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Worth Their Time: Katianna and Yianna Velos
The sisters behind Golden Groves, Katianna and Yianna Velos, embody the endless summer aesthetic of their cult brand. They share their favourite skincare staples, daily rituals and all of the inner health must haves.
Andrea Robertson
Editor
0 minute read
In the latest of our series Worth Their Time, we speak to Katianna and Yianna Velos.
The sisters are the co-founders of Australian brand Golden Groves. Their oil, which has garnered a cult following, is made with olives handpicked by Kat and Yianna’s family from groves that they have owned for generations in the Mani Peninsula in the Peloponnese region of Southern Greece.
Their business, started out of lockdown with their hero olive oil product, has evolved into something of a lifestyle brand that offers a tangible manifestation of Kat and Yianna’s passion for the good life - great food, endless summer, family, and their deep connection to their Greek heritage. Caviar is now on the menu, alongside a signature silk sarong.
Golden Groves has made its mark not only for the exceptional quality of products but just as much for its particular aesthetic that conjures the warm, heady feeling of sundown after a long day on a Mediterranean beach.
And the sisters are exemplary ambassadors for their brand: we've been wanderlusting over Katianna and Yianna's travels through Greece the past few months.
What is the first thing you reach for in the morning?
Kat: "Like every person of my generation, as soon as I roll out of bed, I reach for my phone – terrible, I know, but I like to know what’s happened since I last went to bed. I then have a shower, brush my teeth and head downstairs for a black coffee."
Yianna: "I’m not going to lie; I reach for my phone first but that’s to turn off my alarm clock."
Is your skincare routine a multi-step ritual, or do you aim for speed and efficiency?
Kat: "I am all about speed and efficiency. A nice cleanse in the morning and an immensely hydrating moisturiser. I try and avoid makeup when I can, as I love the feeling of being makeup free.
I have recently introduced retinol into my regimen and I can’t wait to see the results! I am currently using Kiehl’s which I love and feels like a good entry level retinol, but also want to try Medik8’s Crystal Retinol 6.
My night-time routine is the same as my morning, cleanse and moisturise with Antipodes Culture Probiotic Night Recovery Water Cream. I like keeping things simple.
Yianna: "For me, less is more with skincare. I believe good skin comes from within. My diet is a big part of my skin routine.
This means eating unprocessed and organic produce, healthy fats (I.e. organic olive oil, avocado, fatty fish), drinking celery juice, bone broth and lots of water. It’s also important to address any food intolerances and hormonal imbalances, as well as regulate your stress. This has completely transformed my skin game!
I apply this same approach of less is more to my skincare products. I try to use as many natural products as possible. I use a gentle facial cleanser to wash my face and then I will go in with a hydrating facial spray.
Your skin is like a sponge, so you’ll absorb all the properties of the products when your skin is damp. I learnt this tip from facialist, Jocelyn Petroni. Whilst my skin is damp, I’ll apply a serum with salicylic acid, followed by a hydrating moisturiser and eye cream. I recently started using retinol a couple times a week too at night in place of a serum."
SPF - every day or only at the beach?
Kat: "I am a sun worshipper but am horrendous at sticking to a rigid sunscreen regimen.
I recently had a heavenly facial at James Vivian and they got me onto the Ultra Violette Sunscreen which I will hopefully begin to use religiously, as we all know that sunscreen is the holy grail of skincare.
I also like to use products that already have sunscreen in them, as it’s one less thing I have to think about applying in the morning."
Yianna: "SPF is something I’ll wear on a sunny day. I know I need to be more diligent with SPF."
What are your favourite inner health products?
"I am all about inner health, and spent a lot of time researching the topic over the last two years. I have been loving fermented foods lately, such as sauerkraut, kefir, olives, apple cider vinegar and pickled vegetables.
I also deeply enjoy making my own bone broth when the months get cooler, as this is nature’s best collagen that you can make at home. I feel as if it has been incredible for my inner health.
I also always mix half a teaspoon of Superfeast Mason’s Mushrooms blend into my coffee, so that I can start my day with some extra oomph and immune support.
I also love taking supplements for my hair, skin and nails, as I struggle to get in everything just from diet alone, although I try.
My hairdresser got me onto Aede 6 months ago and I’ve been taking it twice a day since and have seen a huge improvement in my hair. I also start off every morning with a probiotic capsule.
Yianna: "I am a poster girl for inner health! I work with a functional doctor and naturopath to optimise my gut health and general health. I take various supplements, all of which have been recommended by my doctor based on my blood tests.
A supplement I take daily is the Aede Hair Activist Health supplement which is great for hair health and hair loss. My hairdresser/hair goddess, Marie Cain at Have a Nice Day, got me onto Aede and I am obsessed!
