117. The Universal Balm
Monastery's Lab Edition 008 and TV Recently
Have you ever encountered something that feels like it was made especially for you? Something so custom and tailored that it recognizes your DNA makeup immediately and knows instinctively what you need. And not only the physical but also the sensorial and emotional. That is what Monastery’s Universal Balm is to me.
It’s rare for me to develop such a deep fascination and sincere appreciation for a skincare product. If you’re a subscriber, you already know my love for Monastery. One word that always comes to mind when thinking of the brand is experience. The brand is an experience through and through, from its carefully formulated and curated product line to the impressive résumé of its creator and founder, Athena, and at every touchpoint (website, social, unboxing, packaging, product).
But today, we’re focusing on Monastery’s first lab edition, and it’s all in the name: “Universal Balm.” Let’s dive into some specifics.
Price & Net Weight
This retails $48 for 0.7oz | 20ml. So yes, that’s pricey and not for the faint of heart, especially if your sole intent is to use it for the hands. For a quick comparison, their other balm in the range, Attar, retails $75 for the same 0.7oz | 20ml. In my book, this is 100% worth the price tag.
Packaging
It shouldn’t be surprising that Monastery’s packaging is my favorite in the beauty industry—period. Though they’ve undergone a few brand and packaging design updates, like a fine wine, their work only improves over time. Creech is the design studio in charge of all the stunning brand creative you see and interact with. As someone who works in the creative field, I deeply respect the work that’s gone into every detail of Monastery.
It was their early idea to create a seasonal winter salve that sparked this lab edition. Athena collaborated with them, discussing scent, texture, and usage before getting to work in the lab (read more here).
The Universal Balm is housed in an aluminum tube (another favorite when it comes to packaging for its easy recycling) and a plastic screw-on cap. Compact, easy to store, chic, and portable. It comes with a key of the brand’s iconic coin to get every last morsel out. The key works great, but note that it’s quite substantial, so it adds a good amount of weight overall. The tube and key sit within a beautifully thick, slightly toothsome, bright Kelly green paper carton. The carton (insert that slides within an outer sleeve) utilizes folding only, so it doesn’t require adhesive. The iconic logo coin and name are debossed silver ink into the outer sleeve, and the rest of the information is printed, impeccably produced by Imprimerie du Marais. It comes with an additional paper insert, providing more insight into the balm.
Scent
The word “universal” appears again in its well-traveled, worldly scent profile: Italian Neroli, Hawaiian Sandalwood, and Japanese Hinoki. As with all fragrances, the combination can go in multiple directions, but what makes this one so great is that it’s expertly balanced. It hits woodsy, sweet, fresh, and grounding, making it excellent all year round.
It was my favorite 2024 balm!
Texture & Finish
This is what I’d been waiting for with Monastery. I’ve tried their incredible Attar balm, but it’s too dewy for my preferences, and I’m not a huge jasmine fan when it comes to scent. However, the Universal Balm is the exact dreamy, cushiony texture with the dry-down I love. It dispenses as a thick balm straight from the tube yet melts beautifully upon skin contact. It’s silky and smooth but dense with nourishment; the reason we all love to use a balm. Once it dries down, it creates an exquisite true satin finish, if not a matte finish, depending on how much you’ve used and any skincare underneath. It’s incredible that it can produce a “light” finish like this yet feel as luxurious and protective as balms do.
Usage
You truly can use this anywhere. I would have hesitated to use it on my face if not for the line, “A balm intended for the hands but great for the entire body and even face.”
I cannot stress the phrase “a little goes a long way” when it comes to this. Packaging it in a small, neat little tube makes all the more sense. At most, I use a pea-sized amount for my hands (usually, it’s a lentil size). I especially need hand cream in the colder months since I’m an avid hand washer. This protects my skin and leaves it happy, supple, and oh-so-soft.
For the face, I use approximately half an inch of product squeezed out from the tube (closer to an inch if I want to luxuriate in it). It’s the last step of my evening skincare routine, and my skin adores it. I marvel each morning when I wake up with the softest skin ever.
Now, if I had to choose a favorite usage, I’d select using it for the face (see the above note about the softest skin again). My second favorite would be the hands (it feels too precious to try and slather all over my body!).
I was afraid that as a Lab Edition, this was a one-time limited run, so I’m so glad that, as of now, it’s already been restocked (I already have my second tube) and seems like it’s going to stay. Please stay.
This also makes me extremely excited about any future lab editions. I’m sure they’ll be as surprising and magical as this one.
As usual, television occupies a large portion of my life. Let’s break down what I’m watching, looking forward to, and don’t plan to watch (though never say never):
The Pitt (Max): After watching the trailer during the holidays, I knew I’d be tuning in. This is my type of show: it has a large number of characters, drama, action, and thrills, with a bit of comedy to help you remember to breathe during the ~50-minute runtime. I watched the first two episodes by myself, then re-watched them because I wanted Husband to get hooked, too! Airs weekly on Thursdays.
ER (Max): So, what should we fill our TV time with on all the other days of the week? ‘The Pitt’s’ predecessor, of course. This may shock you, but I’ve never seen an ‘ER’ episode in my life. This is the perfect evening “wind-down” show thanks to its 90s TV era style. We’re loving it. All seasons are available.
Gilmore Girls (Hulu): I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve rewatched this series. It’s peak Comfort TV.
The White Lotus: Season 3 (HBO): I’ve been waiting for them to do a Thailand season. Craziness awaits; I know it.
The Last of Us: Season 2 (HBO): It’s been so long that I can’t remember when Season 1 aired. Nevertheless, I’m excited to get back into this world.
Severance: Season 2 (Apple TV+): Conversely, with a similar stop in years between seasons, I currently have no interest in ‘Severance.’ This is likely because Season 1 felt like a deftly produced limited series with a perfect ending. However, I’m all ears if you have a good enough reason for me to watch it.
Thanks so much for reading! Have you tried the Universal Balm? Any TV shows I need to catch up on immediately?
As always, I hope you have a great start to your week. See you February 16.