Founder Story

Where It Began

Alchemer’s Bowl began with a simple question: Could skincare be both profoundly effective and inherently gentle?

My name is Kelly and I am a creator. My fine arts background and my entrepreneurial experience deeply inform how I approach life. Between tending to my organic garden and my formulation work, my daily life is very hands-on, plant-based, and intentionally unconventional.

As a younger woman, I never really loved my skin—I didn't even know I was supposed to wash my face at night! But during my years working in a cosmetic dermatology office, I absorbed an incredible education in skin health and developed a deep respect for the industry's gold standards: Vitamin C, retinoids, and intensive barrier care.

Yet, I always struggled to use retinol. Working closely then with clients, I observed firsthand that traditional retinoids were poorly tolerated by sensitive skin—and as my own skin entered a new phase of life, those formulas were simply no longer working for me either.

When I began searching for a gentle yet potent retinol alternative with Vitamin C, I wanted a 100% vegan and cruelty-free formula that truly respected the skin barrier. Yet my research revealed a startling truth: many premium, $230 clinical serums were comprised primarily of water. Intrigued by the resurgence of traditional botanical oils, I set out to create one master serum that could execute three essential jobs—delivering a natural retinoid alternative, Vitamin C, and deep barrier repair—without a single drop of water or harsh preservatives. Seeing how biocompatible, non-clogging oils could actively transform the skin as a superior delivery system, I decided that if I couldn’t find my exact vision on the market, I would create it.

The Vision

Alchemer's Bowl was born from a simple truth: I wanted a formula that felt like a grounding, restorative ritual—a simpler, kinder approach to healthy skin.

My goal was ambitious: to honour those three clinical gold standards by consolidating them into a single, waterless serum. Trusting my own experience, relentlessly educating myself on barrier function, and having the strong support of my husband and daughters—who championed my passion and acted as my very first focus group—is what truly brought the vision to life.

Science & Craft

Embracing the ethos of slow beauty, every bottle is handcrafted in small batches right here in Vancouver. We bypass fleeting industry trends in favour of evidence-backed chemistry and true botanical alchemy. Our formulas are designed to utilize biocompatible lipids to effectively deliver our actives and seal in hydration, transforming the skin while fiercely respecting its natural barrier. We are proudly 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and fragrance-free. To guarantee absolute safety, peak clinical potency, and structural integrity over time, our master formulation underwent months of rigorous stability testing in a third-party laboratory before we ever poured our first batch.

Simple by design, clinical by nature—welcome to Alchemer’s Bowl.