MANI SANTE | The Forbidden Fragrance

MANI SANTE | The Forbidden Fragrance

The new luxurious facial soap from Saint Charles Apothecary with the mysterious name Mani Sante envelops hands and face with a unique fragrance that combines the millennia-old history of the Orient with the Christian Occident in a sacred and at the same time healing way. The secret of Mani Sante lies in its special composition, where incense is used as the dominant note.

The forbidden fragrance

Boswellia sacra frankincense, also called "Luban", comes from Oman. It is absolutely pure incense of top quality and is one of the most sought-after types of incense, as it has also been used in churches for centuries for purification or in prayer. Also called "the fragrance of heaven" by the church, it is even mentioned in the 2nd Book of Moses. At that time, it was reserved for ointment makers, today's pharmacists, and priests for Christian rituals. "And of the incense made according to these ordinances ye shall make none for yourselves, but it shall be holy unto the Lord. Whoever imitates it to smell it shall be cut off from his people!" are the harsh words in the 2nd Book of Moses, chapter 30. At that time, it was forbidden for the people to use incense or even smell it outside of Christian rituals.

Incense grows only in a certain region in Oman and is extracted from the resin of this tree. The "Luban" is considered so unique and precious that years ago the Sultan of Oman commissioned the most expensive perfume in the world to be made with this incense. This example was later followed by fragrance houses such as Armani, Etro, Jo Malone and Calvin Klein, who composed the most daring creations with this forbidden scent. For Incense Luban exudes a wonderfully fragrant, balsamic aroma with a wonderfully floral-scented note and a finish of lemon.

Traditional herbal healing

In addition to its extraordinary fragrance, frankincense was discovered very early for the healing arts. It was also used for the mummification of King Tutankhamun and as a burial gift. The Egyptians and Persian physicians used frankincense for good smell in the air, for ointments and even for wound treatment. Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) and other Greco-Roman physicians used frankincense to cleanse wounds, against respiratory diseases and for digestive problems. Later in the Middle Ages, it was also used by Hildegard von Bingen for a range of health problems. Today, science is concerned with boswellic acids and their anti-inflammatory substances. 

Mani Sante also gets its fresh citrus note from pink grapefruit and lemon oil. Pink grapefruit is rich in essential fatty acids, which preserve the skin's natural defence system, protect it from drying out and keep it supple. Like lemon essential oil, also a component of Mani Sante, grapefruit is cooling, cleansing and decongestant. Vetiver oil, one of the most elegant oriental fragrances, has a cooling, nervine, but also eroticising effect. It nourishes, strengthens and regenerates the skin. Bergamot oil complements the refreshing fragrance of Mani Sante with its fresh and tangy note and also has an antiseptic effect.

Tradition meets modernity

The unusual label design, which deviates from the usual plain Saint Charles appearance, comes from London-based artist Agatha Whitechapel, who is known for her collage photography creations. On the Mani Sante label, the main ingredients of Mani Sante have been creatively integrated. The green beard, which consists of leaves from the frankincense tree and stands for natural cleansing and care, is striking. If you look more closely, you will find the snake and the Aesculapian staff from the Saint Charles logo, which originates from Greek mythology and is today a sign of the medical and pharmaceutical profession. The name Mani Sante is a creation of Saint Charles and is loosely translated to mean "holy hands".


Mani Sante finds lovers

 

"I was looking for a beard shampoo that not only smells good, but where - very important for me - I can also trust the content and sustainable production. Through a tip from a friend, I read a test report about beard shampoos in a magazine. One of them was Mani Sante, which had also completed the test as the best. I liked the presentation, the ingredients, the fact that the bottle was made of glass and that the product came from a pharmacy. As a big incense & vetiver lover, Mani Sante was crying out for me. So the first bottle was bought right away and my beard & I were not disappointed one bit!" says Ronni Appler, a well-known model from Vienna, Instagram blogger and enthusiastic hobby photographer


Apothecary's natural selection

Mani Sante's unique formula with the fragrance of the Gold of Oman and other high-quality ingredients effectively cleanses and nourishes the skin. The ultra-fine soap can be used equally well as a facial soap, shaving soap or for beard care. A successful combination of traditional oriental and European healing arts - what could better underline the philosophy of Saint Charles...

Mani Sante is available in the Saint Charles pharmacies in Berlin and Vienna, in the onlineshop and selected shops and costs 24,80 Euro


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