meet•monique

This brand grows from the deep, soulful roots of my family’s legacy - a legacy nurtured by the farming hands and curanderos who, for over 500 years. My grandmothers cultivated not just crops but an intimate relationship with the land. In the heart of New Mexico, my ancestors found healing and meaning in the earth, weaving its wisdom into their lives with devotion.

When women were forbidden from farming and the curandero’s craft was misunderstood, my grandmothers stood steady in their path. 

They worked the soil with pride, planting seeds of courage and care that grew into something more than a family's tradition. We built a bond with the earth that feels like a heartbeat. 

This connection is a tender reminder of this brand's soul. It is a tribute to those who came before me and to the land that continues to hold us all so deeply.

Working in cosmetic formulation and product development over the years has reshaped how I see the skincare industry. What once felt sacred, I saw reduced to something disconnected. Ingredients are stripped from the land and turned into commodities, destined for shelves under fluorescent lights in discounted aisles. Far removed from their origins.

The stories of the farmers, the hands that nurtured these gifts, were erased in favor of speed and greed. It’s a hollow cycle, one that forgets the soulful connection to the land and the people who prop it up. The very connection that is at the heart of the•alambique.

My mission is to let every ingredient carry its story, its purpose, and its dignity, as it should. We should tell the farmers' stories and where people's money goes. 

Over the years, a question has stayed with me: what if we told the stories of the farmers first? What if, instead of hiding behind marketing tactics, we spoke openly about the real reasons prices change? Like the impact of a crop failure on the harvest of precious oils?

Too often, I’ve seen companies cut corners, reduce product quality, change formulas, or adjust weights just to maintain relationships with big box retailers.

These practices have left me feeling like I got kicked in the crotch by the cosmetics industry. How can a serum that costs just $1.50 to make be sold for $150? Highway robbery at its finest. 

It’s a choice I’ll never make. I want to tell a story that begins with the land and the hands that tend it. Traveling around the world to bring you stories of deep commitment to those who make it all possible.

It is a testament to my grandmothers, who taught me not just to want change, but to be the change I wanted. 

This brand is a testament to the farmers who dip their fingertips into biodiverse soil.

My mission isn’t just to promote a product; it is to make the soil we stand on my ONLY shareholder.

This company won’t be passed down to children (I can't have any), and the money we make stays above ground when we leave. That’s why Mother Earth is the heartbeat of what we do. 

Each raw material is a gift, and we intend to treat it as such. 

With roots and reverence,

-monique (aka sneaks)