Versed Product Developer Tamerri Ater-Ntonni Creates Egyptian- And Astrology-Inspired Aromatherapy Brand Gift Of The Nile

When Tamerri Ater-Ntonni was gearing up to launch her brand Gift of the Nile, she didn’t want to drop it on just any day.

As a certified astrologer and Reiki healer, it was important to take the astro weather into account. She planned to release it on the summer solstice, but realized the summer solstice isn’t a great time to capture people’s attention because they’re out and about. The fall equinox was another option, but it overlapped with an international trip. She eventually settled on Nov. 9. “It was in Scorpio season and right before the holidays and an eclipse,” she says. “I’m a Scorpio rising and have a lot of planets in Scorpio, so I felt confident about the timing.”

Gift of the Nile merges Ater-Ntonni’s passion for astrology and product development. She works full time as senior director of product development for Versed Skincare, and previously held positions at Murad, Dermalogica and HatchBeauty. Gift of the Nile is rooted in ancient Egyptian astrology and metaphysics. It’s also a nod to Ater-Ntonni. TaMerri is an Egyptian name that translates to “beloved land” or “gift of the Nile.” 

Gift of the Nile’s four aromatherapy mood mists priced at $32 each—Amun-Ra, Geb, Nut and Hapi—are inspired by and named for ancient Egyptian gods. Packed with essential oils, the mists are formulated to shift the energy of consumers’ spaces. They’re designed to invoke harmony, truth and balance. “When I came up with the concept almost two years ago, I really thought, ‘What does the world need?’” says Ater-Ntonni. “We need more explorational wellness, we need more healing and more inner deep-rooted work.” She adds Gift of the Nile’s mists are intended “to address people that are looking for some sort of alternative healing or just looking to bring a little bit of joy to their life.”

The products mirror the four elements—air, water, earth and fire—making up the 12 zodiac signs. Each bottle has a unique scent profile and purpose. “Fire is action, so I used oils that help to uplift and get people going like lemon, grapefruit, orange, ginger,” says Ater-Ntonni. “Earth is very grounded, so I used lavender, sage, vanilla and patchouli oil. They’re all very complex and very different.” Frankincense and myrrh are used in all four mists to link them together.

Consumers don’t have to be tied to the mist that aligns with their moon or sun sign. Instead, Ater-Ntonni suggests they opt for mists to encourage the energy they need most at the moment. “If you’re really scatterbrained and you can’t get any thoughts out or you have a meeting, you want to use Air,” she says. “If you need to ground yourself, you’re anxious and just had some coffee, then you want to use earth. I’m very thoughtful about what I’m actually using in the formulas and that it aligns energetically in terms of what I want the clients to feel when they’re using it.”

Ater-Ntonni’s interest in astrology predates her product development career. In 2005, while working her first job out of college, she had a reading done by the AstroTwins that sparked her interest. “I couldn’t believe what they were able to tell me, and I immediately wanted to learn how to do it,” she says. As she studied astrology, she performed chart readings for friends, family and colleagues. She launched progressional astrology platform AstroFashionista in 2015 at the suggestion of an ex-boyfriend who told her she should be getting paid for her work. “It was some of the best advice I’ve received,” she says.

Ater-Ntonni says her chart readings give Gift of the Nile a leg up by allowing her to connect with people and hear their problems. “I’m channeling people’s frustrations and really putting it into the products,” she explains. “I’m thinking, ‘What is going to help you with this problem?’ That’s really where a lot of my good ideas come from.”

Product ideas Ater-Ntonni has in mind for Gift of the Nile include natural perfume oils, candles, incense and diffusers along with lifestyle items like card decks and journals. She’s also interested in the possibility of a brick-and-mortar location where people could experience the products and attend workshops. Ater-Ntonni says, “When people come to me, they really want to know about their career and love, those are the two that topics everyone cares most about, so I want to help them in figuring out how to excel in those areas of your life through knowing your chart, through learning how to work with the cosmos, and then what products can you use to enhance your experience as you’re learning about yourself?”

Like with Gift of the Nile’s launch date, Ater-Ntonni will plan subsequent introductions around major astrological events and dates. It could be when a planet moves into a new zodiac sign, during a new moon or at the start of a new season. She tries to avoid retrograde periods and when the moon is transitioning into a new zodiac sign. “I’m open to how the brand evolves,” says Ater-Ntonni . “I definitely believe in alignment and all of the right things working out.”