Introducing :: Within Apothecary at Finefolk

Photo by Kaley Kocinski

Gina Ciaccio-Holmberg, owner and creator of Within Apothecary, thinks clean. A devoted mother, wife and makeup artist, Gina has dedicated the past 10 years diligently researching and providing organic, natural and sustainable products for her and her family in Kansas City.

Now Gina wants to extend the family by opening her wellness boutique apothecary, Within, offering carefully-curated beauty, skincare and pantry items from vendors around the world; all clean, all natural, all organic.

Tucked perfectly inside our Finefolk space, Gina is excited to offer her wellness expertise and invite customers onto her makeup chair for a one-of-a-kind pampering experience!

Learn more about Gina's makeup background and the products she'll be providing in our exclusive Finefolk Q&A:

1. What are the common characteristics your customer will find among the products you've curated?

Clean. Effective. Elevated. Current. I wanted to create a space for clients to take advantage of my experience learning what is good and what is harmful in beauty and wellness. The clean beauty world can be misleading and confusing, so I carefully curated honest lines that carry the performance of mainstream brands. New products and terminologies are hitting the market constantly, so it was also important to create a safe space for those that love to discover and learn or simply try a new lip color.

2. What brands will you carry? How did you discover these brands?

For makeup: Kjaer Weis, Ilia, Gressa, RMS, Kosas; skin: Hannes Dottir, Julisis, In Fiore, Max and Me, Native Atlas, Linne', Dani Kenney, Poppy and Someday; wellness/pantry: Sun potion, the beauty chef, Alexis Smart flower remedies, CAP beauty wellness products, Zen Bunni chocolates. Hope Gillerman oils, Four Sigmatic mushroom blends.

Foremost, I am a customer, and I have personally used every brand in my daily journey towards health. My passion for beauty and wellness leads me to constantly research articles, stay in touch with the progress of others on their journey, and seek advice from doctors. It's amazing how quickly new discoveries are shared in the health community, but you have to be very careful to weed out trendy testimonies and products.

3. What product are you personally most excited about to carry?

Honestly--all of them. I adore Kjaer Weis cosmetics, the quality and packaging are exquisite. Julisis skin care will transform your skin. I call it the La Mer of clean beauty. I'm concerned how I will keep Zen Bunni chocolates or CAP beauty's coconut butter on the shelves because I inhale those items. And call me dramatic, but I may have teared up when my Walter water vessel arrived. It's such a stunning piece of art that cleans your drinking water with a Berkey filter.

4. In addition to your retail items, what other services will you be providing?

I will continue to do what I've loved for over 23 years: the role of a makeup artist. That includes appointments for applications, lessons, and my cosmetic bag clean-out service. Clients love to bring in what they're currently using, and we replace what is no longer working, keep what is and add what is missing. We are also planning on collaborating with Finefolk to offer workshops and events, so stay tuned!

5. What does your daily skin and makeup routine entail?

I truly believe in less is more. I have narrowed it down to products that are effective, and I have mad love for products that multi-task. For skin care, I start each day with Julisis gold wash day and face oil, Josh Rosebrook nutrient day cream and Oculus eye treatment. At night I love the entire ritual from In Fiore--it's incredible. I love finishing everything up with a few spritzes of the antioxidant toning mist by Native Atlas and their muscle rub concentrate on my neck and shoulders. I stand so much at work and that product is essential. My makeup changes depending on the day. For errands or time with kiddos, the tinted nutrient day cream from Josh Rosebrook and a little RMS uncoverup is enough to even out my skin. For more coverage, the cream foundation from Kjaer Weis is lovely, and I'm obsessed with the corrective serum foundation from Gressa. I finish with the multi-sticks from Ilia, RMS volumizing mascara daily, and any and every lipstick from Kjaer Weis and Kosas.

6. When did you discover your love for makeup and how did you transition it into a career? Is this something you've always had a passion for?

My love for makeup started early with Maybelline kissing coolers. They were mini lip balms that smelled like heaven and I had every one. (To this day, I must have something on my lips, even if it's just a balm.) The love continued to grow as did my love for the arts, and it sort of just fused together. I was fortunate to land a job at a cosmetic counter because in the 1990's getting a retail job in cosmetics was tough. Those were the days when Francois NARS and Bobbi Brown would come to the stores for events and provide incredible training. I gained a lot of experience understanding cosmetics and customers, and expanded to weddings, photo shoots, and agency commercials. I'm extremely thankful for the opportunities to work in this field.

7. You talk a lot about healthy lifestyle options and diligently research these issues on your Instagram. What do you hope to achieve with your customers by sharing this research?

Both awareness to the harmful impact of poorly sourced products and the wellness lifestyle can be easy attained without getting overwhelmed. Sometimes when people hear that I don't eat gluten, grains, dairy or highly processed food, they assume I'm left with nothing on my plate, but the wellness community thrives on sharing recipes that my whole family enjoys. In the same way, the more knowledge I share, the more eyes can be opened to the reality of living healthy.

8. Tell us how the Within storefront landed at Finefolk?

I'm still pinching myself about this one. A few years ago, I walked in to Finefolk and was blown away. The attention to detail, the way Leslie curated that space, and what she chose to fill it with was so intentional, inspiring and beautiful. Leslie asked if I would be interested in doing makeup for a fashion show she was doing at the Haw Contemporary gallery and that show was, hands down, one of my all-time, absolute favorites. Her attention to detail and taste level was on display, and the entire night was magical. Fast forward a few years, I shared my love for wellness and realized Leslie and I were very much on the same page. Those casual conversations turned into a friendship. Leslie knew that I had been looking for a location for my concept and asked if I wanted some space at Finefolk. I was honored, humbled and excited. From the store, to her home (that I never want to leave), Leslie is reflected in everything she does. It's been great developing this concept with her, and I look forward to spending time with her at the store.

9. In your own words, how would you describe Within as a concept and lifestyle? 

I came up with the idea of the store years ago and had an entirely different name. After much thought and prayer, I literally heard the word 'within.' I immediately loved it and it made so much sense to me from an inner/outer beauty level. The night Leslie asked if I wanted to collaborate, I got in my car and heard the word again. I think that's part of the concept and lifestyle. I had to take the time to listen, and I was steered in the right direction and given a name. I think when changing a lifestyle, one needs to take the time to listen and discover what is right for them. It truly starts within.

Please join us in celebrating the Within grand opening this Saturday, October 7th at 7:00pm!

Photos by Leslie Kinsman and Stuart Heidmann