One again, we’ve got not one, but two talented mamas sharing their Mother Essentials with us today! Alice Lin Glover and Marie Kouadio Amouzame are the founders of EADEM, a beauty company known for its hallmark product, the Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum. First meeting as employees at Google, Alice and Marie come from very different backgrounds (Marie was born in Côte d’Ivoire and raised in Paris, and Alice was born in America to Taiwanese immigrants, and later married into a Mexican family), and found friendship through their frequently swapped skincare knowledge. Now, along with an industry-leading dermatologist, the two are pioneering Smart Melanin Beauty—combining science-backed ingredients and heritage botanicals to effectively and gently care for skin of color.

The two are also devoted mothers. San Francisco-based Alice is mama to Ando, 1; and Brooklyn-based Marie is mother to Ysée, 3, and Romy, 19 months. The duo is additionally hoping to build a movement beyond beauty, with their thought-provoking digital journal, Codeswitch, highlighting the experiences of women of color.

Check out the current products and practices that are getting them through their busy days below!

Marie’s Picks

DIY Matcha. “Making my own matcha every morning is an essential. I have never drank coffee, so orange juice was my thing, until I fell in love with matcha. The process of making it really helps me start the day in a good mood; it clears my head. It usually happens after Ysée has left for school and Romy is out and about with our nanny.”

Keyboard For The Office. “I like a clean work station. I try to make it as clean and cute as possible. After all, that’s where I spend a lot of my time.” RK Royal Kludge Mechanical Keyboard,  $49.99, Amazon.

Leather Booties. “These cute Derbies by Le Petit Nord are a good balance between a classic style and something Ysée will gladly put on every morning before going to school.” Petit Nord All Over X Uniqua Capsule Embroidered Boots Lavender, $132, Smallable.

EADEM Milk Marvel. “Our cult favorite serum. It’s unique in the sense that it’s one of the few dark spot and hyperpigmentation serums you can use while pregnant or breastfeeding. We formulated it while we were both pregnant!” Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum, $68, EADEM.

Downtime: Deliciousness at Home. “This cookbook is by Nadine Redzepi Levy, the wife of Rene Redzepi of Noma. It is full of simple yet delicious recipes to cook for the family. I’ve had it for many years now. It’s a favorite in our home.” Downtime: Deliciousness at Home: A Cookbook, written by Nadine Levy Redzepi, $32.20, Bookshop and Amazon.

Mustela Liniment. “This is a French mom secret—every home in France has it! We use it for diaper changes as an ointment on baby’s bottom to keep the redness away. The trick is to dry the skin with a paper towel before applying. It’s made with extra-virgin olive oil, and it’s natural and very nourishing for the skin.” Mustela Liniment No-Rinse Baby Cleanser for Diaper Change, $15, Amazon.

Mustela Stelatopia. “It’s a bathing oil for baby’s delicate skin. I love that it’s a multi-texture product. It’s a staple in our home; we all use it. It has a soft foam, and it cleanses really well.” Mustela Stelatopia Emollient Baby Cream, $26.99, Amazon.

Portrait of a Lady by Frederic Malle. “Between work and my family, it’s sometimes hard to have 10 minutes for myself during the day. This is the one thing that really makes me feel like myself.” Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady Perfume, $270, Neiman Marcus.

Massage Candle. “I am obsessed with this candle from Maude.” Burn No. 1, $25, Maude.

Go-To Jumpsuit. “This romper saved me on the days I don’t want to dress up. My office is a few blocks away from our home, so I just jump in my jumpsuit and get going.” Washable Silk Elastic Strap Jumpsuit, $268, Lunya.

Sleeper Socks. “I also love these chunky wool sleeper socks from Lunya. They’re very comfortable and come with a dust bag that you put in the freezer to keep them germ free.” Chunky Wool Slipper Sock, $98, The Yes.

Cradle Cap Creme. “At 18 months, Romy still gets cradle cap from time to time, so I use this cream by Ducray. I leave it on for 15 minutes at bath time and it just washes away with shampoo.” Ducray Kelual Cradle Cap Emulsion, $22.41, Pharmacy Club.

FaceTime With Our Parents. “We do this twice every weekend, it’s a family ritual. Since both our families are overseas in France, we really make sure the girls have a great relationship with their grandparents, uncles, and cousins. It’s also a break for us, their parents.”

