Q&A with bkr Co-Founders Tal Winter and Kate Cutler

Box including HUM Daily Cleanse and pink bkr water bottle

We catch up with bkr co-founders Tal Winter and Kate Cutler to learn more about the beauty inspiration behind their brand. Plus, the difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin.

Q&A with bkr Co-Founders

bkr Founders Tal Winter and Kate Cutler - The Wellnest by HUM Nutrition

What inspired you to start bkr?

Both our moms have gorgeous skin. They taught us early on that water is the foundation of an effective beauty regimen. However, at some point we found ourselves drinking from disposable plastic. It didn’t make sense that people who care so much about what they put into their bodies were essentially drinking from trash. We couldn’t find a reusable bottle we loved, so we made exactly what we wanted: something beautiful, effortless, pure, and chic.

Today our mission remains the same: to make the chic hydrated, and the hydrated chic.

How did you come up with the name?

bkr (pronounced “beaker”) is a throwback to high-school chemistry class when we all used glass beakers. In keeping with our minimalist aesthetic, we spell it with the least amount of letters possible.

Why is hydration so important to healthy skin?

Plump cells are happy cells. Water naturally brightens and de-puffs eyes, firms and detoxifies your skin, and improves your complexion. Well-hydrated skin is elastic and more toned. Hydration prevents and improves wrinkles and smooths lines. It keeps your lips soft and pink, and adds radiance. If you’re just 2% dehydrated, it shows on your face. You won’t look or feel your best—and 2% is just when you’re thirsty.

Tell us more about the sustainability benefits of bkr bottles.

The environmental impact of disposed plastic is tremendous. First, we’re using an insane amount of fuel to move water from countries that in some cases don’t have clean water, to countries where clean water already flows freely right from the tap. Then, plastic doesn’t biodegrade. Most of it ends up in a landfill where it never really goes away.

Eight million metric tons of plastic waste go into the world’s oceans each year. It’s impractical and impossible to fully clean once it’s in the ocean.

There’s also the health impact. The type of plastic that’s typically used to make disposable water bottles is called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). It’s a petroleum-based material that may or may not leach DEHA and phthalates—known carcinogens—into the water. It also may or may not leach antimony, a trace metal that’s necessary for the manufacture of PET. Antimony is linked to lung, heart, and gastrointestinal diseases. And if you reuse disposable water bottles, the bacteria that settles in the cracks and scratches of the porous plastic might even pose a greater health risk than the unknown leaching risk.

Glass is better in every way, for both your body and the earth. It’s chemically inert, doesn’t alter the taste of its contents, and doesn’t allow any unsafe chemicals to leach and make you sick. Plus, it’s a fully recyclable material; it can be recycled endlessly. Recovered glass is actually the majority ingredient in new glass containers.

Without question, everything tastes better out of glass.

How much water do you drink in a day?

When we were younger, eight glasses of water, eight hours of sleep, a little mascara, and a swipe of lip gloss comprised our entire beauty regimen. Now, we try to drink 96 ounces (three liters) a day no matter what. That’s the amount at which we feel and look our best. We’ll have one Big in the morning while getting ready for the day, two Littles in the afternoon as we run from meeting to meeting, and one Big in the evening before bed—usually curled up with Netflix.

bkr Glass Water Bottles - The Wellnest by HUM Nutrition

We LOVE your new collection! where can we find it?

Thanks; we’re obsessed over here too! The Big Spiked Collection is an expression of love for fearless, intoxicating, unordinary art that makes us feel something on the spectrum between humor, strength, discomfort, and joy.

We take inspiration from Zack Seckler’s surreal punk afternoon-tea photograph, to Jenny Holzer’s Protect Me From All Your Bullshit urban guerrilla installation, Christian Louboutin’s stiletto nail polish, Damien Hirst’s Lullaby, and everything else that’s ferocious, unconventional, exhibitionist, mostly chaotic, oddly calm, and beautifully soulful. You can get one at mybkr.com or sephora.com.

A Lesson In Dry vs. Dehydrated Skin

Finally, think again if you assumed dry skin and dehydrated skin were the same. Dry skin lacks oil while dehydrated skin lacks water. Your skin might be dry, dehydrated, or a combination of both. We put together this handy infographic to spot the difference and solve your skin issues for the ultimate in hydrated, dewy skin. Dry Skin vs. Dehydrated Skin - bkr - The Wellnest by HUM Nutrition
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DrynessSkinbkrdehydrated skinDry skinhydrationwater

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