Mastiha Face Cream Dreams: mastihashop, New York

Mastiha: the magical resin born in the Greek island of Chios. It's a flavor I've grown up with, eating mastiha  taffy spoon sweet since I can remember. The resin is more than just a delicate, floral pine flavor. It has been long used for its therapeutic attributes, known to cleanse the skin, making it radiant and refreshed. The essential oil derived from mastiha offers significant antimicrobial and healing properties. The mastihashop, an entity Chios Mastiha Growers Association, is the embassy for Chios Mastiha throughout the world, hosting products and flavors from the Eastern Mediterranean. Currently there is only one mastihashop in the United States, which is in New York (trust me, I am begging them to come out West).




Being an avid lover of mastiha and its comprehensive uses, The mastihashop NY recently sent me some Mastiha and Gentian face cream to try.  The luxurious cream made by Korres in cooperation with Chios Mastiha Growers, combines mastiha oil, gentian, arnica, pine, juniper and achillea extracts with avocado, jojoba and macadamia nut oils resulting in a refreshed face and soft skin. The cream actually increases the supply of oxygen to the cells, revitalizing the skin and enhancing it natural defenses. Just the smell of it alone, makes my face glow and my lips part into a smile. Ps. if you're wondering what Gentian is, it's alpine flower responsible for the major flavor in bitters.




After a few days of use, my skin has felt extremely invigorated, not to mention clearer. I am extremely happy with this face cream - I use it at night and in the morning - and my skin feels more supple than normal. Did I mention the smell of mastiha is incredibly intoxicating? Although mastihashop in New York's Lower East Side is a little far away, I can still order their complex variety of mastiha goodies online (which is my preferred way of shopping, anyway).




mastihashop
145 Orchard St
New York, NY 10002
212.253.0895