Greece may be having financial troubles right now, but their art, food and culture has been beloved for millennia. When I think of Greece, I think of beauty, and wellness. And so many beautiful products are produced in Greece!
For example, SPONGE skincare. Sponge takes powerful plants & herbs and uses them in a unique, chemical-free extraction process to enhance health and beauty. The plants,flowers and herbs used in their skincare formulas are grown in specific regions of Greece, and hand-blended in a base of first pressed, extra virgin olive oil. They’re cruelty free, they have biodegradable active ingredients, and they’re hypoallergenic and noncomedogenic so they won’t irritate your skin or block your pores. Furthermore, these “green” products are free of parabens, sulfates, artificial dyes, petrochemicals, propylene glycol, and synthetic fragrance. Instead there are three key natural substitutes: Optiphen, which is made of phenoxyethanol, and active organic compound with exceptional preservative and anti-microbial benefits; Caprylyl Glycol, which is made from coconut and is a multi-functional humectant and stabilizer. and Ethylhexylglycerin, a natural glycerin with excellent preservative properties. Sponge products also don’t have any genetically modified natural ingredients.
I love Sponge’s product inspiration, too–organic sponges cultivated on the Greek island of Symi. Like our skin, these sponges absorb vital nutrients from external sources. What a lovely analogy! And the deep, matte, black, grey, blue and green outer cartons are inspired by the rich, dark volcanic waters of Santorini. For those who care, Sponge has 100% recyclable packaging printed with biodegradable ink on FSC Certified Paper, Printer & Mills (Forest Steward Council).
I am not sure you can get more eco-friendly and natural than this!
SPONGE is all sorts of lovely and of course, it’s very luxurious. I tried just one Sponge product so far, but I hope to review more. The one I chose is krema lambrini skin illuminating cream (retail: $125.00 / 1.7 fl. oz). This creamy lotion is supposed to enhance your skin’s luminosity with three luxurious ingredients: mango + gold + pearl. I have to admit, if all this lotion did was moisturize, I would still splurge on it, because the scent is incredible! I guess it’s mango, but to me it smells sinfully, deliciously, like high quality plum wine. However, it is serious skin care that blends mango and gold lumispheres infused with nourishing vitamin E and pearl to smooth and super-hydrate skin. I didn’t really see all the much luminous glow, maybe just a bit of subtle shine, but I do believe that it’s a lovely anti-aging skin care potiion. It is designed to accentuate the skin anywhere on your body (great for Summer when skin gets overly parched), so apply it not just to your face, but also to your décolleté, shoulders, arms, legs, etc.
You can investigate all the SPONGE products on their official website and also check them out at place such as Sephora.