Ingredient

Dried Currants

Vitus vinefera

Dried currants aren't a bunch of red berries, but another name for dried grapes. Soft and nutritious, they gently exfoliate the skin – and make a lovely, natural decoration.

Grape is the generic name given to the berry of a grapevine plant. Several species make up the genus Vitis (family Vitaceae), including varieties that are eaten as fruit, dried to produce raisins, currants and sultanas, or crushed to make juice and wine. Currants are the dried grapes that are usually used in baking.

One of the most praised health foods, grapes are a good source of vitamins and minerals, containing magnesium, potassium, vitamins A, C and several of the vitamin B group. They are a natural source of malic acid, an important alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) ingredient in cosmetics.