Athens’ star facialist Dimitra Goula
Known as the “Holy Mountain,” northeastern Greece’s Mount Athos is considered one of the most sacred places in Christianity and has since the 11th century been the domain of monks, spiritualists and pilgrims. The wild and remote spot is also forbidden to women—though one has managed to earn the monks’ trust enough to bring some of the mountain’s “natural magic” to the rest of us.
Based in Athens, aesthetician Dimitra Goula is more than just an in-demand celebrity facialist—she’s a modern-day alchemist who is passionately committed to crafting products made from the purest organic ingredients, sourced only from areas with limited atmospheric pollution. To create her eponymous skincare line, she spent years researching the efficacy of an array of natural elements, eventually settling on potent goodies like wild olive, black charcoal, blue chamomile, royal jelly, mastic resin (native to the island of Chios), beeswax from a chestnut tree forest, and—for her signature The Secret blend—a mix of rare and ancient herbs hand-harvested by the monks of Mount Athos.
All the made-to-order products must be kept refrigerated, per her strict belief that “anything that doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge must contain some form of chemicals.” (This also ensures the products stay fresh for their three-to-six-month shelf life.)
At her understated Athens studio, Goula and her team use the range (as well as techniques like facial cupping and targeted massage) to perform facials that lead to instantly visible results in tone and texture, and long-lasting benefits to the skin. But if you can’t join the line of Greek celebrities and international jet-setters who go to Goula for their glow, there’s hope: Her range, including favorites like the natural sunscreen and transformative night cream, will soon be available for international shipping—on dry ice, of course. dimitragoula.gr