Benefits of Grape
Seed Extract for Skin

Long before grape growers started putting labels on bottles, the ancient civilizations of the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans were growing grapes. In history, people have been using different parts of the grapevine for medicinal and cosmeceutical purposes – and for good reason. Therefore, a natural byproduct of the wine industry, grape seed extract, or Vitis Vinifera, derived from the pressed seeds of grapes, is an all-natural ingredient prized for its many skincare benefits. In this article, we will go through several important benefits of grape seed extract for your skin.

Benefits of grape seed extract for skin:

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects

Firstly, free radicals are harmful compounds in the environment that can cause oxidative stress to our skin. Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals combine with oxygen, and the free radicals are greater than the body’s ability to detoxify them. As a result, your body will secrete enzymes that can break down the collagen and elastic fibres in your skin. Hence, this can lead to premature aging of the skin as your skin loses its firmness, and more wrinkles start to develop. 

Furthermore, grape seeds contain polyphenols – widely considered to be the best free-radical fighters found in nature. Polyphenols in grape seed include Anthocyanins, flavanols, flavonols and resveratrol, also all prized for their anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant properties. Also, grape seed extract doesn’t just protect from free radicals, it scavenges through the body actively seeking them out and collecting them. 

Improve the appearance of your skin 

Secondly, grape seed extract contains Vitamin E, a nutrient that helps to strengthen your skin’s barrier, and lock in moisture. Traditionally used to heal wounds, grape seed extract has proven in numerous studies to facilitate wound healing and skin regeneration. A study on mice showed that when Proanthocyanidin, one of the main compounds in grape seed extract, was applied on the wounded area, the skin showed faster signs of healing, and the newly formed tissue was denser, indicating that the structure was stronger. 

The researchers also saw increased levels of tenascin in the wounds treated with grape seed extract. Tenascin is a protein that helps build connective tissue, and is a marker for wound skin healing. Additionally, grape seed extract has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that can speed up wound healing, renewing the skin and making it look healthier. 

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Protection from sun damage

Moreover, UV exposure to the skin is well known to be extremely damaging. Photoaging, another word for sun damage, rears its head in the most UV-exposed areas of your body – your face. UV-exposure stimulates skin inflammation, making your skin cells secrete enzymes that break down the collagen and elastic fibres that keep your face looking firm and youthful. 

Additionally, research has shown that grape seed extract has excellent photoprotective properties. With potent antioxidants like Proanthocyanidin and Resveratrol that have proven anti-inflammatory, grape seed extract is used in many sunscreens. Studies conducted found that exposure of grape seed extract to UV radiation increased the UV absorption capacity. Therefore, this suggests that it can boost the SPF value of sunscreen products. 

Another study also showed that the incorporation of grape seed extract in sunscreen boosts photoprotection (protection from the sun) by stabilizing the UV filters and enhancing broad-spectrum coverage. This helps to reduce the number of additives and absorbers incorporated in sunscreen. Therefore, lowering the risk of unexpected buildup of different compound whose toxicities are unknown.  

Overall, there are a multitude of excellent grape seed extract benefits for the skin, and is suitable for all types of skin. 

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References:

Sangiovanni E, Di Lorenzo C, Piazza S, et al. Vitis vinifera L. Leaf Extract Inhibits In Vitro Mediators of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Involved in Inflammatory-Based Skin Diseases. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019;8(5):134. Published 2019 May 16. doi:10.3390/antiox8050134 

Martincigh BS, Ollengo MA. The Photostabilizing Effect of Grape Seed Extract on Three Common Sunscreen Absorbers. Photochem Photobiol. 2016 Nov;92(6):870-884. doi: 10.1111/php.12652. Epub 2016 Nov 30. PMID: 27759892.