#MAKEITHAPPEN

Christina Garcia & Emily DiDonato, Covey Co-Founders

09/20/2021

Minimalism—who isn't chasing this notion? Our lives have become filled to the brim with stuff, both mental and physical, whether it's in our inboxes or on our bathroom sinks. That's where Covey, a simplified skincare line, steps in. In a world of overwhelming product pushing, Covey aims to clear it all up by offering us a "less is more" approach. We chatted with the founders, Christina Garcia and Emily DiDonato, on what inspired them to get started, their morning routines and, of course, their beauty must-haves.

Our Hustle

Our hustle...
Is Covey, our skincare line that we launched in March.

What got us started...
Emily and I had both become so overwhelmed by our skincare routines—we had no idea how to identify the essential products we should be using every day, how to use them and what order to use them in. So we took matters into our own hands and created Covey, which is a clean, 3-step skincare routine that uses effective, high-quality products. Less can be more for your skincare routine when you use essential products that work!

What clears our head...
Taking a walk outside

When in doubt, we...
Call each other. We’re each other’s biggest cheerleaders and confidants so whenever we get stuck or have a moment, we lean on each other.

Greatest challenge—and how we overcame it...
Developing the products. We had incredibly high standards for the quality and effectiveness of our products and we had at least 10+ iterations for every single product in our routine. We ended up partnering with a renowned dermatologist, Dr. Russak, to help ensure we were using the highest quality ingredients and which products were essential for daily use.

How We Make It Happen

3 morning musts…
1. Wash our face with Covey’s First of All Cleanser and very cold water to help us wake up and start the day refreshed
2. Iced oat milk latte—decaf for Emily since she’s pregnant :)
3. Make breakfast—we love scrambled eggs with avocado.

3 life hacks…
1. Keep your routines simple. Whether it’s with nutrition, working out, or skincare, we keep our routines simple because it’s easier to stick to them. And that drives results.
2. We always carry some sort of snack with us because being "angry" never turns out well for anyone.
3. Ruthless prioritization. Emily and I are both doing Covey, along with our full-time jobs, so it forces us to really focus on what needs to get done, personally and professionally, every day.

3 secret work weapons
1. Start a new checklist every day. Letting your to-do list get massive makes it much harder to psychologically tackle. Emily and I start a fresh to-do list every day, helping us to re-prioritize and manage each day.
2. Invest in your work setup. A lot of us are working from home now— earlier this year we invested in standing desks and two monitors and we’re never looking back!
3. Build out your personal “board”. Find those people who are going to support you, provide you with sound advice, and can help you progress and grow in your career. Men invest in their networks and mentorship way more than women do, so don’t be shy!

Personal talisman...
Emily designed a necklace featuring a flock of birds, which is the meaning of Covey, the name of our skincare line. Covey is a small flock of birds that protect and care for each other, which reflects Covey’s values of community and harmony.

Best advice received...
Women tend to have imposter syndrome or only have confidence when they’re perfect—don’t ever hold back on your confidence.

My Style

My wardrobe MVP...
CG: My most prized Veronica Beard piece is a military jacket with a huge floral embroidery pattern on the back. I saw a woman wearing it at an airport with leggings and I thought it was so chic and classy, I googled it on the spot and saw it was Veronica Beard.

My Recharge

What we’re reading/listening to/binging...
We both read Big Friendship, a book that celebrates adult female friendship. We’re listening to Morning Toast and binging Happy Endings.

Beauty/self-care must-haves...
Sunscreen, our Covey routine, a daily workout, and a great lip balm.

Favorite thing to do...
Go on walks together with Izzy

Favorite thing to make...
A fresh salad

One mover and shaker we admire...
Joy Mangano. Her independence and drive to build her empire, all while raising three children, is something we both admire. It never ceases to amaze us what women are capable of.