As a San Francisco native, I was peripherally aware of Monastery Made as a facial spa in the Mission District that gained local popularity after it opened in 2011. I live in LA now, but recently, I was re-introduced to Monastery as a high-quality line of skincare products used by the likes of Emma Stone, Emily Blunt, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Although I am typically skeptical of any celebrity-related endorsements and am historically a CeraVe skincare minimalist, I admit I was seduced by the company ethos and sleek branding. Launched by experienced esthetician Athena Hewett, Monastery makes all its products in-house, using only botanical ingredients to clean, exfoliate, nourish, and protect the skin.
The brand generously offered me a kit containing the Rose Cleansing Oil, REI Retinol Cream, Aloe Hyaluronic Serum, Flora Botanical Cream Serum, and Attar Floral Repair Balm, and for the last two months, they have been the principal cast of my skincare regimen. Upon opening each product, I was first captivated by the smell. Have you ever done a double take for a scent? Each balm, serum, and oil smelled of lush florals and concentrated botanicals unblemished by the preservatives found in most beauty products. It’s about as difficult to describe a scent as it is a color, but as bizarre as this sounds, these ones evoked literary memories from my childhood. They reminded me of reading books about Greek Gods and Greco-Roman princesses bathing in sweet-smelling oils, Merlin-era herbal remedies, and ancient Egyptian honey salves. There is a purity and timelessness to each fragrance that, frankly, I believed to be only fictional in this modern world of blue-raspberry Go-Gurt and bubblegum toothpaste.
The more I used the products, the more I became addicted to the ritual. The before-bed Attar Wax Balm in particular gave me a glow that had me looking in the mirror and thinking, “I’ll have what she’s having.” While at first, I was convinced this effect was a placebo, there have been three times in this past month alone that people have balked at my age and said, “Are you kidding? I thought you were 22!” I know I often possess the air of youthful incompetence and confusion, but after the third time, it was far beyond a coincidence. As someone mere months away from thirty, I can say that the retinol cream fortified with reishi is not messing around. As I wrote my personal product reviews (find below), I found myself curious about the back story of the line. I reached out to visionary founder Athena Hewett to explain the genesis, science, and years of experimentation that led to the Monastery we know today.
Courtesy of Monastery
Coveteur: In your 20 years of experience as an esthetician, what was your biggest pet peeve about the practices and products you worked with before you launched Monastery?
Athena Hewett: Once I started looking into product ingredients, what struck me most was how these seemingly different "unique" lines had nearly the exact ingredient lists, and within these lists, lots of the ingredients stood out to me as scary-looking. As I dug deeper, I found that most skincare products are not too dissimilar to laundry detergent, and not the cleaner ones; I'm talking Tide. I became very jaded and started to lose trust in the entire industry. I had to start making my own products, and I took this as my inspiration. In my heart, at that point, I felt that the skincare industry wasn't delivering what it was promising. What could I give my clients that was truly unique? I could give them my touch and my energy, my massage and extraction techniques, and I could use high-quality, simple ingredients to do this. I had no interest in incorporating sulfates, formaldehydes, and phosphates. These ingredients are incredibly harmful, yet brands will use them just to adjust a pH, to extend a shelf life, or to create a specific texture. I wanted to approach creating clean products and developing my line with a more pure intention while not taking advantage of the consumers and offering them false promises as so many other brands do.
Why was Rose Cleansing Oil the first product you formulated? What brought you to this product first?
AH: After years of using what I thought was the best skincare on the market, my skin was a mess. I had been an esthetician for nearly 10 years at that point, and I had developed stage-three acne. One day, I decided I wouldn't let any of it touch my skin again, and I stopped using it all; absolutely nothing touched my face. In about four weeks, my skin cleared up. I had to use sunblock one day, and I didn't know how I was going to get it off. I made the first version of Rose Cleansing Oil that day with the sole goal of removing the SPF. I didn't want anything to tamper with my natural microbiome, which I had believed was back intact and, in turn, had cleared my skin. I needed to make a product that didn't disrupt anything on my epidermis. With this simple but life-changing decision, I never broke out again.
What is your personal favorite product or the one you take most pride in creating?
AH: Probably Attar Repair Concentrate. I remember how many recipes I went through with that product. Lots of late nights. Thank goodness I created it prior to having kids! Sourcing the ingredients for Attar was one of the biggest headaches we have ever had. Attar almost got cut from the line because it proved so difficult to source the ingredients naturally.
On your site, you say, “We don’t necessarily subscribe to the routine mentality.” Do you find skincare to be more intuitive?
