A few years ago, while I was studying in Athens, I went shopping for a shower gel. I just wanted to put a random bottle in my shopping basket when I noticed a modest brown bottle. It was Korres shower gel. The sticker promised that I would find 97% natural content inside. Organic cosmetics weren’t so popular in Poland back then, so I was really curious to test something new.  This is how my long-term relationship with Korres and natural cosmetics began.

A bit of history

The brand itself is relatively new, founded in 1996. George Korres had a small pharmacy in Athens, which offered homeopathic medicines. The owner specialized in creating unique natural mixtures, based primarily on Greek plants and herbs. George decided not to use all kinds of mineral oils, silicones, parabens and make use of nature. Korres cosmetics soon have become extremely popular. Today even Rihanna and Angelina Jolie love it! Products, of course, are not tested on animals. Korres also supports local communities – the herbs are grown locally and bought from the Greek farmers.

Natural content inside!

I love Korres cosmetics for quite minimal design. But you know, what is the coolest thing? Korres wanted to be honest and transparent towards customers from the very beginning. Each label contains extremely detailed information about what the cosmetic contains and how many % of the ingredients come from nature. I love this approach – you don’t have to go through this fine print with ingredients in search of suspicious ones. As simple as this:

Korres shower gel – which one to choose?

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit, but now I have 4 bottles of Korres shower gel. I think I tested all scents so far and my favorites are:

• Bergamot + Pear Korres Shower Gel has a refreshing but sweet scent, perfect for summer (87.1% of ingredients of natural origin), contains wheat and Althaea extracts.
• Vanilla + Cinnamon Korres Shower Gel – wonderful, warm, lustrous scent with wooden notes, ideal for autumn and winter season, when all you wanna do is keeping warm (89.3% natural ingredients)
• Lavender Korres Shower Gel – perhaps the best scent of lavender in the cosmetics I have ever smelled, not artificial at all. Wonderful delicate aroma of these extraordinary purple flowers makes you wanna wander through the fields of lavender for hours (87.2% of natural ingredients).
• Santorini vine Korres Shower Gel – absolutely the BEST! I love this scent so so much. It is actually hard to describe it – a bit like sweet grapes, but with a nutty note (86.7% of the ingredients of natural origin). In this Korres shower gel, you will find the extract from ancient Santorini vines Assyrtiko, I wrote about them here. I don’t know if it’s the scent or the beautiful bottle or maybe the fact that it has SANTORINI in the name makes this Korres shower gel my bathroom’s favorite (here’s a little explanation of my Santorini obsession).

Korres body butter – my favorite picks!

Each and every Korres shower gel has a body butter with the same scent. As I’m Libra, I suck at decision making, so of course, I couldn’t pick one and eventually took 3…

• Jasmine Korres Body Butter – the smell of jasmine buds, a bit too intensive for me in the long run (it turned out that I don’t like jasmine so much ;). If you love floral scents, you will probably love it. This Korres body butter is based mostly on an almond oil (93.5% of ingredients of natural origin).
• Coconut milk Korres Body Milk – a fragrant blend of coconut and vanilla, I really love this mix. After application, it turns into powder. This is my 2 bottle of this Korres body milk, perfect for summer, brings you back into summer vibes and tropical islands (92% of ingredients of natural origin)
• Santorini Vine Body Milk – couldn’t miss the twin of my beloved Korres shower gel. The same unusual, amazing scent. The combination of provitamin B5, Shea butter, and Jojoba oil provides excellent hydration to your skin throughout the day. I also got a matching perfume when I bought a set. Whenever I use it and close my eyes, I’m immediately wandering through the white & blue streets of Santorini… This Korres product line was created in collaboration with Union of Santorini Cooperatives.

What else should you try?

I also love these tiny Korres masks, they are perfect for traveling. I particularly like the one with Goji berries, based on the Shea butter, aiming at firming and lifting. Great after a long haul flight. Actually, it works and smells wonderful!

When it comes to traveling, I also have a mini Almond Blossom cream in my cosmetic bag for long haul flights. This lightweight cream hydrates and radiates my skin in seconds. However, if you are used to chemical scent of almonds in cosmetics, you may be a bit disappointed when you smell this cream 🙂

Where to buy Korres?

I remember my great disappointment when, after returning to Poland, I couldn’t find them anywhere in the shops. Currently, you may get Korres cosmetics online. I also saw some in TJ Maxx (single creams or gels), both in Germany and the States. I always buy them in Greece, at the airport in Athens. There is a large Korres shop, with really good promo offers, 2 for 1 etc. I honestly admit that this is for me (next to olive oil) the coolest souvenir from Greece. The best recommendation? When couple of my friends tried them, now whenever I go to Greece, I always hear “bring me this Korres shower gel” 🙂

Have you ever tried a Korres shower gel or body milk? How did you like this brand?

Like it? Pin it!