As the song goes, beans have been called the magical fruit (“Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat, the more you…”), however, I’m going with grapes as the magical fruit. Grapes are a part of my every day — whether it’s my afternoon snack, my fermented evening drink, or slathering them all over my face before bed.

No, I’m not actually suggesting that you soak your face in crushed grapes…rather grapeseed oil. Don’t stop reading if you’re an oily-skinned girl like me, because I promise this is not like the “oil” you are thinking. I first got the idea to use grapeseed oil as a moisturizer from the aesthetician who was giving me a facial about a year ago. She claimed it was the only moisturizer she used on her (flawless) face and had amazing benefits. She ranked high on the hippie-scale, incorporating as many natural products as possible into her daily life. I definitely wasn’t sold on the idea at first, but began thinking more about how much it did make sense to use something on my body that came naturally from the earth, rather than from a chemical lab. Plus, a big bottle at the natural products store was $8, so what was there to lose? A year later, I’m a firm believer in the stuff.

I began using the grapeseed oil as my nighttime moisturizer, and noticed quickly that it seemed my skin was tighter and smoother. It took a while for me to buy into the idea because it seemed too easy, and CHEAP. I was reluctant to leave behind the latest anti-aging technologies being thrown in my face by Sephora, so I started researching the science behind grapeseed oil to see if it could be true…

1. Linoleic Acid  – an essential fatty acid that has been proven to strengthen cell membranes, leading to better moisture retention; also an anti-inflammatory, aiding in reduction of acne
2. Antioxidant – preventing pores from clogging > clogged pores = breakouts
3. Astringent – stimulates biological tissues to contract and draw together, aka skin toning and tightening
4. Collagen – grapeseed extract is proven to increase collagen strength, maintaining elasticity of skin, aka anti-aging

Cosmetic companies use both linoleic acid and astringent in many of their beauty products due to these benefits, yet the price tag isn’t exactly the same.

To combat another worry that you’re likely having, grapeseed oil is very light, thus easily absorbed by the skin, and doesn’t leave any oily residue behind.

Sorry if I bored you with the scientific details, but if you’re anything like me, that’s what makes me believe that I’m getting a good product rather than a good name. Keep in mind that everyone’s skin is unique and may get different results, but the $8 is worth a try and you can find testimonials all over the internet confirming that IT WORKS.

Buy the brand I use here from Amazon, also found at some natural food/product stores.