Monastery

Name: Monastery
Brand: USA
Availability: OutOfStock

Since 2011 : The Sanctuary of Skincare

Founded in 2011 by Athena Hewett, a San Francisco–based master esthetician with over two decades of hands-on experience, Monastery was born from frustration with conventional skincare that often caused more harm than good. The turning point came during a backpacking trip when Athena’s skin unexpectedly transformed for the better after she stopped using her usual products. This revelation led her to create a line focused on preservation, not over-treatment.

The name Monastery is deeply personal, inspired by Athena’s childhood visits to monasteries in Greece with her grandmother. The architecture, incense, and candlelit stone interiors left an indelible mark, shaping her vision of skincare as both ritual and refuge.

About Monastery

Monastery blends high-grade botanicals with minimalist design, offering oil-based cleansers and moisturizers that honor the skin’s natural healing ability. Each formula reflects Athena’s belief that skincare should be a slow, nourishing ritual rather than a multitasking chore. The brand’s aesthetic captures quiet luxury, understated yet deeply sensory.

Products

Rose Cleansing Oil

Melts away makeup and impurities while protecting the skin’s microbiome and acid mantle.

Gold Restorative Face Oil

A rich antioxidant serum designed to fortify the skin barrier and enhance overnight repair.

Attar Floral Repair Concentrate

A multipurpose balm without beeswax, perfect for lips, eyes, or as a final glowing seal.
These essentials are offered together in the brand’s best-selling Essentials Kit, the ultimate pared-back routine.

Other highlights include Flora Botanical Cream Serum, praised for its radiance-enhancing properties, and Rei Gentle Retinol Cream, a retinol experience supported with reishi for calm and resilience. Every product is crafted in small batches under Athena’s direct supervision, using perfumer-grade ingredients such as rose from Réunion and neroli from France.

Why Monastery

Monastery embodies less-is-more beauty, slowing consumption, simplifying routines, and achieving genuine results. Skincare is treated as a personal sanctuary, a quiet pause in the day. From ingredient integrity to sensory design, the brand remains committed to intentional craftsmanship, aligning every choice with its ethos of mindful ritual.

Brand Highlights

The brand has gained cult status among skincare purists and design lovers, frequently featured in publications such as Wallpaper. Packaging by New York’s Creech Studio, with embossed medallions and textured finishes, earned a Silver Cube at the 2023 ADC Awards. Monastery also enjoys a devoted following among high-profile spa professionals, including the esthetician to Maya Rudolph.

where to find

Monastery’s complete range is available worldwide through its official website, as well as select clean beauty retailers such as The Green Jungle Beauty Shop and Beauty Warrior in Australia. This curated presence reflects the brand’s commitment to intentional, values-aligned partnerships.