Well, first off, the Greek women know that beauty comes from the inside out and their lifestyle is the foundation for glowing skin and a vibrant life! Living with the Earth and eating what is in season provides a diet rich in variety and in-tune with nature.
Olive Oil: rich in omega 3's for everything from hair care, moisturizer for their skin, and soaps.
Sea Buckthorne (one of my personal faves) grows all around Greece and the berries are considered a superfood. Its botanical genus name, Hippophae, literally means, "shiny horse", because the ancient Greeks fed it to their prize racehorses to keep them sleek and healthy. It's often featured in ancient medical texts citing treatments from skin disorders to digestive health.
Avocado: loaded with oleic acid, Vitamin E, and protein this fruit is a great snack and also used for the face and hair to add moisture and shine.
SEA SALT
Bathing in salt helps the skin to regenerate while reducing inflammation, pain, supporting detoxification, and soothing sore muscles. It has been shown to treat psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, eczema, and dandruff.
Sea Salt: it's essential for life and balances many physiologic functions within the body. The Greeks have used salt topically for skin conditions and also internally for digestive problems for centuries.
Try a salt scrub: a salt scrub gives you a beautiful glow because it exfoliates the skin while pulling impurities out of it.
Add 4 cups of unrefined Sea Salt to a large bowl
Add 1 cup of coconut oil with the salts into the bowl
Add 10-20 drops of calendula or lavender essential oil and mix until it becomes a paste.
Step into the shower and begin to apply a small amount of the paste to your feet and move up your body (similar to your lymphatic flow).
Rinse and Glow!
Oregano: Greek women have used this herb as a secret skincare ingredient for centuries and referred to it as "the joy of the mountains"! The oils have powerful antiseptic properties and are rich in antioxidants. Mix a couple drops of oregano oil with olive oil and massage it into your scalp to stimulate growth and add some extra shine.
Every morning since I have arrived in Crete I start the day with Greek coffee and it's amazing! That's quite a compliment coming from a Seattlite, the birthplace of coffee in the U.S. (and Starbucks).
Why is Greek coffee so much better? Well, it's all in the preparation which creates a higher concentration of more protective compounds than your average cup of joe.