Argirenia Paramani, a dietician in Ermoupolis, Syros has created her own company, crafting plant-based cosmetics, including a range of beeswax creams, herbal infused soaps and balsam oils
Discovery
Argirenia Paramani, a dietician in Ermoupolis, Syros has created her own company, Physis, crafting plant-based cosmetics since 2013, including a range of beeswax creams, herbal infused soaps and balsam oils. Physis in Ancient Greek means “nature” but also “essence” so the name encapsulates a sense of entirety and well-being.
A loukoumi is a jelly like sweetmeat of Turkish origin, diced into small squares and generously dusted with icing sugar. Rose is the most fragrant flavor of all the loukoumi varieties and slivers of almond add a crunch. This soap follows the loukoumi recipe so truthfully that it smells delicious, one is almost tempted to bite into it. It is composed of rose perfume, virgin olive oil for moisture and the almond flakes have a gentle peeling effect.
Physis in Ancient Greek means “nature” but also “essence” so the name encapsulates a sense of entirety and well-being
Memory
Syros has had a long tradition of making loukoumia and this tradition marries well with the organic prescriptions of Physis. These are the legacy of the midwife of Argirenia’s maternal grandmother, pharmaceutically modified, to meet modern health standards by her mother-in-law, herself a chemist.
Argirenia Paramani, a dietician in Ermoupolis, Syros has created her own company, Physis, crafting plant-based cosmetics since 2013, including a range of beeswax creams, herbal infused soaps and balsam oils
Narration
During the 19th century, Syros experienced significant economic growth which attracted young, exciting craftsmen and manufacturers from across the country. Peloponnesians joined this inflow and brought with them focus on textiles in which they invested. The experiment succeeded because of the unique mix of importing high quality cotton from Smyrna and Egypt and engaging the young work force transiting the island. With this momentum, by 1910 the island hosted 24 textile factories in and around Hermoupolis. At the beginning of the 21st century, these had begun to wane. However, it was then that the surge of young, self-made craftsmen and craftswomen, in search of meaningful work and self-sustainable careers, opened the doors to a new creative age.
During the 19th century Syros experienced significant economic growth which attracted young, exciting craftsmen and manufacturers from across the country
At Physis, they develop products that cherish this heritage and endow craftsmanship with a novel spin. As part of their ‘Natural Collaborations’ efforts they partner with local creators to produce high quality cosmetics and tell the story of the island’s past and future. A key product of this philosophy is their ‘rose almond loukoumi’ soap presented in a special package that includes a hand embroidered towel specifically produced by local craftsmen. From 1862 the Apollo Theater was built and in the 1880s the famous Bavarian architect Ernst Ziller designed the City Hall and the municipal library and many mansions were constructed at this time. The boxes that contain this soap depict elaborately painted and decorated ceilings of these mansions, built between 1852 to 1872, producing a cultural heritage which contemporary producers like Physis are proud to sustain.