By Melissa McCombs
St. Augustine is a city that values time. Its streets are older than the nation. Its coquina walls have stood through centuries of salt air and summer storms. It is the kind of place that reminds you good things are built slowly. It is also where Madame Moon was born.
Where it began
Madame Moon started with Melissa McCombs, a copper still, and a love of plants. What began as curiosity became a practice. Run by run, she learned how each botanical behaves in the still: how lavender softens, how rosemary brightens, how Florida-native bayberry carries the scent of the coast.
French apothecary, Florida coast
The vision for Madame Moon brings two worlds together. One is the elegance of the old French apothecary: careful work, natural ingredients, and beauty as a daily ritual. The other is the Florida coast: sunshine, salt, and an easygoing way of life.
Built at the market
Madame Moon has deep roots in Saturday mornings at the St. Augustine farmers market, built one conversation at a time. Neighbors stop to smell the mists. Surfers ask what is good after a session. Regulars come back for their favorite bottle.
Those conversations shaped the products. They still do.
Copper-distilled in St. Augustine
Today, every Madame Moon hydrosol is still copper-distilled in traditional copper stills in St. Augustine. We have grown, and we are growing still, but copper distillation remains at the center of the work. Each bottle carries the character of the plant and the care of the process.
What comes next
We are scaling into a larger, nature-led production setting while keeping copper distillation in St. Augustine at the heart of Madame Moon. The aim is simple: get these botanicals into more daily rituals, and keep the process honest.
A note from Melissa
Thank you for being here, for misting, and for supporting plant-based, copper-distilled skincare from Florida. I hope these botanicals earn a place in your day.
— Melissa
Meet the collection: Begin with the Glow Duo ($42), or explore the AM/PM Ritual Collection ($77).