Introducing Peak Bloom: A New Way to Mask Up
Jun 11, 2021
After nearly a year of research and development, we're so thrilled for you to meet Peak Bloom. A powerful anti-aging, skin brightening, anti-inflammatory, herb-to-gel face mask. The first of its kind.
We sat down with our Founder & Chief Wellth Advisor, Shizu Okusa to learn more about Peak Bloom's origin from Japan, the inspiration behind the product, and its multi-masking benefits. Let's bloom!
Give us some basics - what's the story behind Peak Bloom?
As the pandemic comes to an end and vaccines roll out, we’re slowly reorienting ourselves back to another “new normal”. We wanted to introduce a product that would give you the tools, inspiration, and a forever reminder that beauty comes from the inside out.
The name 'Peak Bloom' is Sakura-inspired, a homage to my home country Japan, and the most recent Asian American hate crimes. After a very long 15+ months, we wanted to bring you a new way to nourish, restore and repair, so you can bloom with your best foot (and face!) forward back into a post-COVID world.
Sakura? Tell us more.
Sakura, the cherry blossom considered to be Japan’s national flower, is a short-lived phenomenon that is a sight to behold. It captures the fragile and fleeting nature of life and how short it can be if not savored. But sakura is also about new beginnings, and a reminder of how beautiful life can be (especially if you stop to smell the flowers).
This year, “Hanami”, or flower watching, in Japan was severely curtailed. Historically, this time in Japan has long drawn thousands of local picnickers and travelers from all over the world just to witness this spectacular season. Picnickers welcoming the warmer weather over bento box lunches or barbecue as well as copious amounts of sake. But due to COVID, officials were quick to curb cherry-blossom viewing despite its cultural significance.
If COVID taught us anything, it is that this season comes regardless of what's going on in the world, and beauty can still be found without having to travel. Beauty can be found right here - inside all of us - and celebrated every day.
Life is short and Peak Bloom will be a forever reminder of that phenomenon that exists in all of us.
Tell us a bit about the R&D process.
This product took us over 9 months to bring to fruition. We worked with one of the best herbalists, iterated on over 14 (!!) different formulas, and sent over 68 test samples to garner feedback from our community. All this to say - as always, we would never introduce a new product (let alone new collection!) without meticulous testing. We seriously can't wait for you to try it.
Speaking of the mask formula - what excites us about this ingredient powerhouse?
As we transition into warmer weather, the change in temperature, sun exposure, and other external factors can wreak havoc on our skin and hair. So, to ensure that you’re not only feeling good but looking good too, we’re thrilled to change up what it means to 'mask up' with this multi-masking (pretty sure we ALL aged at least 10 years with COVID!) antioxidant-rich and exfoliating mask that is Peak Bloom.
We hope that with each use, you’ll think of it almost like peeling back the old layers of skin, negativity, and false beliefs that may have accumulated over the last 15 months so you can Peak Bloom back to your best self, and life, beyond the pandemic.
Tell us about your personal experience and results using Peak Bloom.
Early on in the pandemic, I was getting some severe “maskne”, or acne as a result of stress eating (too much sugar and gluten) and wearing masks. This showed up in the form of acne around my mouth and couldn't find a clean product that was geared specifically towards this issue, a combination of a bad diet, heat, and masks.
So, we set out to make one ourselves.
The mask leaves my skin feeling super soft and after I wash it off, I don’t even need toner or moisturizer. I simply put a light oil on like Rose or Jojoba and use it 2-3x a week whenever I need a little skin TLC and glowing boost.
And bonus - it smells like roses. Not in an overbearing way, but a refreshing, sweet, and subtle way that always brings a smile to my face at the end of the day.
While I wait for Peak Bloom to dry, I blend up a small mug of Do Not Disturb and get ready to sleep + bloom the next day.
How do you use it?
This is one of the reasons I love this mask so much - it's so easy to use, and so much less wasteful than single use sheet masks.
In a small bowl, mix 1/4 tsp of powder with 1/8 tsp water. Stir well to create a creamy, gel-like consistency.
Then, brush an even layer on clean face (note that every mask purchase will come with the custom mask brush), avoiding eyes and lip area.
After 15 minutes, rinse with warm water while gently rubbing in circular motions for added exfoliation. You can use it up to 4 times weekly.
Happy blooming, Apothékary fam!
