The Manasi 7 brand officially appeared on the market in 2018. You proposed a completely different approach to makeup than the rest of the industry at that time. Was it an act of rebellion or a natural consequence of your lifestyle? 

I think both. For many years I worked as a makeup artist on music videos, commercials and photo shoots. In 2010 I came across a book about food production and the inner workings of the food industry, which prompted deep reflection on my lifestyle. I started paying closer attention to what I eat and consciously reading product ingredient lists. Step by step I changed my habits. Not long after, the question arose: what does it look like in the beauty industry? What actually hides in color cosmetics? What am I putting on my skin and on my clients’ skin every day? 

And what did you discover? 

I realized that a huge portion of ingredients brings no real benefit to the skin, and most products are eighty percent water — and we pay quite a lot of money for that water. Then I thought: I want to create something completely different. I began to delve into chemistry, the action of individual ingredients, their functions. I felt that I wanted to introduce a new quality to color cosmetics. Especially after years of working as a makeup artist, I felt it was time for a new challenge in my professional life. 

Your cosmetics care for the skin microbiome. People talk more and more about it in the context of skincare, but practically not at all when it comes to makeup.  

I consider the topic of the microbiome crucial. We have the gut microbiome and we also have the skin microbiome — both are equally important. Intensive peels or strong chemical substances destroy the skin’s natural protective barrier. And when we damage it, we then have to care for its reconstruction with further products. That’s why I’m not convinced by the trend of multi-step skincare — it often results from the fact that we ourselves previously weakened our skin. I wanted to create makeup that not only provides color and improves appearance, but above all provides the skin with protection and regeneration. That’s why we combined pigments with skincare ingredients in our products. I believe this approach is especially needed today because our skin is exposed to many negative factors: polluted air, unhealthy diets, poor water quality. That’s why it’s so important that makeup also supports the skin, and not merely covers it. 

Sounds like makeup in the slow beauty style. 

Exactly. I believe less is more. A few truly high-quality products are enough. Our skin doesn’t need ten or fifteen cosmetics every day. It needs “care” — both from the inside and the outside. If we lived in the Stone Age, we probably wouldn’t need any cosmetics for the skin to be healthy. But today we live in an overpopulated world, we spend hours in front of computers and we are exposed to pollution — so if we wear makeup, let it also take care of the skin.  

What do your daily skincare steps look like? 

They are really very simple. In the morning I apply a serum, then an oil to the face and I never wash the skin — at night it creates a protective layer by itself, so I see no reason to remove it. In the evening I always cleanse the face, because after a full day it needs a deep breath from pollution, product residues and makeup. I use our gentle cleansing balm without SLS, then apply a serum and cream — I choose these according to the current needs of the skin. I also rinse my mouth with coconut oil. And that’s basically it — no complicated steps. 

You created a makeup brand different from all the others — without a classic red lipstick or traditional mascara. How did people initially react to your products? 

Many people were surprised that one product is enough, which you can apply with your finger to cheeks or lips — quickly and intuitively. Sometimes someone would ask, “Do I really have to put my finger inside?” And I would answer: try it, because it’s much easier that way. And the reaction was usually the same: “Wow, how quick that is!”. You don’t need to carry three different cosmetics — one little jar is enough. And that’s something people really appreciate. I made them in that form because they are based on plant oils and waxes — the warmth of the fingertips softens the product and makes it easy to apply. 

Which ingredients were key for you? 

The list was really long. Most importantly, I wanted to have the highest possible percentage of organic ingredients. Of course, in makeup you can’t have a 100% organic composition, if only because pigments themselves are minerals — they can be sourced naturally, but you can’t “grow” them, so from the outset they don’t meet organic criteria. That’s why I reached for plant oils, butters — like shea butter — and beeswax, which has excellent emollient properties and is also an organic ingredient. Some people ask me why I use beeswax and not exclusively vegan ingredients. For me the key is choosing the best ingredients for a given purpose. I believe beeswax works wonderfully in creamy formulas — vegan alternatives often don’t deliver as good an effect. 

And what did you absolutely want to avoid? 

First and foremost mineral oils, which give the skin no benefits. Regarding pigments, I had to make some compromises. Not all intense shades can be achieved using only natural pigments. Natural reds or violets tend to have a more brownish tone, so to obtain a truly strong color you need to reach for synthetic pigments. For me this is the only — and necessary — exception to the rule of naturalness. Because if a customer is looking for an intense red lipstick and receives a muted one, that’s not what she expects. 

Your three favorite products from your own brand are… 

Definitely Botanical Serum Chanua, which came from my personal need. When I was pregnant, I developed sun discoloration on my skin, especially on my forehead. I couldn’t get rid of it for a long time, despite trying many products. That’s when I started working on my own probiotic formula — gentle enough to be used even under the eyes, while based on organic ingredients. 

Did it turn out to be effective on discoloration? 

Yes. After just four weeks I saw improvement, and after three months the spots were practically no longer noticeable. This serum really evens out skin tone beautifully. It’s definitely my number one product — something I personally needed and wanted to create. The second is Bronzelighter — a combination of bronzer and highlighter — the product from which everything basically started. It’s a creamy product that can be used literally everywhere: on cheeks, lips, eyelids, décolletage, and even legs. It’s my absolute essential. The third is Tinted Beauty Potion — a lipstick and eyeshadow in one with a luminous finish, housed in a glass bottle reminiscent of a mascara tube. It’s more transparent than Bronzelighter and works great on eyelids, but can also be used on lips or cheeks. It doesn’t stick, even though it’s oil-based — it acts like a gloss, gives color like a tint, and nourishes the skin. 

