As a Brit, I am all too familiar with the annual tragedy that is summertime in the UK. Every year, without fail, bikinis, sandals, and dresses gather dust while umbrellas and wellies wear thin from overuse. But even by our standards, the weather this summer was abysmal; a grim montage of blustery BBQs, flooded festivals, and washout weddings. As storms raged outside our London apartment, my boyfriend and I finally cracked: We booked flights to Mykonos and didn’t look back.
And it’s safe to say that our holiday didn’t disappoint. Our days were spent languidly relaxing by sun-speckled waters, greedily gorging on feta and tzatziki, and meandering back to our hotel each night with full bellies and cheeks flushed pink from one too many glasses of local wine. One thing that was not on my bingo card for this holiday, however, was that I’d be voluntarily smothering grapes all over my face rather than drinking them.
On the last day of our adventure on the Grecian island, I decided to book myself in for a facial at Ciel Spa, a retreat perched atop a rugged cliffside that appeared to be a welcome relief from the hectic old town and raucous beach clubs.
While browsing the spa menu, my curiosity was piqued by the option of an “Aegean grape facial.” According to the spa’s website, this facial was intended as an “antioxidant treatment with red grape stem cells” with results including “deep hydration, improved elasticity, anti-aging protection, and wrinkle reduction.”
I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. Was I reading this right? It had never even occurred to me that grapes could be such a skincare powerhouse. Were grapes natu