Monica’s Skincare Journey: From Discovery to Results. The story behind M4
6 minute read
Fun fact: Alloy co-founder Monica Molenaar isn’t just a champion for better access to healthcare, she’s also the driving force behind our M4 skincare collection. When she and co-founder Anne Fulenwider launched Alloy, their mission was to bring evidence-based solutions, like menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), to the women who need them most. But Monica’s personal journey took a different turn, one that led to a surprising discovery about her skin, and ultimately, to the creation of M4.
A Flash of Inspiration
At 40, Monica tested positive for the BRCA gene, which significantly increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancers. To reduce her risk, she elected to have her ovaries removed, a surgery that sent her into menopause overnight. After many years and many doctors, she found Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT), which helped restore her estrogen levels and brought major relief from the symptoms she was experiencing. (You can hear more of her story in this video here).
Fast forward eight years, and a lot had changed. Monica had come to understand just how overwhelming, confusing, and frankly infuriating menopause care was, not just for her, but for women everywhere. She had thoughts (big ones) about how to fix it. When she and Anne met while walking their dogs, the two quickly aligned on a mission to fix mission menopause and so Alloy was born.
Then came COVID. Monica and her family relocated to her husband’s native Netherlands, and Alloy transitioned to a remote-first company. But with the move came a prescription mishap and Monica ended up taking half her usual dose of estradiol (1mg instead of 2mg) for three months. The result? Full onset of genitourinary symptoms she’d never experienced before: dryness, irritation, and even estrogen-related incontinence.
Luckily, as the co-founder of a menopause company, Monica quickly identified what was going on. After navigating the Dutch healthcare system, she got a prescription for vaginal estrogen. But unlike the estradiol cream typically prescribed in the U.S., the version available in the Netherlands was estriol, a different form of estrogen. And it worked. Within days, her symptoms disappeared and bladder control returned.
Then came the lightbulb moment…
“If the estriol in my vaginal cream works this well on the sensitive skin in my vagina,” she thought, “what would it do for the skin on my face?”
So she tried it. And within weeks, she saw firmer, smoother, glowier skin. People literally stopped her on the street to ask what she was doing differently.
The Next Steps…
Monica brought her discovery to the Alloy development team with one goal: to create a formulation that delivered the benefits of estriol, but was designed specifically for facial skin. After all, while the vaginal cream worked wonders, the texture wasn’t exactly face-friendly.
So the team got to work and in January 2023, M4 Face Cream Rx was born.
Formulated with low-dose estriol and developed in collaboration with R & D experts, M4 Face Cream Rx was designed to support skin longevity at a cellular level. Early testing showed visible improvements in elasticity, hydration (both surface-level and deep), and skin texture—confirming what Monica had already seen in the mirror.
A True Game-Changer
M4 Face Cream Rx represents a breakthrough in skincare for women navigating perimenopause and menopause. What many don’t know though, is estrogen has long been recognized for its remarkable effects on skin. In fact, from the 1940s through the 1990s, it was widely considered one of the most effective active ingredients for preserving youthful skin and promoting skin longevity by keeping it thick, hydrated, and resilient. But when estrogen became a regulated prescription ingredient, much of that knowledge faded from view—lost to time and red tape.
Monica’s unique perspective as both a hormone health advocate and a personal user of prescription estrogen connected the dots. She didn’t just experience the benefits firsthand; she had the insight, expertise, and team to transform that discovery into a safe, accessible solution for women everywhere. No other company had brought this particular combination of ingredients to the skincare space—one that stimulates collagen production, boosts hydration, and directly targets hormone-related signs of skin deterioration.
And it couldn’t be more timely: by age 50, women may lose up to 50% of their total collagen compared to their peak levels. M4 Face Cream Rx was created to meet that challenge head-on and to give women a product that finally works with their hormones, not against them.
Proof Meet Power
And in 2024, an independent clinical study confirmed what we already knew. In just 12 weeks, M4 face cream showed significant improvements to skin compared to a placebo, including:
88% improvement in elasticity and plumpness
70% improvement in hydration
68% improvement in overall skin health
57% improvement in skin texture
Because M4 Face Cream Rx does not impact blood estrogen levels, it is a great complement to MHT.
Next-Generation Skincare Innovations
After the success of M4 Face Cream Rx, we started hearing a clear message from our community: more, please. Customers wanted additional products that harnessed the power of estriol. We listened, went back to work, and have introduced two new next-generation skincare solutions that combine estriol with powerhouse ingredients for real, visible results.
Meet the new additions to the M4 family:
M4 Face Serum Rx with Estriol, Peptides + Hyaluronic Acid restores hydration and elasticity, boosts collagen production, enhances skin radiance, improves firmness and smoothness, and supports skin repair for more youthful-looking skin.
M4 Eye Cream Rx with Estriol + Peptides works deeply beneath the skin to smooth crow’s feet and fine lines, hydrate, and brighten delicate skin around the eyes.
More good news: a 2025 clinical study on the M4 Eye Cream Rx showed that after 12 weeks, 76% of women saw smoother skin and a visible softening of wrinkles and crow’s feet. 79% said their skin looked firmer, and 74% noticed a brighter, more even skin tone. (Read the full clinical study here) And it’s non-comedogenic, and formulated for sensitive skin.
Real Women, Real Results
The clinical results speak volumes, but so do the women who use M4 every day. In a recent customer survey, 92% of M4 Face Cream Rx users said they’d recommend it to a friend. Why? Because it delivers exactly what we promised: real results. From hydration and firmness to radiance and texture, the results are visible and the confidence is unmistakable.
What Drove Monica Throughout Her Journey
Looking back on her experience, Monica says, “I never expected that surgical menopause would give my life the purpose that it has. While my journey was difficult and emotional, I am not unique. That’s why I’ve been driven to ‘fix menopause’ for myself and all women to thrive through this stage of life and beyond. Life doesn’t end when you hit menopause. The rest of our lives can be the best of our lives, which is why Alloy provides women with what they need to thrive. Thanks to M4, all women can have healthy, radiant skin too. I only wish I had discovered this sooner for myself, and I’m so glad to have been able to make this available for others!”
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