Mastic (also known as “Mastiha”) is the resin produced by the unique Pistachio lenticus tree on the Greek island of Chios. It is the active ingredient from which all of our products are derived. 

Mastic resin has some very interesting properties with natural benefits to health and wellness. It has a unique flavour and aroma; a little bitter, fruity and earthy.

The substance itself is made of hundreds of components, offering a wide array of properties with benefits ranging from oral health and oily skin, to antibacterial action, indigestion, acid reflux, and diabetes.

It has been used as an ingredient to treat cancers, infection, surgical wounds and gastric ulcers. Traditionally, it has also served as an antioxidant and antiseptic, for treatment of high cholesterol, Crohn disease, diabetes and hypertension.

Mastic has traditionally served as a sacred therapy for a range of health conditions since the ancient Greek times. Recent scientific studies have highlighted the unique benefits Mastic has particularly as a treatment for oily skin and large pores. Mastic liposomes inhibit the enzymes responsible for regulating the hormones responsible for producing excess oil on the skin, thus resulting in clear and glowing skin.

Mastic is found exclusively on the island of Chios, and is one of the most lucrative exports of Greece. The specific environmental factors of the island, such as soil and climate, led the Mastic trees to produce a rich resin in high quantities. The resin has been harvested for centuries due to its special healing properties, traditionally used as chewing gum to freshen the breath and aid with digestion.

During harvest season, which runs from July to October, hundreds of mico-incisions are made in the tree bark to sap the delicate resin. Because the extracted sap has a teardrop-like shape, mastic gum is often referred to as the “teardrops of Chios.”