When we were kids my parents used to read stories from the Greek mythologies to my sister and me at bedtime.
We were fascinated by the mystical stories of gods and goddesses and their incredible adventures. Of course, we were impressed by the ethereal beauty of the men and women that were described in the books. While growing up we started to read these stories over and over again. We were especially fascinated by the stories about a divine food or potion called Ambrosia and Nektar that was able to remove all blemishes and grant eternal beauty to those who tasted it.
So when it came to naming our skincare lines the idea of referring to those beauty potions intrigued us.
We have put together a few of the texts, where the myths talk about the use and effects of these heavenly substances.
In the ancient Greek myths, ambrosia (/æmˈbroʊʒə/, Ancient Greek: ἀμβροσία, meaning "immortality") is the food or drink of the Greek gods, often depicted as conferring longevity or immortality upon whoever consumed it. It was brought to the gods in Olympus by doves and served by either Hebe or Ganymede at the heavenly feast. The consumption of ambrosia was typically reserved for divine beings.
It was with ambrosia Hera "cleansed all defilement from her lovely flesh”, Homer, Iliad xiv.170
“Then she cleansed every mark from her lovely body with rich and gentle ambrosial oil, deeply fragrant. If its scent was released in Zeus’ palace, whose threshold was of bronze, it would spread through heaven and earth. With this, she anointed her shapely form, then combed her hair, and with her own two hands plaited the lovely glistening ambrosial tresses that flowed from her immortal head. Then she clothed herself in an ambrosial robe that Athene had worked smooth, and skilfully embroidered, fastening it over her breasts with golden clasps, and at her waist with a hundred-tasseled belt.”
With ambrosia, Athena prepared Penelope in her sleep, Homer, Odyssey xviii. “..so that when she appeared for the final time before her suitors, the effects of years had been stripped away, and they were inflamed with passion at the sight of her. “
“Then again the goddess, flashing-eyed Athena, took other counsel. On the daughter of Icarius she shed sweet sleep, and she leaned back and slept there on her couch, and all her joints were relaxed. And meanwhile, the fair goddess was giving her immortal gifts, that the Achaeans might marvel at her. With balm she first made fair her beautiful face, with balm ambrosial, such as that wherewith Cytherea, of the fair crown, anoints herself when she goes into the lovely dance of the Graces; ….and she made her taller, too, and statelier to behold, and made her whiter than new-sawn ivory. Now when she had done this the fair goddess departed, and the white-armed handmaids came forth from the chamber and drew near with sound of talking. Then sweet sleep released Penelope, and she rubbed her cheeks with her hands and said: “Ah, in my utter wretchedness soft slumber enfolded me. “
Nektar was the divine drink of the Olympian gods. It had the magical property to confer immortality on any mortal who had the luck to drink it. It was closely related to ambrosia, which was considered the food of the gods, although sometimes it was also thought to be a drink. It was a grave offence to steal either nektar or ambrosia.
In Homer, nektar and ambrosia do not by themselves make the gods immortal but they prevent them from ageing and exempt them from the natural cycle of growth and decay.
These are just a few snippets of ancient texts where these substances were mentioned.
So we created Divine Nektar and Ambrosia skincare with the intention to serve the eternal Goddess within you.