Wellness Visionaries: Francesca Canzano Franklin

Francesca Canzano-Franklin is the founder of the wellness brands Philosophia Botanica and Shen Mantra, as well as the co-founder of The Spa Duchesses. With over twenty years of experience in holistic therapies, she specialises in facial acupuncture and TCM-based acu-beauty. Raised on the Italian Riviera, Francesca leads wellness retreats worldwide. She became passionate about healthy living and Eastern methodologies 25 years ago while in Southeast Asia, studying five-element acupuncture, cosmetic acupuncture, and herbal therapies. Francesca credits her success to “passion and determination,” and has quickly risen to become one of the most sought-after spa wellness professionals in the world.

Francesca has been visiting the Maldives for many years and is well established in the country, working with several brands, and is in talks with others – so watch this space. In a recent interview with the Maldives Wellness Review, she shared her plans for the region.

“I see the Maldives as a new wellness destination. It offers more than just scenic beaches and stunning blue skies,” she said.

“I believe the beauty and purity of its geographical location, along with its commitment to sustainability, will promote environmental health and wellness, attracting more tourists. I also believe this will increase the demand for wellness-based retreats, cleaner products, and treatments incorporating traditional therapies such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), biohacking, longevity, and more, rather than standard spa offerings. I plan to develop regenerative wellness retreats and masterclasses further.”

Shen Mantra was Francesca’s first company which she founded after she discovered yoga, Thai massage, and acupuncture while travelling to Southeast Asia in her early twenties.

She said: “Thailand is where my love affair and passion for holistic healing in all forms began. Seeing how they incorporated more traditional methods such as herbs, bodywork, yoga and energy work to treat (and heal) the body and the mind was an eye-opener to me. I spent many years immersing myself in the culture by travelling there twice a year and living in the country for a decade. Guided by exceptional masters who shared their wisdom beyond textbooks, I was inspired to bring these teachings to the West. In 2007, I founded Shen Mantra to teach Eastern practices to therapists, spas, and bodywork schools.

“As a keen yogi I have been practising yoga for three decades and have been exposed to retreats and yoga studios, which was the initial spark for creating a brand that would combine wellness (I strongly believe in movement as medicine), and natural ingredients that would beautifully be combined with holistic rituals. I feel very blessed that I can express my creativity and combine my passions.

I teach in-house therapists and also beauty and massage schools the art of Gua Sha which is an ancient therapy rooted in TCM.

Shen Mantra offers global courses. The international team teaches professional protocols such as Gua Sha therapies to in-house therapists, as well as to beauty and massage schools.

She added: “Times are changing and wellness-rooted ancient therapies and practises are making a strong comeback into our lives. The pandemic was almost like a wake-up call. With an extensive range of contemporary and traditional therapies that go beyond the spa treatment menus and a strong sustainability element in many well-known resorts, the Maldives are becoming a rising star in the realm of wellness and relaxation.”

Francesca created the PRO Gua Sha Facial and the award-winning Spa Ritual Eastern Facelift Ritual, training over two thousand therapists internationally. She has partnered with the Ozen Group at Ele | Na Spa in the Maldives, where her Philosophia Botanica treatments are offered alongside exclusive masterclasses for guests and staff, which include bespoke face mapping, which adds uniqueness for clients.

She said: “Eastern practices are making a strong comeback as modern society shifts toward all-natural beauty and wellness treatments. Both treatments utilise Chinese medicine, acupressure, and meridian activation and feature face mapping, acu-beauty points, and lymphatic drainage with custom Gua Sha boards and natural skincare products. Overall the aim is to enhance blood flow, restore facial tone, and balance Qi, making the Eastern Facelift especially popular among spa guests and therapists in the Maldives.”

Next June, she will co-host a women’s retreat titled “The Art of Graceful Change” with Heidi Grimwood. The retreat will focus on holistic approaches to peri-menopause and menopause, including nutrition, TCM, Ayurveda, and breathing techniques.

Francesca is also in discussions with other resorts in the Maldives for additional masterclasses that have not yet been advertised.

She added: “I’ve noticed a demand for masterclasses in the Maldives. I’m working with my spa partners to explore how we can provide mini masterclasses to meet this interest.”

Francesca has collaborated with some of the top hotels, spas, and destination resorts, including Anantara, Four Seasons, and Kempinski, and aims to expand her presence in the Maldives. Dividing her time between Asia and Europe, she facilitates masterclasses, wellness retreats, and workshops rooted in traditional Chinese medicine.

