Creator interview
CHARLES CRACCO
From the pharmacy to the vegetable garden
" The history of beauty rituals of yesteryear carries with it an incredible potential for our present "
I became a Doctor of Pharmacy because, from a very young age, I have always been made aware of by the health professionals around me, namely, my parents.
Freshly graduated, I found my first job in the pharmaceutical industry as a Project Manager. It was then that I settled in Versailles.
Living in Versailles was the opportunity to access the Parisian job market while being able to enjoy a country air. I lived a few numbers from the King's Vegetable Garden.
Every day when I went to work I realized how beautiful this place is. A garden from the past to rethink the future, it is a pioneer in agro-ecology and permaculture.
This is how an idea came to me...
"Why not unearth the benefits of ancestral botanical species through the prism of contemporary daily care? "
The King's Vegetable Garden of Versailles cultivates plants of exceptional quality, free from any fertilizer, pesticide, weedkiller ... From my prism of pharmacist, I found it "a pity" that these cannot be used for cosmetics, herbal medicine, or drugs.
This reflection prompted me to present to the Potager du Roi, the historic site of the National School of Landscape a project with strong eco-friendly resonance. A few months later, I created Mademoiselle Saint Germain and the King's Vegetable Garden became my main partner.
"Mademoiselle" for the image of the young Parisian girl and her French belonging, "Saint Germain", a nod to the Count of Saint-Germain at once an alchemist, musician and painter of the 18th century.
Mademoiselle Saint Germain: Parisian at heart, rooted in French history, sensitive to her environment.
A KNOWLEDGE MIX BETWEEN THE FRESHNESS OF YOUTH AND THE ALCHEMY OF IMMORTALITY
What makes Mademoiselle Saint Germain different is that it is the first brand of cosmetic products to use only French ingredients. Have you ever wondered where the coconut oil from your 100% natural day cream came from? If our cosmetic products are today - almost - all natural, their processes of obtaining and manufacturing are not!
With her involvement in "consuming better" and in "consuming locally", Mademoiselle Saint Germain represents a way of taking care of her skin, but also of her environment.
The formulas are simple, without controversial ingredients, rich in plant active ingredients, not tested on animals, but above all with low environmental impact.
History and pharmacy
For the development of my products, I am inspired by beauty secrets of yesteryear. At the time, when we made cosmetic products, we took the plants directly from the garden. Based on these ancient recipes is consistent with our desire to consume locally.
Each Mademoiselle Saint Germain formula is unique in terms of its percentage of French ingredients, from small French and local producers.
There is total transparency as to the ingredients used. In addition to naturalness, the emphasis is placed on the sensoriality and effectiveness of the products.
I listen to the voice of each consumer, of each of the 150 pharmacists who distribute Mademoiselle Saint Germain. In the interests of continuous improvement, the products are reformulated to meet everyone's needs.