AH: Yes, I think it should be intuitive; there is no one-size-fits-all in skincare, but we have found ingredients that suit most. I think that the most important thing is to look at what state your skin is in, no matter what someone, some brand, or some article has told you. Your skin is usually pretty obviously telling you something. If it's inflamed, is there something that you are using that is too harsh for you? The next thing is to look at your cleanser. People think cleansers aren't important, but actually, I think they are the most important product. They are the first ones your skin comes in contact with, and they can be the most disruptive. A cleanser should have a very simple and short ingredient list. I believe in oil cleansing wholeheartedly. If your cleansing routine is benefitting your skin, you can often layer all the other products in any way that you would like.
Courtesy of Monastery
Courtesy of Monastery
What kind of memories do the scents evoke for you? What kind of sensory attachment do you have to certain products?
AH: Scent evokes memories for everyone. It's a big part of why I love making a product. The experiential use of the product is just as important as what's in it. I want people to love the products on their skin, but I also want them to bring them a sense of wellbeing and calm. The bonus is that if you love the scent of something, you'll actually want to use it and create a routine around it.
Do you have a favorite botanical fun fact?
AH: I've always loved researching and learning about botanicals. Have you ever noticed that jasmine is more fragrant at night? That's because night-blooming jasmine only blooms when its pollinators, bats, are active. I just love how complicated and elegant the botanical world is.
What are the biggest misconceptions you run into when people ask about your products?
AH: People often ask if they are active or irritating because they have essential oils in them (though some of our products do not). The thing is, most other products with essential oils are just going for a fresh herbal scent and aren't thinking about how many limonene or linalool terpenes are in that particular botanical. I never include ingredients in our formulations unless they have a true reason to be there, and I always think about how each ingredient will affect the skin's biome.
What would you say to people who tend to avoid skincare products with fragrance?
AH: I understand it. I'm afraid of fragrance too. The ingredients we choose are chosen carefully for their positive properties. Monastery is different; we are thinking just like those people.
Do you incorporate any non-Monastery products in your routine?
AH: All I use is Monastery in my daily routine. I try other products from time to time, but I don't typically incorporate them regularly. My skin is very sensitive, and as much as I've created Monastery for everyone, I originally made each product for myself, so the line suits me perfectly.
Courtesy of Monastery
Product Reviews
Rose Cleansing Oil
This cleanser—“made from 100 petals of Rose Bourbonia from the island of Reunion”—quickly melts off makeup and leaves little to no residue. I’d never used an oil makeup remover before and was afraid it would make me break out, but the rose and hazelnut oils are both antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, which helps repair skin and fight acne. I’ve continued using my typical gel cleanser in the mornings but use only the rose oil to cleanse at night.
Flora Botanical Cream Serum
With primary ingredients of raspberry seed oil, clary sage, and lavender, this is my favorite-smelling product after the Attar balm. I am a big fan of layering serums before my moisturizer, and this product is an incredible multitasker. In the mornings, I apply Flora after cleansing and layering on the Aloe serum. Balanced with hyaluronic acid and floral oils, this is often all I need to finish off my skincare routine. Despite how light the cream feels, I rarely need another layer of moisture on top.
Aloe Hyaluronic Moisture Boost
Featuring ingredients of clary sage and lavender, this moisturizing serum is antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory. It has a fresh, bright smell, and the aloe gel is both soothing and summery. It leaves behind the same almost tightening feeling that regular aloe gel leaves, which is why I like to follow up with the Flora serum.
REI Gentle Retinol Cream
This is the first retinol cream I’ve ever tried, and the results have been impressive. Like many retinol creams, REI boosts collagen, smooths fine lines, and reinforces the skin barrier. The primary ingredients are reishi, rose oil, and radish root, so it has a sharp yet earthy smell and always leaves my skin looking glowy and refreshed. My nighttime routine now consists of cleansing with rose oil, applying the REI cream, and locking in moisture with the Attar concentrate.
Attar Floral Repair Concentrate
Attar is the undeniable star of the show. This heavenly-smelling golden balm is closer to godliness than any skincare product I’ve encountered thus far. Made of rose, jasmine wax, and hazelnut oil, this nutrient-dense balm locks in moisture, delivers nutrients and vitamins to your skin, and softens fine lines. A little bit goes a long way, so don’t let the price tag deter you. I put this on before bed as the final step of my skincare routine, and when I wake up, my skin looks even and hydrated. If you are going to add just one thing to your cart, pick her.