I also take Ashwaganda tablets daily to help balance my stress levels and hormones.
I am a huge fan of medicinal mushrooms! I add a cocktail of medicinal mushrooms to my coffee each morning. Some of my favourite medicinal mushrooms include Lion’s Mane, which is one of nature’s most powerful brain foods, boosting energy and focus, as well as Reishi, which improves sleep."
What is the non-negotiable must-do every day for you?
Kat: "My non-negotiable is definitely a coffee to start the day every morning. I feel as though the day hasn’t begun until I have had my coffee."
Yianna: "Movement is my non-negotiable. This could be in the form of hot yoga, pilates or a long walk. I block out an hour a day in my calendar to make sure I get this me time.
This is my time to get that mental clarity I need to show up for myself and family, as well as regulate my breath."
What’s in your ears right now?
Kat: "I oscillate between the two depending on my mood. I love the educational aspect of podcasts and the ability to pick someone’s brains without ever having met them.
I equally enjoy listening to music however, as it’s sometimes just as good to zone out and take a few minutes to enjoy my surroundings.
A podcast I am enjoying at the moment is The Business of Fashion as it covers a range of topics related to fashion and retail generally, however, I also find myself searching for and listening to podcasts on individuals / businesses I find particularly inspiring. This often includes podcasts on chefs, cooks and restauranteurs and their businesses and life stories – I find it fascinating."
Yianna: "I am always listening to something, should it be a podcast or music. My choice of music really depends on my mood and can range from chilled jazz to Greek rap.
I love listening to podcasts about self-development and an area of interest for me currently is this concept of ‘inner child’. I am currently listening to The Inner Child Podcast by therapist, Gloria Zhang. By hosting various industry experts and discussing a breadth of topics, she seeks to teach high achievers how to address their childhood wounds.
I’m not sure if I have childhood wounds as such, but I want to explore my childhood experience and challenge why I think and act in certain ways. I am always working on my relationship with myself."
What does pure pleasure look like for you?
Kat: "Pure pleasure for me is definitely a massage. I try and book in for a traditional Thai massage once a week, as this is my time to relax, unwind and relieve the aches and pains that come with sitting in front of a computer for many hours per week."
Yianna: "Escaping the city and going on a seaside holiday. There is nothing that makes me happier than swimming in the sea and basking in the sunshine."
What is your meditative practice?
Kat: "For me, cooking is definitely my meditative practice, particularly after lockdown when the world has begun to pick up its pace.
Preparing a meal that takes time and patience enhances the meditative nature of cooking, as so often we look for what’s quickest or easiest, but the most soul-warming meals always take time."
Yianna: "Hot yoga is my greatest form of meditation as it incorporates your mind, body and breath. When I focus on the present, I find that I can hold challenging poses and am awarded with this mental clarity.
Yoga has taught me to be kind to myself, as well as the power of presence and focus. I feel like a different person after yoga."
What did your screentime report from last week say?
Kat: "I actually have screen time disabled, so I can’t give you an accurate figure on that – and probably thankfully!"
Yianna: "I spent an average of 5 hours and 10 minutes per day on my phone last week. Not the best, but I do work a lot on my phone."
How do you wind down at the end of the day?
Kat: "At the end of the day, the best way to unwind for me is definitely to prepare a beautiful home cooked meal, if my schedule allows for it, or a long walk after dinner."
Yianna: "I love to turn on my diffuser, which casts a red light and fills my surrounding with the scent of my favourite essential oils.
I’ll also turn on some sound healing music too to meditate before bed. Focusing on my breath allows me to fall into a deep meditative state and fully relax."
What would your desert island items be?
Kat: "Gem toothpaste because I can’t live without clean teeth, a phone so I can shoot content (not for messaging), and a frying pan so I can cook."
Yianna: Matcha, because caffeine is my vice. I know she isn’t an item, but my sister, because she is my favourite person and we do everything together. And a film camera to capture all the dreamy and special moments."
You have a whole day just for you. How are you spending it?
Kat: "My ideal day would consist of getting up after a little sleep in, heading to the markets for a coffee and having a look at the produce to figure out what I want to cook later. Then, going to the beach for an afternoon dip and a nap on the sand, whilst simultaneously working on my tan – the sun is very important to me, which is ironic given I live in Melbourne.
In the afternoon, I’d love to have a few drinks and watch the sunset, preferably by the beach. In the evening, I’d invite some friends over so we can all cook together and laugh over wine and good conversation."
Yianna: "My ideal day would involve me waking up naturally and having a coffee in bed whilst I journal. I would then attend a hot yoga class, go for a swim in the sea and read my book at the beach.
I would follow this with lunch at my favourite café, a long beach walk and sauna. I would meditate before bed and fall asleep to sound healing music."
Andrea Robertson
Editor
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