Manufaktura: An Original Czech Tradition

When I first arrived in Prague, I saw several tourists carrying Manufaktura Cosmetics bags and as a beauty product enthusiast, I couldn't help but wonder what this company was all about.

Manufaktura is a Czech bath and body company started in 1991. They're well known for their handmade beer and wine scented products and they also sell handcrafted wooden toys and home goods. The Manufaktura storefront is located in the heart of Old Town Square which leads me to believe this company is obviously catered to tourists. Tourist or not, who doesn't love kitsch?!

Manufaktura store on Melantrichova

A look inside the store (that's Zach in the colorful jacket!)

Window view of some of the home goods

Beer shower gel - only in Prague! I'm not a fan of the smell of these, though :/

Beer bath oil - I think the "head" at the top adds a nice touch ;)

It's important to note that the company doesn't use parabens or allergens and it does not test on animals. All products are dermatologically tested, something I find surprising considering beer is an ingredient in several of their products. 

Wine bath oil - didn't love the smell of these either, but definitely more tolerable than the beer products. 

Wine body lotion

In addition to the beer and wine scented products which are sold year round, the brand also sells some limited edition scents. The ones out right now are Mojito, Apricot and Grapefruit & Orange. The Mojito scent didn't really appeal to me but the latter two smell delicious. I tried on some hand cream in the Grapefruit & Orange scent and I'm happy to report that it was lovely. I usually hate hand creams as they make my hands feel really sweaty and gross but this one sank in nicely. 

The Mojito range

Grapefruit & Orange range

It's hard to tell from the pictures, but each range includes hand cream, body lotion, body wash, soap and even potpourri. There are also pre-packaged gift bags (see below).

I'm really surprised by how decently the products are priced. Considering the brand is very tourist-centric, I expected the prices to be jacked up. Most products in the range run for about $7 which I think is completely reasonable. 

I didn't buy anything during this trip, but I did buy a beer scented lip balm a few weeks back... 

....And oh my god, this thing is barf-worthy. It smells only mildly like beer, but mostly like moldy, sour bread and that smell does NOT dissipate after putting it on. The smell lingers and inevitably ends up in your mouth. I can't attest to it's moisturizing properties since I couldn't leave it on long enough to tell. I can't bring myself to throw it away though since I view it as kind of a Prague souvenir. 

Overall, I think the concept of this brand is really intriguing but not something that I would get much use out of. I think the packaging is really cute, but almost too cute to actually use though. I imagine using the bottles more for decoration than for their actual purpose.

I didn't like the smell of the beer or wine products and, to me, that's kind of the "star player" in the brand. While the limited edition products did smell nice, they're not unique enough for me to spend my money on. I think these would make perfect souvenirs/gifts for friends and family back home and I (SPOILER ALERT) will almost definitely be giving some away as Christmas gifts :)

What do you think? Are beer scented body products your cup of tea? 

Thanks for reading! :)