Korres began as the oldest herbal apothecary in Athens, Greece. Whilst working there, George Korres began formulating topical cosmetics for his friends and loyal customers of the pharmacy, and word quickly began to spread. Lena Philippou, now Lena Philippou-Korres, a chemical engineer, commenced work at the pharmacy in 1996 and, following consumer demand, the Korres brand was officially launched. Lena had always loved maths and science, and considers herself a linear thinker, however she didn’t want to do something theoretical- she wanted to build and create something. She tells me that she fell in love the Korres energy the moment she entered the pharmacy. By the turn of the 21st century, George and Lena’s tech-driven, naturally formulated skincare products had been picked up by Henri Bendel in New York and Harvey Nichols in London. Today, despite being a truly global brand, Korres remains true to its origins and its patented Full Circle sustainable manufacturing processes. In Episode 94 of the Glow Journal podcast, Lena shares why she feels there should be more women working in STEM globally, why she has youthful naivety to thank for the brand’s initial launch, and why it’s not enough to rely on consumer demand when it comes to new product ideas. Listen now on iTunes and Spotify. #glowjournal