Do you have a favorite shade? 

Yes, Cassis — a plum-like shade. It looks very dark in the bottle, but on the skin it gives a subtle, semi-transparent effect. 

What made you want to become a makeup artist? 

My mother was always interested in fashion. She sewed, knitted clothes and wore red lipstick. I remember as a little girl walking into the bathroom while she was putting on lipstick. I thought: “Wow, my mother’s face looks completely different, so beautiful.” It sparked something in me — I didn’t yet know I wanted to be a makeup artist, but I was fascinated by how colors can change appearance and express emotions. And finally one day I announced to my parents that I wanted to work in makeup. They replied: “What? Is that even a profession?”. 

How has your definition of beauty changed over the years? What did that transformation look like — from a makeup artist using traditional products to the creator of your own brand? 

When I started working as a makeup artist, I actually knew very little about the industry. Only later, when I became a consultant, did I see from the inside the problems related to overproduction and waste. I remember a situation at the company where I worked — we were working on new lipstick packaging but couldn’t agree with the manufacturer on who should cover the storage costs. The result? Two hundred thousand brand-new packages ended up in the trash. That experience opened my eyes. I understood how the industry really works and decided I didn’t want to be part of that process. I decided to do something completely opposite — makeup made on a smaller scale, based on the most natural ingredients possible and actually beneficial for the skin. That’s why there’s no place for overproduction or situations where we end up with goods to throw away in my brand. For me, waste is the biggest problem — similar to the fashion industry. I want to make things that a customer will buy, use up completely, and only then reach for another. I believe that’s a much more responsible approach. 

Is the biggest challenge in creating a responsible brand the formulas or rather the packaging? 

Formulas are becoming increasingly flexible and natural, but packaging is still a very difficult topic. We mainly use glass, plant-based packaging and only in a few cases plastic. We try to avoid virgin plastic as much as possible, but it’s still tough. For example, our loose powders are in plastic containers because there aren’t yet better fully functional solutions on the market. I recently spoke with a manufacturer about using post-consumer recycled plastic, but obstacles arise there too. If you want packaging in a non-standard color, you can’t use 100% recycled plastic — you need to add at least a bit of virgin material, and that creates a mixture that cannot be recycled again. Paradoxically, sometimes the “lesser evil” turns out to be plastic because it can simply be recycled. We also don’t produce samples. I know some customers may be disappointed, but packaging below a certain size is simply not recyclable. The system doesn’t accept it — even if you put it in the right bin, it ends up as waste. For me that would only mean additional mountains of garbage. 

In the brand’s declaration you state seven main values: slow, select, pure, natural, simple, symbiotic, contemporary. How do they translate into daily work, for example when choosing suppliers? 

Yes, these are the values of my brand that everyone who works with us must meet. If someone calls me with an offer, I always ask directly: “Do you work organically?”. If the answer is “no”, we don’t continue the conversation. When creating the Tinted Beauty Potion, I wanted fermented vanilla — very subtle, not overtly fragrant. I wrote to ten suppliers, tested twenty kinds, until I found the best one. That requires time and patience, but it gives enormous satisfaction. For small brands a huge challenge is also MOQ — the minimum order quantity. If you need ten kilograms of a raw material and the supplier sells a minimum of twenty-five, the rest gets wasted. That’s why I long sought smaller suppliers who allow ordering smaller batches and avoiding waste. Now we already have a network of such contacts and thanks to that we can, for example, use coffee seed oil obtained from recycling, but believe me, the beginnings were very difficult. 

In your private life do you also try to live close to nature? 

I live in a city, so I can’t do that one hundred percent, but I try as best I can. We don’t have a car — I use the subway and a bike. I shop in small local stores because I want to support them. I also try not to consume too much and to choose organic products, although in fashion this can be difficult — that’s why I use second-hand stores. We bought wooden toys for my son, although of course over time there were also plastic gifts from family. You can’t be one hundred percent consistent. What matters is making better choices every day. That’s how I live and how I build my brand — in line with my values. For a long time I looked for small farmers practicing closed-loop farming, because those are the ones I want to support and work with. I would like my product in someone’s hands to be the beginning of reflection — not only for themselves, but also for the planet. I believe the future is greater awareness, slowing down consumption and production. 

Do you still follow makeup trends? 

Honestly? Not at all. I always follow my intuition. I want to create what makes sense to me — and makeup that doesn’t cover the face but brings out its natural beauty while also caring for it makes sense. When I look at what’s happening on the Internet, I feel overwhelmed. Many layers are promoted: foundations, concealers, successive products. I don’t think that’s necessary. Especially for young girls, who often end up looking very similar to each other because of it. For me, beauty is more about simplicity and emphasizing features, rather than covering them up. 

And what is beauty to you? 

Beauty can have many dimensions. Of course it is also appearance — the ability to highlight facial features — but true beauty comes from within. It’s kindness, respect, love, trust, compassion, joy and the courage to be yourself. It’s being the best version of yourself and treating others the way you would like to be treated. 

What beauty advice would you give to your younger self? 

Don’t cover your skin. Emphasize it.