging. I will try the Vinoperfect Dark Circle Brightening Eye Cream next, hopefully it has more noticeable effects.
3. Vinoclean Gentle Cleansing Almond Milk
This one was just…meh. It’s a gentle, creamy cleanser with a light almond scent, and it feels nice on the skin. But for the price, I would just buy the Cetaphil cleanser instead.
The problem with this cleanser is my face never feels fully clean afterward. You know that clean feeling when your skin is totally prepped for your serum or moisturizer? This doesn’t give me that. It also doesn’t fully remove sunscreen (or makeup) in one go, so you’ll probably need to double cleanse—which kind of defeats the point of using something “gentle” in the first place.
Hope this post gave you some valuable information to inform your next Caudalie purchase. Let me know what your experiences have been with Caudalie in the comments! I’d love to hear any additional product recommendations you might have as well.
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