Planting Herbs. “This is a big thing in our home. We have a small plot of land on the roof, but during the winter we plant them inside. It’s a fun thing for the kids to watch how things actually grow. We were watching a farming show together and Ysée once asked me: ‘Wow, there are also avocados on the trees?'”

Alice’s Picks

Organic Hojicha Powder. “For my caffeine fix, I prefer hojicha over matcha or coffee.” Organic Hojicha Powder, $20, Tea People.

Binu Binu Soap. “As a new mom and an entrepreneur, there’s not as much time for self-care like I used to have. Taking baths and creating a calming bathroom environment has become a new luxury routine for me. Binu Binu soaps are beautiful, and I love the soap dishes as well.” Boricha Tea Soap, $22, Binu Binu Soap House.

Pretty Blocks. “My son likes to play with this (putting it in his mouth and banging it on tables!), but I also appreciate how it looks and the creative ways in which it can be stacked.” Raduga Grez Wooden Waterfall Blocks, $33, Smallable.

Gentle Baby Shampoo. “Baby and I both have eczema, so fragrance-free and gentle are super important to both his skin and mine.” Babo Botanicals Sensitive 2-in-1 Fragrance Free Baby Shampoo & Wash, $16.99, Target.  

Morning Walks. “I used to be an active person, but with constraints on my time and energy between running a company and being a parent, I choose to start and end my days with a walk. It helps that I have a 90-pound fluffy Samoyed-Husky who keeps me honest on this!” 

Baby Carrier. “Since walks are my main source of exercise and I live in an extremely hilly neighborhood, this carrier is my go-to way to walk with baby. I tried many carriers and this one is the easiest and has taken baby from newborn to 20 pounds (and can go further).” Beco Gemini Carrier, $80, Amazon.

EADEM Milk Marvel. “I can’t talk about my daily essentials without talking about skincare! I grew up having, and continue to have, ‘difficult’ skin (acne, eczema, I’ve seen it all). So this is an important step for me. Having bad skin can really take a toll on my mental health (it sounds dramatic, but ask anyone who’s suffered!).” Mik Marvel Dark Spot Serum, $68, EADEM.

Fancy Earrings. “In COVID times I’ve gotten lax about my makeup and daily outfits. Nothing quite makes me feel as easily ‘dressed up’ as a good pair of statement earrings.” Earrings, $285 and up, Alchemilla.

Lounge Set. “I wore these daily while pregnant and not pregnant! As separates, I like they could also be styled separately and worn outside.” The 03 Set, $249, Deiji Studios.

Nesting Bowls. “I really love a good home-cooked meal. My friend works at this local ceramics shop and turned me on to the beauty of having adult plates that match. And I have to say it does elevate every meal at home a little bit more.” Nesting Bowls, $200, Earthen.

Ottolenghi Simple. “My husband and I have been taking turns cooking from this book. I used to spend hours making meals and, sadly, I don’t have that luxury anymore, but this books makes each meal just as special.” Ottolenghi Simple: A Cookbook, by Yotam Ottolenghi, $32.20, Bookshop and Amazon.

Bath Soak. “I started taking baths as a postpartum healing ritual, but that has now extended into a quiet moment of relaxation. I love these bath salts as a part of the ritual.” Bath Salt Soak Coastal Cedar, $9.75, Soap Cauldron.

Baby Bath Time. “I’m not a morning person, so my partner usually takes the lead on the morning daycare drop-offs and preparation. Evenings are our time together. My son loves bath time and the water, so it’s a daily ritual that he and I do together.”

The Farmer’s Market. “The beauty of living in Northern California is the amazing produce and farmer’s markets! I’ve gotten a new appreciation for it as my son transitions to solids and I try to make sure he tries to eat a diversity of in-season fruits and vegetables.”

West Perro Sun Hat. “Living in California, I keep this hat permanently in my car. For any sunny walks or excursions, it has been a must in my weekend wardrobe.” Desert Dome Hat, $125, West Perro.

Used Kids’ Clothing. “In a quest to buy less but better, I’ve been trying to thrift more items. For baby stuff especially, because they grow out of things so quickly. Seesaw is one of my favorites for all things baby.” SeeSaw4Kids.com.