DIY face masks and skin-care treatments are appealing for many reasons. They make your Pinterest board look really pretty, playing chef for a night is always fun, and the ingredients are usually naturally-sourced, meaning you don't have to worry about harsh chemicals. Better yet, you can mix up a mask while drinking wine and watching Netflix.
The only problem? Loading your cart with the right stuff that'll deliver results can be tricky. How much honey do you really need? Does it matter whether the oil is cold-pressed or not? The DIY struggle is real — and that's where Ktchn Apothecary comes in. Think of it as the Blue Apron of skin-care: Like the food delivery service, Ktchn does the hard part for you by finding and measuring out fresh, natural ingredients, then sending you the exact portions along with the recipe to make a facial moisturizer.
"Freshly made food with natural ingredients is better and skin care is no different," says Kevin Lesser, the company's founder. "When I researched top moisturizers on the market, I saw that up to 75% of their ingredients [include] fillers and chemicals to achieve a long shelf-life. I thought no one should have to put plastic on their face and realized that if you make a moisturizer fresh, it can be more powerful, since you can use the best nutrient-rich extracts found in prestige brands — but at up to 3x higher the concentration for better results."
Here's how the membership works: For $40, you can get the Facial Moisturizer Kit — which comes with beeswax tablets, ground oats, aloe extracts, face oil, a blue glass jar, plus a science beaker and whisk that any chemistry nerd would love — with the option to have automatic refills sent your way every 30, 45, or 60 days, like clockwork. (You can also make a one-time purchase of $45, without becoming a member.)
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We tried it ourselves and couldn't believe how easy it was — really. First, you bring one-inch of water in a pan to a boil, then reduce the heat. Then, you pour in the beeswax (which comes in little solid pellets) and facial oil, which smells like sweet lavender — one of the 7 essential oils, though it's also infused with sweet almond, apricot kernel, avocado, jojoba, rosehip, and carrot seed oils — into the beaker. Place the glass in the hot water and whisk the formula like you're beating an egg, until it melts and looks like butter. Add the aloe and whisk some more. After you remove the beaker from the heat, sprinkle in the oats and mix together until it's all blended, and there you have it: an ultra-creamy moisturizer that'll last you two months — for a whole lot less effort than that cumin-crusted pork dish.