Today we are joined by Kalliopi Zervoulakou, the young woman behind Kalliope's. Kalliope's is a line of natural cosmetics and wellness products, handmade in small batches in Lefkas island. It is family-run in a small lab in a mountainous village, offering you a healthy and ethical alternative to store-bought, industrial products.
So, let's get started!
Hello Kalliopi! Thank you for being here with us. Tell us about yourself and your involvement in making natural cosmetics.
Hello! I'm also delighted to be here and thank you for the opportunity to introduce more people to Kalliope’s through this interview.
I was born and raised in Athens and studied at the School of Fine Arts in Florina. As an artist, I can say that creation is an integral part of my character. I was always intrigued by the world of herbs and loved nature, but as a city kid, I didn't have many opportunities to get close to it. This chance came when I permanently moved with my family to Lefkada. That’s when a whole new world opened up for me, the world of learning about and studying herbs.
The truth is that, in a way, there was also a family tradition. My grandmother on my mother's side knew the amazing properties of herbs and used them to treat various illnesses; she was kind of the village healer. But also another grandmother from my father's family, a famous folklorist from Crete, studied herbs and even wrote a book with rich references to the folk knowledge about the properties and uses of herbs. So I would say that my connection with herbs is not accidental; it's something deep within me and a natural continuation.
My innate tendency towards creation combined with my love for natural ingredients and my own need to use pure products led me to make my first natural skincare products. This happened when I was pregnant with my first child. At 23, all of a sudden. I felt very protective of the pure and vulnerable little creature growing inside me. And naturally, I was careful. With food, it’s easy. You read the label and decide if it’s good for you or not. But with cosmetics? All synthetic, chemical, and incomprehensible, I didn't trust any conventional product.
Generally, I’m quite a bookworm, in the sense that I want to know and tend to spend many hours researching and studying anything that piques my interest. At that stage, I wanted to be able to read a shampoo or cosmetic label and understand what I was reading, what each ingredient is, where it comes from, what its properties are, and how it affects the body overall. For example, many synthetic ingredients found in conventional care products negatively impact our hormones, something many people don’t know and which I obviously wanted to avoid.
With this knowledge, I could judge which product supported my health and my baby's, and which didn’t. I wanted something pure, harmless, economical, but also pleasant to use. And I struggled to find anything good; even those marketed as natural had, along with the natural ingredients, others I didn’t approve of. We’re talking about 2016, when pure cosmetic products were hard to find, at least in Greece. So, I wanted a solution for myself.
That’s when my mom came across a book with recipes for natural cosmetics and brought it to me, thinking it would interest me. A passion was born that day. That's how my first experiments started, using natural and wonderful raw materials. I began making many different natural cosmetics for myself, my family, and my friends. I was thrilled with how we could go to nature, take its gifts, transform them, and enjoy them.
From 2016 to today, many things have changed. You have now created a complete line of care and wellness products, Kalliope’s, which people love and trust. Tell us about this evolution.
It has been, and continues to be, a great and exciting journey! Making my first products for personal use, I realized that this is something that excites me, and so very early on, the intention to pursue this professionally was born.
Shortly after our baby was born, we came to live in my partner Konstantinos’ village, in mountainous Lefkada. This opened new horizons for my passionate involvement, as now all the herbs were right outside my door. Fairly inexperienced until then, I started going out, learning to identify and collect herbs and flowers, and simultaneously studying herbalism with a focus on their therapeutic properties for skin and hair. At that time, I was greatly inspired by a botanist friend, Aris, who guided me in identifying plants and herbs and shared many useful pieces of information with me.
At the same time, and for at least three years, I delved into a thorough study of cosmetology. That is, learning about formula design and the preparation of every cosmetic form to have the desired effect, texture, appearance, etc. Also, on good manufacturing practices, ingredient compatibility, proper preservation, and many other aspects and details of the profession.
A central issue was also studying and understanding how our skin and hair work, what needs different types of skin and hair have, and how to approach their care. With this understanding, and combining it with herbalism, I could decide which ingredients to include in a product so that, thanks to their properties, it would act effectively depending on the need it was intended to meet (e.g., reducing oiliness or creating a protective barrier, etc.).
During the quarantine, Konstantinos and I managed to set up our laboratory and then license it. Since then, things have progressed well and steadily.
In our laboratory, we produce all sorts of goodies, some of which are recipes I’ve been improving for years. We have taken over several family olive groves and produce our own aromatic and medicinal plants and fruits. We have partnerships with stores in various cities in Greece, and our products travel to many countries abroad to loyal customers.
A key feature of your products is the high quality of their ingredients. How do you choose the raw materials?
