| Summary: | This review refers to botanical, ecological and phytochemical characteristics of <i>Vitis vinifera</i> L. (vine grape)–a species, the valuable properties of which are widely exploited in the food industry and in recent times in medicine as well as in phytocosmetology. The general characteristic of <i>V. vinifera</i>, followed by the chemical composition and biological activities of different extracts obtained from the plant (fruit, skin, pomace, seed, leaf and stem extracts), are provided. A con<i>cis</i>e review of the extraction conditions of grape metabolites and the methods of their analysis are also presented. The biological activity of <i>V. vinifera</i> is determined by the presence of high contents of polyphenols, mainly flavonoids (e.g., quercetin, kaempferol), catechin derivatives, anthocyanins and stilbenoids (e.g., <i>trans</i>-resveratrol, <i>trans-ε</i>-viniferin). The review pays particular attention to the application of <i>V. vinifera</i> in cosmetology. It has been proven that <i>V. vinifera</i> possesses strong cosmetological-related properties, such as anti-ageing properties, anti-inflammatory properties and skin-whitening properties. Moreover, a review of studies on <i>V. vinifera</i> biological activities, which are of particular interest for dermatologic problems, are disclosed. Furthermore, the work also emphasises the importance of biotechnological studies on <i>V. vinifera.</i> The last part of the review is addressed to the safety of the use of <i>V. vinifera</i>.
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