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In December, fashion and beauty juggernaut Christian Dior premiered its high end skincare line, L'Or de Vie, at Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus stores throughout the country. Priced at $320 for the face cream and $350 for the extract, L'Or de Vie is publicized as one of the finest beauty products on the market. The secret? Sap from the sauvignon grape vine.

Grape seed, often touted as one of the finest anti-aging agents, has been used in vinotherapy treatments in the Bordeaux region of France since the 1990s. In the past few years, these European secrets have found their way to California's Napa Valley and other spas dedicated to the latest in skin care innovation, as well as beauty and cosmetic stores across the country.

Big Spenders
For the latest in grape seed beauty, I headed to Nashville's Trace Retreat Store and Spa for a Vineyard body scrub ($85). The treatment itself is designed to be slightly abrasive for the purpose of exfoliation. While I never found the body scrub painful, there were moments of discomfort that might bother those with sensitive skin. However, when she got to my back, I did enjoy knowing that the itch that had been bugging me for days would finally get the attention it deserved.

After twenty minutes of rigorous scrubbing, I was left to rinse off in what can only be described as the most heavenly of showers. With three jets on each side of my body and an overhead waterfall, I used a grape seed based shower gel to wash away the scrub.

Afterwards (and it was a long afterwards considering how much I enjoyed that shower), my skin felt very smooth, and I can only assume my circulation was improved considering how much water I drank for the rest of the afternoon.

All in all, the vineyard scrub was just what my winter skin needed, and I would recommend it to anyone ready to chuck big sweaters for spring's barer fashions. However, considering the price, I would also be more likely to do my own exfoliation unless it was spring, I was preparing for a self-tan or I knew I would be in a backless dress. (Those hard to reach places are the rub of it all.)

Middle of the Road
The skincare line used at many spas is also available for purchase and use at home. Olavie, the self-proclaimed "antioxidant experts," offer their Le Vin Chardonnay line in spas and other specialty boutiques. You would need the Chardonnay Sugar Body Scrub ($33.95), Shower & Bath Gel and Body Butter ($33.95) to duplicate the spa experience at home.

The ultimate at-home spa luxury might be from Caudalie, a line designed by the same team that originated vinotherapy in Europe. As the founders of this kind of body treatment, Caudalie is all about the science behind grape seeds, and it shows.

The Merlot and Sauvignon Scrubs ($35 a piece) seemed like perfectly balanced exfoliants, having the right amount of granules without being gritty and just enough moisture to make for a smooth application. I felt that my skin was dramatically improved in texture after just one use.

After finishing with the Cabernet Shower Gel ($19) and Nourishing Body Lotion ($35), the three-step process left me feeling clean and smooth. I'm also an instant fan of the Hand and Nail Cream ($19) for its non-greasy moisture and lovely smell.

Bargain Hunters
Sephora offers a line of grape body products priced for the cost-conscious. Our testers liked the smell of the grapeseed body scrub ($12), body wash ($8) and whipped body delights ($8) much better on than they did when just sniffing the bottles. They also agreed that since the body scrub was more abrasive than other products and a bit difficult to wash off: It would make more sense for use on tough spots like elbows and heels rather than more sensitive skin. Of course, body butter tends to be a hit, especially in the dry-skin season of winter.

However, I have the sinking suspicion that Sephora's line is not designed to exploit the anti-oxidant power of grape seeds, but focuses more on color and smell with their choice of ingredients. These same products are also available in mango, pink grapefruit and a variety of other flavors. So, while the items do exfoliate and moisturize well, those looking for the real benefits of vinotherapy would be advised to look elsewhere.

A budget-friendly line that does make the most of the science behind grape seed use in cosmetics is Merlot USA out of El Paso, Texas. They offer a full array of products for the face and body, including a Merlot Night Cream and Anti-Wrinkle Cream. While it seems that the effects of the Merlot Cleanser ($11) and Moisturizer ($14) would be best observed after repeated, regular use, the Merlot Eye Cream ($12) received high rating from all of our testers who immediately felt its firming effects.

I enjoyed all the grape products, mainly because of their aromas, but I'm not sure I would choose them over other lines. However, since grape seeds are primarily praised as anti-aging elements, it might be that, like a fine wine, these products (and the benefits thereof) get better with time.

Ready for more? Check out more stories in our Looking Good section.

For more articles in this series, check out ReZoom's reviews of oxygen treatments and caviar care.