Thank you for noticing, and yes, there is indeed great attention to detail and dedication to high quality. We thoroughly research and always select the best natural ingredients for our formulations, carefully choosing those with the highest quality characteristics. Kalliope’s products are made primarily from raw materials sourced from our family farms, directly from our own certified organic herb gardens and olive groves. We control the production from the seed to the final product, ensuring the purity of our ingredients. We oversee every step of the production process, thus ensuring that there are no impurities or contaminations. Organic farming products are qualitatively superior, healthy, safe, and ethical. We believe that natural agriculture is the only sustainable relationship between humans and cultivated land, and we oppose the practices of conventional agriculture that poison the soil, deplete natural resources, and disrupt the ecosystem, leading to its degradation. Therefore, we treat the soil, plants, and trees with respect and gratitude. We plant and cultivate our crops following natural rhythms.
We apply practices that harmonize with the environment and enrich the ecosystem, supporting biodiversity. We do not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Instead, we use organic matter to help nourish the plants, following the natural trend of the circular economy. Thus, our products, grown in pristine areas, are free from harmful substances, clean, and truly beneficial.
In addition to ingredients from our own cultivation, we always insist on organically grown raw materials, cold-pressed oils, and unrefined butters, which preserve the vitamins, phytonutrients, and therapeutic substances of the plants they come from. For all functional ingredients, we choose raw materials of natural origin and mild processing.
Tell us more about the effectiveness and safety of Kalliope’s cosmetics.
As I mentioned earlier, our products are made entirely from beneficial natural ingredients and are enriched with pure aromatic and medicinal plants from the Greek land. Our formulas embody the essence of the power of plants and offer holistic benefits. We use traditional, slow methods of gentle processing to extract the unique beneficial ingredients of each plant. Through maceration, we create herbal extracts, and through distillation, we obtain essential oils and flower waters. These potent botanical elements serve as active ingredients in our formulas and target various needs (e.g., anti-aging, relief of musculoskeletal pain, enhancement of hair health). Since they are organically cultivated and carefully processed, they retain their properties to the fullest. Organic farming products are proven to be more nutritious compared to those of conventional farming (they contain more vitamins, amino acids, trace elements), and therefore more effective.
Another very important aspect is the high concentration of beneficial ingredients in our products. Often, we see on supermarket shelves products from multinational companies boasting a particular herbal extract on the label. However, an ingredient must be present in the correct ratio to be effective, and the fact that it is listed on a label does not prove that it is in sufficient quantity to act. It is common in the cosmetics industry to include minimal amounts of certain herbal ingredients in a product that otherwise consists mainly of petroleum derivatives, silicones, synthetics, and heavily processed ingredients. Thus, they manage to sell promises to unsuspecting buyers.
Kalliope’s products are effective because we ensure that the ingredients they contain are concentrated and in sufficient quantity to indeed act and achieve the desired result.
Regarding their safety, I would say that they are the purest one can try on themselves, and we have many customers who have found solutions for their sensitive skin in our products. They are prepared in our laboratory with special care and attention.
In our products, you will never find petrochemicals, mineral oils and their derivatives, phthalates, sulfates, ethoxylated ingredients, parabens, and other chemical preservatives or potentially harmful substances for health.
I would also like to mention that we fully agree with the regulations set by organic cosmetics certification bodies (NATRUE, COSMOS) and follow their guidelines in our formulations. However, as we are a small family business, it is currently financially burdensome for us to obtain certification for our products, even though they meet the requirements and have all the necessary characteristics.
What is the life span of your products and how should they be stored?
Unlike conventional commercial cosmetics, our formulas do not contain chemical preservatives, which is why our products have a shorter shelf life. Our formulas are designed to be self-preserving or contain natural preservatives when necessary. It is therefore recommended not to use them beyond the time indicated on their packaging.
Regarding their storage, it is important to avoid exposing them to moisture, sunlight, and excessive heat, and to store them in a cool, dark place. For our products that are packaged in jars, it is very important to wash hands before each application.
You are particularly sensitive to environmental protection and always try to promote sustainability. What practices do you follow when making your products to minimize harm to the environment?
For me, the value of natural resources is of great importance, and I am very saddened by the waste and destruction that takes place. Unfortunately, we are still in a violent, oppressive political and economic regime that creates a destructive framework. Its woes are countless and so vast that, many times, it makes us feel powerless to bring about change.
The path may be long, but every day, we ourselves can take a step in the right direction. We share the vision for the healing of the Earth and the shift of humanity towards a way of life that realizes harmony. We hope to move towards sustainable management of environmental resources through balance in daily life.
In our small piece of land, we strengthen our responsibility and aim for our positive impact. Our products contribute to this collective mindset shift by offering ethical alternatives to everyday care products.
We propose a clean beauty and care routine, without the need for accumulating many products since our formulas are multifunctional and concentrated. Our products are designed to be not only of excellent quality but also very efficient, without the presence of harmful and cheap fillers. Thus, in a smaller package, we can have more substance. Additionally, we produce zero waste products and utilize upcycling techniques.
