I had first heard of Manasi 7 via a Lisa Eldridge video, and since Lisa is queen I thought I’d better check out this indie brand for myself. Manasi 7 is from Stockholm which is home to a lot of well known beauty brands such as Verso Skincare, Byredo Parfums and Estelle & Thild. Unlike these brands, Manasi 7 is a little more underground and offers high performance makeup with an environmental and social conscience.
Created by Susanne Manasi, an experienced professional makeup artist, the line contains cream cheek and lip products, eyeshadow and brow colour, mascara, highlight, a contour product and foundation. The ethos of this brand is encapsulated in the “Declaration of 7” which is followed throughout product development and manufacture. The 7 pillars are focused on delivering a high quality and sensory experience for the user whilst respecting the environment, giving opportunities to smaller subcontractors and using ingredients which will optimise skin function. Manasi 7 also want to ensure that their product is made in small batches, is contemporary and can provide a multitude of uses. Most of the products are packaged in matte white pots that come in a white cardboard box, both of which can be repurposed.
One of the products which aims to meet the brief of “multi functional” is their Skin Enhancer. It’s a creamy foundation that can be used on its own to conceal, or achieve a high coverage matte finish all over the face. I wear the shade Sarcoline which is described as light to medium with golden undertones. There are two other skin tone shades and one white shade which is designed to help lighten foundations in the winter months when we are typically a little paler.
The texture of the Skin Enhancer is interesting indeed. Because it is housed in a pot it isn’t runny, but it is not solid either as some creams tend to be (for example rms beauty Un Cover Up and Kjaer Weis foundation). It’s a light, whipped formula that is highly pigmented, so much so that I have a feeling I won’t be able to use it all up within 6 months. The advantage this does give you is the power of amping up the coverage of other products. You can very easily make your own customised foundation by using your favourite moisturiser or illuminator and I particularly like mixing it with the One Over One Base Glow in Sheer Light illuminator. It achieves a glowy finish but one which adds a little more coverage than the Base Glow would on its own.
I personally really like the flexibility that this product gives me to experiment, but if you are not into that and just want something that will do one thing and do it well, then perhaps this isn’t going to be suitable for you. There a few things which I believe could be improved with the Skin Enhancer. If used on its own as foundation, I find it heavy and difficult to blend on my normal skin. It can dry very quickly to a matte finish so I only recommend using it as a concealer or pigment booster for other products if you have dry skin. Oily skinned folk will probably love it. I do also wish that it came in a pump because, as cute as the pots are, I don’t particularly enjoy dipping my fingers in. It isn’t very hygienic and it limits its expiry date to 6 months. For a £48 ($AUD85.00) foundation I would want it to last a little bit longer. I also hope they come out with more shades as the three are quite limiting and Sarcoline is a little bit too orange for me despite being the lightest shade.
Despite a few disappointments I still do enjoy experimenting with this product and making my own concoctions. Manasi 7 certainly seem really committed to their principles and I appreciate that they are doing things differently in a market that is so saturated. I’m looking forward to trying some more of their products soon. I purchased the Skin Enhancer via Content Beauty & Wellbeing. Do you have a product that you can mix with others to boost your coverage? Let me know in the comments below or email me and connect with me on Instagram and Facebook. To listen to the latest Fluke podcast, please visit iTunes.
Next week: The Fluke Beauty Podcast – August edition.
Thank you for your review, it was very useful! Sadly I don’t think I will purchasing this since requires a little bit of work and I’m lazy af. However I have my eye on other products from the brand, like their highlighters, have you thought about giving them a try?
Thanks for your comment! I would like to try their highlight and all over colour. I’m glad my review could help you decide on whether to try it or not.
Hey there love the review! I was wondering if using this just on areas where I have some old acne scaring would this cover? Or does this dry down and show texture on skin? Thank you!
This does dry down quite matte so I would recommend the Hynt Beauty concealer instead as the coverage is very good but not drying.
Thank you for the reply! Would you say it clings to dry patches? That’s my only concern! I can’t belive you are the only review on this product not even YouTube has anything?
Also what is your best foundation that you like so far!???
How does it work as a concealer? I recently received RMS uncoverup. The finish of the rms is very smooth but very matte and I would like something more hydrating at 42. Have you tried mixing this with an eye cream? I would try this with rms but it is very thin.