Did you know that monarch butterflies are facing a dreadful crisis? The population has seen about a 97% decrease from the 1980s to the mid-2010s (Pelton et al., 2019). Indeed, these majestic winged creatures are experiencing a severe population decline, mainly due to harmful pesticides and urbanization that have been destroying their natural habitats.
You may be wondering, is there anything being done about this issue? Well, you’d be surprised to see some effort is being made in the beauty space. Meet Monarch Botanika– the skincare line dedicated to preserving butterflies and nourishing your skin!
The newly created vegan, all-natural facial care kit features a cleanser and moisturizer containing cold pressed Milkweed Seed Oil, which has been hand-picked and responsibly harvested. Yes, this nurturing rare oil comes from the Milkweed plant, the significant support plant that nourishes the monarch butterfly for its entire life!
When this oil is appropriately harvested, the habitat remains healthy and intact, allowing them to sustain these beautiful colorful beings and aiding in extinction prevention.
I had the wonderful opportunity to test out their products for myself, and I’m happy to say using these products felt revitalizing to my skin. The first product I tried was the cleanser, and after I washed my face with it my skin felt refreshed and thoroughly cleansed without leaving my skin feeling irritated or overly dry.
Afterward, I applied the moisturizer, which had the interesting effect of tingling on my face (in a good way!), a unique feeling I haven’t experienced with other moisturizers in the past. My face felt like it was very hydrated and moisturized, which I’m even more happy about during the wintertime!
The cleanser and moisturizer both have a gelatinous feel to them, which initially made me wonder about their effectiveness. After trying it out during the AM and PM hours, I realized any assumptions I had were unsubstantiated. I found they work great as a gentle cleanser and moisturizer that keeps my skin hydrated and supple.
Besides the Omega 3, 6, 9, and scarce 7 in the Milkweed seed oil, both products are also formulated with aloe, eucalyptus, spearmint, and peppermint. Other than being made obvious by the natural and minty scent of the products, I found these ingredients were kind to my skin, which I appreciated very much.
However, for daylight hours I noticed minimal pilling when layering certain sunscreens on top of the moisturizer. A point that is not devastating by any means but an effect I don’t come across with other hydrating products.
The facial care kit retails for $128 but is currently on sale for $65. While the moisturizer typically costs $78.00 and the cleanser costs $68, both are on sale for $37.
Suppose you’re concerned about using a skincare line that is vegan and uses all-natural products. In that case, I believe Monarch Botanika is a great skincare line to support as 5% of all of its sales directly contribute to keeping precious Monarch Butterflies alive and well by supporting and taking care of their habitats. You can read more about the monarch butterfly crisis and ways you can help at their sister organization Native Monarchs.
XOXO,
Your Fashion Bestie