Beyond our farming methods, which we already mentioned, we also adopt environmentally responsible practices in our laboratory. We employ production methods that minimize waste and energy consumption. All our processes and raw materials are safe and natural, resulting in no environmental pollutants being released. We prioritize reuse and recycling, while also composting materials that can return directly to the soil.
Regarding packaging, we avoid plastic and prefer containers that are reusable and recyclable. Secondary packaging and labels are recyclable or compostable.
How easy is it to come up with a new formula and what drives you to make a new product?
To create a new product, I follow this process: first, I define the purpose of the product, meaning for whom it is intended and what its desired action is. Next, I focus on the appropriate cosmetic form and draft the formula. To select the right herbal ingredients, I study their profiles to combine those that will have the optimal effect. Then, I take my recipe and test it in practice. I make adjustments as needed until I arrive at a formula that works both practically and aesthetically.
Choosing the right ingredients is a result of combined research. Initially, I take into account traditional herbalism. Most herbs have been used for various purposes around the world for centuries, so I try to discover the collective knowledge regarding a particular herb, its historical uses, and known properties. Then, I refer to modern research to verify that this collective knowledge and centuries of experience are scientifically supported. In most cases, there are indeed studies and research, but the world of herbs and plants is inexhaustible, and many aspects have yet to be thoroughly researched. When relevant clinical studies exist, they help me determine dosages and optimize effectiveness.
I would like to share something I have learned from years of studying and working with nature and herbs. I observe that the cosmetics industry has been trying for years to isolate various elements from plants to utilize them in product formulations, aiming to make them more effective. As I mentioned earlier, many plants and herbs have been studied. However, nature operates in a unique way that we cannot fully mimic or understand. When all the elements of a plant work in synergy, the different substances interact in a harmonious and balanced manner, which remains largely unknown to us. This magic of nature is something that personally fascinates me. I always consider it when creating a product and firmly believe it makes a difference.
Regarding the second part of the question, there are various reasons that may drive me to create a new product. Sometimes, I discover a gap in the market and a need that must be met. Other times, it is the people who trust and buy our products that ask us to create something specific. There are also instances when I draw inspiration from a raw material I have produced. For example, a plant might fascinate me so much that it inspires the creation of an entire product!
What is your most beloved product and which one with the greatest appeal?
That's a tough question! I love them all, but if I had to choose, I'd say "Nioti".
All my products have their target group. Some products appeal to a larger audience compared to others that address more specialized needs, so it's natural for them to sell more, such as the deodorants that are suitable for both men and women and all age groups. To give you a more specific answer, some of our best sellers are the solid shampoos, the lip balms, and the Eye Lash and Brow Serum.
You often participate in various events throughout Greece, such as the Vegan Life Festival and Eco Festivals. Tell us a little bit about these experiences.
Participating in events like the Vegan Life Festival and various eco-fairs are very pleasant experiences for us. A significant reason we choose to participate is the need for people to get to know us. Living in the mountainous area of Lefkada, we have few visitors to our workshop, so these events provide an excellent opportunity to connect with our audience.
Additionally, we feel a strong sense of reciprocity. When people express their enthusiasm and share their positive experiences with our products, the feeling is invaluable. The smiles and positive feedback give us strength and motivation to continue.
In particular, eco-fairs have been a great inspiration, especially in our early stages. We had the chance to meet other organic farmers and artisans and appreciate their dignity, perseverance, and authenticity. These people are our network, and we buy food for our home and raw materials for our products from them.
The philosophy of the eco-fair reflects our values: we grow organically, eat healthily, show solidarity and support, create our own economy, and exchange products and services to support each other.
What are your plans for the future?
Currently, we are making improvements to our workshop and fields. We have purchased a new press to facilitate the production of our extracts. This year, for the first time, we are hosting volunteers from abroad who help us with our numerous projects.
We are increasing the production of our raw materials by planting two new herb gardens and expanding our variety. With increased production and the use of the distiller we bought in 2023, we hope to meet our needs for essential oils.
As every year, we will participate in events in Athens and Thessaloniki.
We also plan to add new products to the Kalliope’s line and create an online store for easy and quick access to our products.
Additionally, we aim to expand our network of partners and have our products in more physical and online stores.
Very interesting! We look forward to it! In closing, would you like to share something with our readers?
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I would like to thank everyone who has supported us over the years. I love and appreciate my life close to nature with a flexible schedule to be with my children. I do not take this life for granted and owe it to your support. I continue thanks to this reciprocity and feel immense gratitude.
Kalliopi, thank you so much for being with us today!
And I thank you very much!
A wide range of Kalliope's cosmetics are available on our online store: www.panabeau.com/kalliopes
