The Honest Math
Why It's $68
Most skincare brands start with a price point and work backward. We started with a different question.
"How cheap can we make this?"That's what most brands ask.
We asked: "What would it take to make something genuinely better?"
Ingredient Breakdown
What Goes Into Every Jar
Every ingredient earns its place. Here's why each one costs more—and why we chose it anyway.
Base Layer
54% Aloe Vera Juice (not water)
Why it costs more
Bioactive foundation vs. inert filler
Why we chose it
Active from the first drop. Most moisturizers are 60-80% water—cheap filler that evaporates and does nothing.
Humectant System
Tremella + Glycerin + Betaine + Panthenol
Why it costs more
Four-pathway system vs. glycerin alone
Why we chose it
Hydration that actually lasts. Each humectant works through a different mechanism.
Lipid Architecture
Triple Butter + Squalane + Jojoba + Marula
Why it costs more
Your skin recognizes these. It doesn't recognize petroleum.
Why we chose it
Nourishment, not occlusion. No silicones or mineral oil creating a barrier.
Botanical Comfort Complex™
Colloidal Oatmeal + Chamomile + Calendula
Why it costs more
Active-level concentrations, not pixie dust
Why we chose it
Real calming, not marketing calm. FDA-recognized skin protectant plus time-tested botanicals.
Preservation
Leucidal SF Max + AMTicide Coconut
Why it costs more
Ecocert-certified natural preservation
Why we chose it
No irritation trade-off. Broad-spectrum protection without synthetic preservatives.
Essential Oils
Bergamot FCF + Cedarwood + Peppermint (0.3%)
Why it costs more
Real essential oils, not synthetic fragrance
Why we chose it
Below irritation threshold, face-safe. Fully disclosed, nothing hidden.
Beyond Ingredients
The Full Picture
We could cut corners. We could use water instead of aloe. Mineral oil instead of marula. Synthetic fragrance instead of essential oils.
We'd make a very different product. We'd also be making something we wouldn't use ourselves.
Context
The Comparison That Matters
At $17/oz, we cost:
Less than luxury creams ($30-40/oz, often with mineral oil bases)
More than drugstore moisturizers (~$1-3/oz with water and dimethicone)
We're not chasing luxury status.
We're not competing with drugstore moisturizers.
We're focused on substance—making the best product we know how to make, pricing it fairly, and trusting you to decide.
Your Call
Still not sure?
Read the full ingredient list. Compare it to anything else on your shelf.
Make your own decision.
Questions about our pricing or ingredients? We actually respond.
Meria · Charlevoix, Michigan