Mother Essentials: Shaina Kerrigan Of Molly J.
Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano
For all the mamas looking to chill this summer, Shaina Kerrigan is on your same wavelength. The California-based mother of two is the founder of Molly J., a CBD-infused, small batch confection company based in Marin. The product itself was inspired by Shaina’s own motherhood journey. Throughout her pregnancy and breastfeeding experience with her second child, Shaina was feeling the effects that many nights of interrupted sleep bring, and decided to take matters into her own hands. She turned to CBD, and realized just how beneficial it could be for mothers. In May 2019, after nine months of meticulous research and development, Shaina decided to take a break from her career in corporate tech to “spread the chill” via the Molly J. line, which is known for its inventive gumdrop flavors, like Plum Cardamom and Elderberry Grapefruit. Shaina also donates a portion of proceeds from Molly J. to NORML, a nonprofit working to legalize cannabis on a policy level, and Last Prisoner Project, which works to free incarcerated cannabis prisoners. Below, check out Shaina’s top 13 Mother Essentials of the moment (CBD included).
Let Loose Moose. “You may be thinking, How can a kids’ toy be an essential thing? But this little gadget has saved our kids from quite a few evenings of screen time, whining, and/or general boredom. It comes in the shape of a flattened soccer ball and hovers on the ground so that when you kick it, it glides across the floor like a hockey puck. Our whole family squares off for a game weekly and it’s a blast every time. Pro tip: buy multiple, some of us have a heavy foot and ‘accidentally’ slam it into the wall, shredding it into a billion pieces to the horror (and tears) of our children.” LLMoose Hover Soccer Ball Set of 2, $21.99, Amazon.
Equator Coffee. “Every morning, my husband and I do the rounds of dropping the kids off at their schools and then make a pitstop at our local coffee shop, Equator Coffees. He goes for the mint tea; I go for the cold brew (with a dash of cream). Obviously, we love their brews, but even more than that, we love that their B-Corp is specifically focused on supporting a culture of quality, sustainability, and social responsibility.” Coffee Beans, $17 to $24, Equator Coffees.
Molly J. CBD Gumdrops. “The stresses of running your own business as a mom are no joke, so I always have a fully stocked ‘house box’ of Molly J. CBD Gumdrops that both my husband and I dip into regularly. I’m madly in love with our newest flavor, Elderflower Grapefruit, as my morning dose to help keep a mental balance throughout the day. For those nights when I need a solid, deep sleep, I turn to the box of Blackberry Rose Sleep Gumdrops on my nightstand…does just the trick!” CBD Gumdrops, $45 to $70, Molly J.
Yeti Camino Carryall 35. “A.k.a. the Jones’ family swim bag. This bad boy can hold everything and ours is perma-stocked with towels, bathing suits, after-swim pajamas, goggles, masks, swim toys, granola bar wrappers from 4 months ago, and a general layer of sand at the bottom that never seems to go away.” YETI Camino Carryall 35L Bag, $149, Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Arcona Refresh Triad Pads. “When I don’t feel like giving my face the full red-carpet washing treatment (which, let’s be real, is every night), I grab one of these pads to wipe my skin clean in a quickie. I’ve tried plenty of face wipes in my day, and these Triad Pads are noticeably different—they leave my face with a refreshing tingle and smell amazing.” Arcona Triad Pads, $10, Nordstrom.
Luzern Force de Vie Creme Intensive. “My skin errs on the side of dry, so I splurge a little in the face lotion department. After the Arcona pad cleanse, I lather on this rich, hydrating lotion that leaves my skin as soft as a baby’s tooshy.” Luzern Force de Vie Creme Intensive, $235, Dermstore.
Cora Tampons. “It’s not a true list of essentials if tampons aren’t on it, am I right? I upgraded to Cora a couple of years ago and never looked back. Their meticulous attention to detail in inventing a clean, hygienic, and easy-to-use tampon made it a quick fan favorite and an easy choice to go back to every month.” Cora Organic Tampons, starting at $9.79, Target.
Glossier Sheer Matte Lipstick. “I’m not the makeup type, but with so much Zooming these days, it’s important that my lips don’t look the same color as my face because that’s fairly distracting (and scary). I’ve searched a lot in my 38 years for a lipstick that looks like it’s not lipstick, for a product that acts like it’s not a product at all. This lipstick is the perfect shade to add a natural, light pink color to my lips without looking like I’m trying too hard.” Generation G Sheer Matte Lipstick in Like, $18, Glossier.
Topo Chico. “I’ve tried countless sparkling waters and yet, nothing compares. How they fit that many bubbles in their signature glass bottle, I’ll never know.” Topo Chico Mineral Water, $12.69 for 12-pack, Target.
Crate & Barrel Wine Glasses. “I’m just as concerned about the glass as the wine in it, which is why I love these ‘Olivia Pope Wine Glasses.’ The extra long stem and bowl-shaped glass combo makes pouring a glass of wine feel like an elegant experience, which is just what I need at the end of a long day.” Camille Long Stem Wine Glasses, $11.95, Crate & Barrel.
Freda Salvador Rain Resistant Boots. “I honestly never thought a rain boot could look so chic. I wear these boots rain or shine because they’re simple and elegant enough to go with everything. It also helps that the ladies behind this Marin-based brand are good friends of ours at Molly J.!” Brooke Rain Resistant Boot, $450, Freda Salvador.
Coop Pillow. “If only you could see my girls’ group chat—we’ve had lengthy conversations about how incredible this pillow is and how we can’t go on a vacation without it. It’s comfortable on its own, but each pillow comes with an extra bag of ‘stuffing,’ so you can add or remove fluffiness to get your perfect fit. As one of my girls says, ‘Make it yours, but whatever you do, make it a Coop.’ (Can you tell we’re obsessed?)” The Original, $59.99, Coop.
This Loungey Spotify Playlist. “Aptly called A Sunset Cocktail on a Rooftop Bar, the team at Molly J. put this together in honor of our newest gumdrop, Elderflower Grapefruit, and it’s on loop in the office, my car, and our house all day long. It’s easy background music for anything you’re doing, especially if you want to feel relaxed in a chic way.” Spotify.com.
For more Mother Essentials, peep our past columns with Material founder Eunice Byun, best-selling author Joanna Ho, Brave + Kind Bookshop owner Bunnie Hilliard, TV personality Leslie Antonoff, author Rio Cortez, Kido Chicago owner Keewa Nurullah, small-space mama Laura Fenton, Curasalve founder Kelley Williams, Trade Street Jam Co. founder Ashley Rouse, Weelicious and One Potato founder Catherine McCord, interior designer Susan Work, author Tiffany Dufu, Les Gamins founder Veronique Nguyen, Lonny editor Angela Tafoya, Wiley Body founder Vanessa Wade, designers Anna Wallack, Cynthia Rowley, Rebecca Atwood, and Dana Haim, Olympian Alysia Montano, cookbook author Hetal Vasavada, model and muse Slick Woods, wellness influencerJoanne Encarnacion, author LaTonya Yvette, and many, many more!
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