April Gargiulo, founder of Vintner’s Daughter, struggled with her skin her entire life. Acne, discoloration, you name it—and she tried all the luxury products she read about in glossy magazines. She was alarmed to learn that these products had very little active ingredients and a lot of filler. “This was the genesis of Vintner’s Daughter,” explains the Napa Valley native, whose family founded Gargiulo Vineyards in Oakville in 1992. “I wanted to build a true luxury skincare company that made products from the finest ingredients in the world, using time-honored techniques.
I wanted to build a skincare company on the very same philosophical foundations and principles as fine winemaking.” She was and remains passionate about marrying her passion for winemaking with her desire to create the finest skincare products. “When I first began looking for a place to make Active Botanical Serum, I was turned away over and over again by the top labs in the country,” says Gargiulo, who was steadfast in how she wanted to create this range. Her two hero products, Active Treatment Essence and Active Botanical Serum (used in this order), help skin regenerate, balance and heal. “Their formulas were created to complete one another,” says Gargiulo. “Together, they form a complete skincare system in two simple, yet powerful steps.”
So’s what’s in these magical products? Their signature Phyto Radiance Infusion of nutrient-dense botanicals (think nettle, moringa, ginkgo, alfalfa, calendula, dandelion, lavender, green tea and astragalus). It takes three weeks to extract their nutrition, coupled with a two-week-long Phyto Ferment process to amplify absorption and efficacy. Hyaluronic acid, natural vitamin C, three plant stem cell complexes, probiotics, prebiotics, marine algae and gentle microexfoliators keep skin plump, firm, smooth, even and glowing.
In a sea of brands that release a new product every month and expand into new categories annually, Vintner’s Daughter has been methodical and slow about how it launches these game-changing products. “From concept to final formulation took two years for Active Botanical Serum and four for Active Treatment Essence,” Gargiulo explains. “Of course, creating product after product increases your sales, but we are not driven by revenue; we are driven by integrity and skin health. This is not to say we will never release a new product. I hope we will, and when we do, our customers will know that it offers something that no other product does.” The brand is also serious about giving back. From its inception, Vintner’s Daughter has given two percent of its revenue to charities benefiting women and children worldwide like Every Mother Counts, Black Mamas Matter and Color of Change.