She is partnering with Heidi Grimwood of Ele | Na Spa for menopause and women’s wellness retreats and with Vivienne Tang of Destination Deluxe for exclusive masterclasses. Additionally, she is creating self-care kits for women’s hormonal changes and a new product line for men. In February, she will lead skin wellness masterclasses based on Chinese medicine and regenerative beauty at The Four Seasons in London and The Six Senses in Rome. She will also conduct TCM masterclasses at Londolozi Game Reserve in South Africa and has plans for acu-wellness masterclasses in Hong Kong and Bangkok. Francesca is the Global Wellness Day Ambassador for Hong Kong, having previously served in the UAE.

She teaches an “inside-out” approach to beauty, utilising an acupuncture map she has developed. This unique perspective encourages individuals to look in the mirror and recognise the connection between their facial features and internal organs; for example, the kidneys are located beneath the eyes. She explains that conditions like rosacea are linked to gut health.

“My focus is on helping people see their inner beauty and to promote regenerative beauty and I provide extensive education on skin wellness. This includes exploring Gua Sha techniques and ways to unlock potential through the principles of Chinese medicine.”

She is the Founder of Philosophia Botanica, established in Cape Town in 2013. This is founded on three core principles, ‘rooted in nature’, ‘transparency’ and ‘ecological responsibility’.

Francesca explains, “We are committed to providing environmentally conscious products while focusing on high-performance natural ingredients for a luxurious botanical experience.”

“We prioritise integrity and maintain an honest, ethical approach to our environmental impact,” she added. “Our premium, plant-based ingredients come from South Africa and Italy, supporting responsible farmers and women’s cooperatives such as in Ghana to uplift communities and protect the planet.

“We blend African botanicals with Chinese adaptogenic herbs, inspired by the region’s indigenous flora and the Atlantic Ocean. As we expand into the Mediterranean, we ensure sustainable harvesting of wild plants and prioritise eco-friendly manufacturing and use recyclable or biodegradable packaging to reduce waste in our labs in Cape Town and Italy. “

Philosophia Botanica multi-awarded rituals are deeply rooted in Chinese medicine. We bring together authentic ancient healing traditions with contemporary therapies, providing holistic, rejuvenating and therapeutic Spa treatments to heal and restore, guided by the fundamental pillars of Traditional Chinese medicine, Thai medicine and Yoga. We have created bespoke Spa treatments adapting old healing methods for use in modern treatments using our luxurious all natural botanical skincare range.

One of our facial rituals, the Face Yogi Ritual offers a pure yoga experience for the face, while our Yogi Body Ritual combines yoga with skin-nutrition oils and holistic wellness practices. These rituals draw on the principles of Yoga and TCM practices to promote optimal well-being.

Francesca is currently in talks with various resorts in the Maldives about stocking this luxurious range.

Francesca is also the co-founder of The Spa Duchesses, which offers luxurious services for spas, including consultancy, events, masterclasses, and marketing support. They launched in 2019 after Francesca met renowned Italian beauty editor Katia Sabato at an event in Italy.

She said: “Our shared passion for the beauty and spa industry drives our collaboration for success in a competitive market.

Katia handles events and marketing, while Francesca curates unique spa menus according to traditional Chinese medicine to develop training packages and she also offers guidance on service expansion for resorts and staff training.

Spa Duchesses offers in-house and pre-opening training for resorts and The Maldives is a key market for the company. Francesca said: “With our global expertise, we can assist not only with treatment menus and bespoke events creations, but also with a diverse range of teams cultural ethnicity, and a trusted network of collaborators.

“With so many resorts the Maldives are experiencing significant growth, and innovation, new product lines, services and techniques are a must to stay ahead of times. We can offer so much that our rivals can’t, we have unique treatments tapping into Chinese medicine, the art of face mapping with a book and a series of skin wellness and regenerative beauty masterclasses, Yoga and the combination of elements from TCM and Mediterranean medicine. We offer consultancy (Shen Mantra for training and TSD for events), and Philosophia Botanica for rituals and skincare ranges.

“Wellness is the complete integration of body, mind, and spirit – the realisation that everything we do, think, feel, and believe affects our state of well-being,” to quote Greg Anderson, and Francesca agrees: “Wellness is an ongoing journey that involves recognising your choices and making informed decisions to lead a healthier, more balanced, and fulfilling life. It emphasises personal growth and self-awareness, encouraging you to embrace positive changes for overall well-being.”

She emphasises the importance of balancing work and family, stating, “As a hands-on mom, it’s challenging but vital. I travel with my children for work during school breaks, and there’s a market for family wellness travel.”

Her family follows this philosophy and healthy eating and exercise are essential parts of their lives with them taking part in hiking, swimming, and cycling. I believe encouraging children to eat well and stay active helps them develop lifelong habits that prevent serious health issues.”

Francesca is the Global Wellness Day Ambassador for Hong Kong and has held the same honour in the UAE. “It has been a wonderful family affair to involve the children in organised events and embrace the wellness philosophy and global awareness.”