LET’S TALK INGREDIENTS

GOT YOU COVERED MATTIFYING & PORE MINIMISING PRIMER

OLIVE LEAF EXTRACT FROM LESVOS*

Olives, olive oil…hm… we are sure you are no stranger to this wonderful fruit and are aware of olive oil’s magnificent health properties both for the skin and general health. No wonder, it is called “liquid gold”.

What makes olive products so good for our health are its ‘bioactive compounds’. We wanted to find the best bioactive compounds for skin; those that would specifically benefit YOUNG skin. We therefore examined the use of an extract from the olive leaf rather than the olive fruit. This is because olive leaves have a high percentage of two extremely beneficial bioactive compounds: ‘oleuropein and oleacein’.

Why are these important? These two compounds have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial properties. The oxidation of sebum is prevented, therefore olive leaf extract is perfect for all types of skin, especially oily ones, prone to acne and imperfections.

Olive leaf extract therefore became the obvious choice for all our product formulations – the star ingredient. It is an amazing superfood for your skin! Indeed, if olive oil is liquid gold, then olive leaf extract is platinum…

We didn’t want to use any olive leaves. We wanted to find the ones with an extremely high concentration of oleuropein and oleacein. We turned to recent research conducted by the Department of Analytical Chemistry of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and scientific director, Nikolaos Thomaidis in collaboration with The Region of North Aegean. For the first time a comparison of the bioactive compounds among different olive tree varieties was undertaken. The research revealed that the variety with the highest proportion of polyphenols including – oleuropein and oleacein – is called Kolovi which grows on the island of Lesvos.

We didn’t want to stop there though! Further analysis was undertaken by Prof. Thomaidis’ team and all the research results were used by a group of chemical analysts and chemical engineers who work closely with The National Technical University of Athens chemical engineering department. The aim was to develop an extract which contains the maximum amount of oleuropein and oleacein whilst being produced in a sustainable way.

The result is arguably one of the most superior olive leaf extracts in the world!

In summary, our olive leaf extract is a wonderful ingredient. It moisturises, detoxifies, hydrates and soothes skin, leaving it soft, plump and radiant.

*Organic cultivation. Kolovi variety

MASTIC GUM

Plastic? No, not plastic! Mastic! Or, as we Greeks say “Mastiha”.

Endemic to the Greek island of Chios, it is famously known to grow only on this island –absolutely nowhere else in the world. Mastic gum is a teardrop-shaped plant resin that is known for its astringent, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. It is often referred to as “tears of Chios”. What a hip name for a natural ingredient!

It produces a resin that features such a plethora of health and skin care properties. Botanists from all over the world have tried to grow it in locations other than Chios, with no luck!

Its ability to control the excretion of sebum, thus reducing oiliness and break outs, renders mastic gum excellent for sensitive, prone to acne skin. It comes as no surprise that this magnificent, natural ingredient is such a powerful mattifying agent, refining imperfections and evening out skin tone.

In brief, if controlling shine and tackling pores is a concern, you will love mastic gum!

TAPIOCA STARCH

Tapioca starch (or flour) is obtained from the edible, sweet root of the cassava plant. This green alternative to talc, is a natural powder whose ability to absorb oil, thus reduce greasiness, makes it an ideal skin mattifier.

VITAMIN E

You all are aware of the benefits of vitamin C and sure enough you have heard about vitamin D (yep, the “sunshine” vitamin). Go one letter further down the alphabet and you will encounter another skin care superhero, vitamin E.

Found naturally in many foods, including green, leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, eggs, and vegetable oils, vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is as much a superfood for your health, as it is a superfood for your skin!

Let’s find out why vitamin E is such an E-ssential for your skin care routine.

Your skin needs vitamin E to defend itself against environmental enemies like toxins, dust, pollution, smoke, etc. that cause damage to the skin. In other words, your skin needs a trusted, reliable and powerful ally in its fight against damaging free radicals.

This is where vitamin E’s superb antioxidant properties come to the rescue. By keeping the bad guys away, vitamin E also helps decrease inflammation, soothing irritated skin.

If you are looking for a plumper, smoother skin, look no further! Vitamin E never fails to deliver!