THE STORY BEHIND SILK VEILMay 26, 2026 · Sharmadean Reid
In 39 BC, Cleopatra VII was at the height of her power. Queen of Egypt. Ruler of the richest kingdom in the eastern Mediterranean. Mother of three royal heirs — including twins, Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene, born a year earlier to her and Mark Antony.
Antony had returned to Antioch and then Rome after their fabled winter in Alexandria. He left Alexandria and married his enemy’s sister — Octavia, sister to Octavian — not for love, but for politics and he would not come back for another three years. But Cleopatra did not wait passively. She ruled.
In those years, she negotiated trade routes, stabilised Egypt’s economy, and expanded her naval fleet. She commissioned temple renovations, enacted diplomatic reforms, and deepened the embodiment of herself as Isis — divine mother, warrior queen, and lover of empires.
And every night, she bathed.
Not out of vanity, but as a ritual. The baths of the palace were scented with jasmine, tuberose and neroli. Oils warmed in alabaster jars were poured over her skin. Her chambers were dimly lit, perfumed and still. In these moments, she was not waiting for Antony to return — she was preparing to receive him. When he did come back, it would be on her terms.
SILK VEIL is that atmosphere. A scent of power and intimacy. The bath before the banquet. The fragrance of a woman who governs herself first, and understands that beauty, when claimed without apology, is its own kind of strategy.
FOUNDER’S NOTE
“I’ve been curious about Cleopatra ever since I was old enough to know that Alexandria is my middle name. And yet, everything I was taught about her painted her as a seductress, a harlot. As I’ve grown older — and become more able to research, learn, and unpick patriarchal mythologies — I’ve come to see how deeply her story has been misrepresented. Cleopatra was, and remains, a legend and an inspiration to me.
Choosing this love story as the basis for the collection is really about choosing to rethink the narratives we’ve inherited — about women and about being ‘foreign’ and to reflect on who are the dominant voices in shaping our understanding of culture.
Everything we know about Cleopatra was written more than a century after her death — Roman propaganda designed to erase her intellect and diminish her power. I believe many women, especially mothers and lovers, can relate to the experience of being misunderstood, misrepresented, or shamed.
If history is going to be a construct, let us at least write it in favour of feminine power.”
— Sharmadean Reid
“Pleasure begins long before the touch.”
SILK VEIL is a fine fragrance cleansing shower oil designed for daily bathing rituals. Inspired by the white florals and perfumed oils associated with the royal courts of Alexandria, the formula combines notes of tuberose, jasmine, neroli, gardenia, musk and amber to create a soft, luminous floral scent that lingers gently on the skin.
The oil-to-milk texture transforms on contact with water, cleansing without stripping the skin and leaving the body soft, hydrated and lightly scented. Formulated with plant-based oils including sunflower, grapeseed, avocado and castor oil, SILK VEIL supports the skin barrier while delivering a rich sensorial experience suitable for both bath and shower.
Designed for those drawn to creamy white florals, intimate skin scents and slow evening rituals, SILK VEIL works particularly well before sleep, before getting dressed for the evening, or anytime the body needs warmth, softness and atmosphere.
Massage onto wet skin in the bath or shower, allowing the oil to emulsify into a light cleansing milk before rinsing away. For a more immersive ritual, apply slowly to pulse points, shoulders and décolletage, letting the steam release the full depth of the fragrance.