Where did Bèles come from?
A NOTE FROM OUR FOUNDER
I wanted to use the ingredient Prickly Pear (Bèles) not only because it has these powerful and amazing benefits, but because the fruit itself reminds me of my native country Eritrea.
In Eritrea, the locals call Eritrean Americans “Beles,” which is called a prickly pear in English. It is a delicious fruit that ripen during the summers, which also happens to be the time of year that most of the Eritrean diaspora visit Eritrea from their home bases abroad.
Bèles is the Tigrinya name (There are 9 ethnic groups in Eritrea and Tigrinya is one of them) for the prickly pear.
“The exiles are like beles, they are only here for a short time bringing a promise of sweetness. But when they are gone you are just left with a pile of rubbish.”
Although calling us “Beles” is meant to be an insult for Eritrean Americans, we take it with pride because it’s a reminder of home and we love eating beles.
REGBE ISSAC, FOUNDER
BÈLES SKINCARE & BEAUTY THAT’S ME
