CRYSTAL CLEAR

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

This Cretan mountain tea,  is a natural tea infusion made from the dried flowers, leaves and stems of the Sideritis Scardica plant, endemic to the mountains of Crete.

Renowned for its medicinal properties, beneficial to our immune and respiratory systems, Cretan mountain tea is also a famed superfood for your skin.

An aromatic herb, rich in flavonoids, iron and a plethora of phytonutrients, mountain tea is a potent antioxidant ingredient. Before you go rushing to your bookshelves to dig up your high school chemistry book, let’s make it simple. Antioxidants protect your skin from environmental aggressors, i.e. dust, air pollutants, smoke and all those nasties that cling to your face and make it look and feel dull and malnourished.

So, we’ve replaced a good amount of water by mountain tea in our formula, so that you needn’t worry about toxins and enjoy a revitalised, fresh, super clean, kissable skin.

Betaine is an osmolyte, an ingredient that protects cells from environmental stress, but also helps your skin adapt to moisture losses and gains, essentially working to balance skin’s hydration. Found in plants, Betaine’s ability to increase your skin’s water retention & moisture absorption makes it a magnificent natural moisturiser.

Trivia you (might) never need to know, but we will tell you anyway. Betaine is named after sugar beet, where it was first discovered.

A natural polysaccharide, rhamnose-rich, obtained by bacterial fermentation. Its coating inhibits the adhesion of pathogenic bacteria to the surface of the skin.  It also helps regulate your skin’s possible inflammatory response to microbial aggression.

In other words, it will protect your skin from unwanted bacteria and germs, as it forms a protective barrier and keeps the bad guys away.

A dermo-protective active ingredient known for its antifungal properties. It also offers dermo-protection for the restoration of the skin’s acidic mantle and sebum reduction through inhibition of 5-alpha reductase.

This powerful, purifying, active ingredient, is your ally when it comes to decreasing oiliness (sebum production) and keeping acne at bay.