Best of Greek Beauty Products, a shopping guide

  The beauty industry in Greece is really stepping up its game; loads of new brands emerging, advanced research being used, new ideas, beautiful packaging, fine product quality. All that drew some international attention around some of the Greek beauty brands, but there is still so much for someone to discover if they are visiting Greece.

  So let’s start with what Greeks do best:

*  Sunscreen. Don’t bother packing any of this with you, when you visit the country, because there are so many excellent options for you here. Whether you are looking for a high SPF or not, a cream or an oil, something for the face or body, we’ve got you covered. Both Apivita and Korres offer some incredible choices.

Personal favourites are: Apivita’s genius range of Antispot sunscreens for the face and the lovely Walnut & Coconut Suntan oils by Korres. Both brands use the finest natural ingredients in order to provide protection, as well as pamper the skin.


*  When it comes to Skincare, there is so much to discover in the Greek market; most companies incorporate natural, local ingredients into high-tech products.

Try Apivita’s Creamy Face and Eye Cleanser which is really gentle and works with most skin types, as well as the famous masks from the same brand.
For a moisturiser, anything by Korres, Frezyderm or macrovita should work.
If you want to splurge look out for philab (a luxurious, niche brand) and do try the Mastic Spa Diamond Renaissance (a regenerating topical treatment for wrinkles).
If you forgot to bring your skincare with you, pop in a supermarket and buy something by bioten; it’s cheap, but it won’t disappoint.

There are also a few hybrid products worth checking out : 
- Korres Watermelon light tinted moisturiser spf 30, which combines high protection and makeup coverage in one light formulation. - Frezyderm’s Tinted Cream, is another great product; almost like a moisturiser, that battles with acne and oiliness and it gives a little coverage as well (like a BB cream but better). Both are excellent products. 


*  Body care is easy. I highly recommend making a stop in a Fresh Line shop. They do soaps, bath bombs, body, face and hair care in the most natural way. The scents they use are so incredibly beautiful and intense!

If you want to smell yummy, try Orpheus & Eurydice aromatherapy body milk or 

Cassandra’s royal body Cream if you need a special treat.

This shop also offers great options for little gifts to take back home with you for your friends and family. Macrovita and Mastic Spa have also got some really interesting body care items, but if you are on a tight budget go for bioten instead.

If you (or your children) suffer with extra sensitive skin, do look for Pharmasept products. They have really mild formulations and are based on medical research. I love their foot cream, which makes your feet look like you just had a pedicure!

When it comes to perfume, Korres has a small but really interesting range of unique scents.

Two of the best anti-cellulite treatments I have ever tried, happen to be from Greek brands: the budget-friendly Cellufight by Bioten and Fresh Line’s Aphrodite Thermal Emulsion, which is so luxurious. They both help with micro-circulation and give a ‘burning’ feel on the skin, which is what makes them so effective.
I use Cellufight all year round, but when I need some serious anti-cellulite action Aphrodite never fails me; hands-down the most intense treatment against cellulite.

*  Almost all of the brands I mentioned above, do really good hair care products. Farcom is a company whose hair masks you need to try, as they are some of the best in the market (and quite affordable!). They have many ranges of products; some found in the supermarket, some exclusively in salons.


*  Finally, makeup! Personally, I love the Korres makeup range because they create treatment-based products (e.g. a foundation is never just for coverage, but it also helps your skin fight free radicals, it keeps it moisturised etc etc). There hasn’t been one thing that has disappointed me from the range; excellent products, fashion-forward thinking, beautiful formulations. There are a few more affordable options in the market, though.

Seventeen has a massive range, where you can literally find anything you need. Their products are amazing value for money and I highly recommend their matte blushes as well as their long-stay lip liners.

Erre Due and Radiant also offer a variety of fun shadows and lipsticks. Visiting their counter won’t let you go empty-handed.

Toyoko is another Greek brand that does makeup, and there are some very interesting brushes in the range.

  Last, but not least, I need to mention one last thing. The making of natural beeswax ointments has been a tradition in Greece. You can find thousands of non-branded little jars filled with different ointments. The salves are usually made of beeswax, natural plant oils and essential oils and are 100% natural. There are so many different recipes; some are great for cuts and bites, some for wrinkles, some for spots, some are good all-rounders. You can find such products in flea-markets and organic stores. So next time you are visiting Greece, pack light and be ready to discover lots of new beauty products!




Text by Did you fall from heaven