Korres: naturally Greek

It was a love story from the first. In the oldest homeopathic pharmacy in Athens, George Korres concocted natural remedies—teas, salves, wild rose oil—and attracted customers from across the country. Lena was one of the regulars, a fiercely intelligent chemical engineer with a passion for science and botanicals. And a lovely smile. When George launched Korres in 1996—inspired by his customers’ repeated requests for natural beauty products—Lena was his first hire. Lena and George started small, creating creams by experimenting with the pharmacy’s stockpile of fresh herbs and organic oils. Soon they were fielding calls from rival pharmacies asking to stock their lotions. The first Korres cosmetic product—Wild Rose 24-Hour Moisturising & Brightening Cream, infused with the pharmacy’s wild rose oil—is still a bestseller. When it became clear that Korres had legs as well as vision, Lena and George sat down with pen and paper to plan their brand’s future.

Today, Korres is among the most respected natural beauty brands in the world, smashing innovation boundaries by using technology inspired by Nobel Prize–winning discoveries in chemistry, and earning international acclaim for everything from its eco-friendly products to its contemporary packaging. The cherry on top? Lena and George are now married with children.

The Korres mantra—“Nature is the ultimate provider”—says it all.

Although Korres is now an international brand, and you can find them in all the big department stores and numerous online stores, they still think and act like a small family-run company when it comes to producing their products. Korres works with micro-farmers, and teach their partners organic farming and sustainable agricultural systems, helping them throughout all stages of cultivation and harvesting in association with the Agricultural University of Athens. We support solely organic farming through contractual agreements. 

Working with instead of competing against

The choice not to cultivate ourselves the herbs that Korres needs, is a conscious one. Their aim is not to compete, but to support the farmers and their unions, as well as the community bodies.

The natural active ingredients that we use derive from four primary ingredient groups:

MEDICINAL HERBS: Ingredients inherited from our pharmacy days / Calendula, Echinacea, Hypericum, Evening Primrose

GREEK FLORA: Plants that have evolved adaptations to grow in Greece’s unique environment / Thyme, Sage, Bay Laurel, Olive, Mastiha

FOOD INGREDIENTS: Beneficial ingredients with advanced skincare properties including Yoghurt, Thyme Honey

NATURAL ACTIVES: Actives such as natural antioxidant Quercetin, with proven efficacy as per the findings of international  research programmes including the primary research carried by the Korres Research & Development Lab.

That brand has really grown since 2002, when it was rebranded, and their ever-expanding range of products includes hair products (even natural hair dyes), skin care for men and women, suncare, makeup, fragrances and herbal pharmacy products. I've always been a fan of their packaging and branding, but also the products are really good too. I've recently been using the Black Pine anti ageing creams and they smell amazing. Your skin always feels nourished and soft after applying the cream and the prices are totally affordable. I'm also a real soldier when it comes to applying and reapplying sun block all day, all year round and find the Korres sun care with Greek yoghurt to be fantastic.