We believe that makeup has to follow the same philosophy as skincare. It should respect the skin, not just sit on top of it. It should feel intuitive to use and easy.
(M)anasi 7 is one of the few makeup brands that does this well. The textures are rich yet adaptable, the colours are nuanced and the formulas are created to work with the skin rather than cover it.
We spoke with founder Susanne Manasi about how the brand began, how she thinks about formulation and why fewer products, used well, can do more.
1. You founded Manasi 7 at a time when clean beauty was still emerging. What felt missing in the industry that you personally needed to create.
When I founded Manasi 7, the beauty industry was already moving quickly toward trends and mass production, but I felt something essential was missing—care, patience, and respect for the skin and product itself. Many products were designed to follow fast cycles of hype rather than truly support long-term skin health and sustainable production.
I wanted to create the opposite of that. My vision was to focus on fewer, better products made with high-quality, microbiome-friendly, and organic ingredients that work in harmony with the skin rather than overwhelm it. Instead of complicated routines and trend-driven formulas, I believed in a minimalist approach—thoughtfully made formulations and contemporary shades suitable across a wide range of skin tones that are gentle, yet effective.
For me, it was about slowing beauty down and returning to something more honest: formulations that respect both the skin and the natural ingredients they come from.
2. Your formulas feel both minimal and deeply considered. How do you approach ingredient selection and what does true luxury mean to you in the context of clean cosmetics?
My approach to ingredient selection is extremely intentional. I’ve always been very particular about what goes into a formula, and I simply won’t compromise. Every product has to serve a clear purpose, support the skin’s microbiome, and meet very high standards in terms of quality, sourcing, and purity. If something doesn’t meet those standards, it doesn’t go in to the collection—no matter how popular or trendy it might be. One example is a water-proof mascara, it simply cannot be made without alcohol or silicones, and since we do not use these ingredients, we will not make this type of formulation. Hopefully there will be a new ingredient on the market, that makes it possible for us to create it, but for now it is not an option.
I spend a great deal of time researching raw materials, working closely with trusted suppliers, and choosing organic ingredients whenever possible. For me, formulation is not about adding more; it’s about selecting the right elements and allowing them to work in harmony with the skin.
In the context of ”clean”, true luxury isn’t about excess or elaborate routines. Luxury is trust in what you are putting on your skin. It’s the transparency of the ingredients, the integrity of the formulation, and the care behind every decision. When a product is thoughtfully made, with uncompromising quality and respect for both the skin and nature, that is what luxury truly means to me.
3. Multi use products are at the heart of Manasi 7. Is that purely functional or is there a philosophical layer to encouraging fewer but more intentional products?
Multi-use products have always been at the heart of Manasi 7, and while there is certainly a functional aspect to it, there is also a deeper philosophy behind encouraging fewer but more intentional products.
This idea comes directly from my years working as a makeup artist. In professional makeup artistry, you quickly learn that products are rarely used in only one way. We blend, mix, and apply them across different areas of the face depending on the look and the person in front of us. Flexibility is essential. For example, in my makeup kit I often carried only three foundation shades and one white shade. By mixing them, I could create the perfect base for many different clients. The reality is that you will never find foundations that perfectly matches everyone—it’s simply impossible. Mixing is part of the artistry. That experience shaped how I think about product design. Instead of creating countless single-purpose products, I wanted to create versatile formulas that invite creativity and personalization. It’s about empowering people to work with the products, adapt them to their own skin tone and features, and build a routine that is simple.
Multi use products from (M)anasi 7 available at Ara'kai:
4. Many of our clients at Ara’kai care about skin health first and makeup second. How do you formulate in a way that respects the skin rather than covering it?
For me, makeup should always respect the skin rather than try to mask it. Skin health has to come first, because when the skin is balanced and supported, makeup naturally looks better and more effortless.
When formulating the makeup, I approach products almost the way you would approach skincare. I work with high-quality, microbiome-friendly and organic ingredients that support the skin, giving it the vitamins and minerals naturally existing in the organic ingredients. Every ingredient must have a clear function and be gentle enough to work in harmony with the skin’s natural processes.
I’m also very mindful of texture and coverage. Instead of creating heavy formulas that sit on top of the skin, I prefer sheer, buildable textures that allow the skin to breathe and show through. The goal is not to cover completely, but to enhance what is already there. This philosophy is closely connected to the minimalist approach behind the brand—fewer products, carefully formulated, that can be layered, blended, and adapted to each person. When makeup is created with respect for the skin, it becomes an extension of it rather than a mask.
5. When someone applies a Manasi 7 product, what do you hope they feel? Is it confidence, ease, creativity or something else entirely?
When someone applies a Manasi 7 product, I hope they feel a sense of ease first of all. Makeup shouldn’t feel complicated or overwhelming—it should feel intuitive and natural, something that fits effortlessly into everyday life.
I also hope it inspires a little creativity. The products are designed to be versatile, so you can blend, mix, and use them in different ways depending on your mood or the look you want to create. In that way, the experience becomes more personal and playful rather than prescriptive.
But perhaps most importantly, I hope people feel comfortable and confident in their own skin. The intention has never been to transform or cover, but to enhance what is already there. When the formulas respect the skin and the colours work in harmony with it, makeup becomes something that supports your natural beauty rather than defining it.
At Ara’kai, this is the kind of makeup we believe in. Products that don’t interrupt the skin, but move with it. Products you can come back to without overthinking.
Makeup that feels like part of your skin, not something separate from it.