Cleopatra and donkey milk: history or legend?

The queen who became a symbol of beauty

More than two thousand years after her death, Cleopatra VII remains one of the most recognisable women of the ancient world.

Over the centuries her image has become entwined with stories of luxury, perfumes, oils and beauty rituals.

Among the best known is the story of bathing in donkey milk.

But here we have to separate an appealing story from a historical fact.

For the claim that Cleopatra bathed daily in donkey milk in particular, we have no firm direct historical evidence.

Over the centuries the story became part of her myth.

That does not mean the link between donkey milk and ancient beauty rituals has no historical basis.

Ancient authors wrote about the use of donkey milk, and milk baths and other uses of milk were known in the ancient world.

That is why at OSLEA we deliberately say “inspired by Cleopatra”, rather than claiming that we recreate her historical recipe.

Perhaps because it stands for something we have rather lost at today’s pace.

A ritual.

Time for oneself.

The idea that care is not just something we rush through before bed, but a small moment of attention to ourselves.

That is part of the Cleopatra inspiration we wanted to carry into OSLEA.

Of course a modern cream is not a milk bath from antiquity.

And rightly so.

What we know today about cosmetic formulations makes it possible to combine traditional ingredients with ingredients such as niacinamide, panthenol, hyaluronic acid, glycerin and squalane.

So OSLEA does not try to copy history.

It draws inspiration from it.

A good story needs no exaggeration.

Donkey milk is an interesting ingredient in its own right. And Cleopatra remains a symbol of refined beauty rituals.

OSLEA came about somewhere between the two worlds: between historical inspiration and modern Slovenian cosmetics.

Which is exactly why our packaging carries one simple line:

Inspired by Cleopatra.