Some founders will compare the process of building a brand to having a baby. It comes with plenty of nerves and sleepless nights and takes endless hours of prep and planning — and that's before you even bring it into the world.
So imagine pairing that with an actual pregnancy. That was the case for Emily DiDonato, a longtime model-turned-content creator who is best known for her work with iconic brands like Maybelline, Ralph Lauren, Chanel and more. Just months after she launched her skin care brand, Covey, in early 2021, she announced she was expecting her first child, something she (understandably) described as being "hectic."
"I actually found out I was pregnant a week before we launched my skin care brand, which I launched with my best friend Christina [Garcia]," DiDonato shared during the “mom edit” panel at our recent Shop TODAY Stages event. When they came up with the concept for Covey, which started with a simple three-step routine, that was what spoke to them at the time, pre-children.
"It was the height of Korean beauty, everyone was doing 10, 12 steps and we were like, this is just not realistic as a woman generally, but then after kids, it sings truer than ever," she said. "I'm like, I don't have time for a million steps and overcomplicated routines."
And as for how she handled being pregnant at the same time as launching the brand, she said: "I'm still processing it, honestly."
While the brand has since expanded and launched more products, its focus on simple yet high-quality and efficacious formulas is the same. However, as most people would imagine, growing a brand and being a mom can be a lot to manage — and during the panel, she clued us into how she balances it all.
“Being a mom is just being generally a much more intentional person,” DiDonato said. “I think it just forces you to prioritize, in the most intense way possible. And I think that becoming a mom has at least allowed me to be a bit more cutthroat about what I choose to use my time on, whether that be work, activities, people. I feel like I’m a bit more allowed to be like, ‘No, and that’s not worth my time or my energy.’”
After the panel, we got the chance to sit down with DiDonato for our ongoing Shopping Diaries series, where she shared with us some of her favorite things, from the snack she always keeps stocked at home to her drugstore hair care favorites.
Shopping Diaries: Emily DiDonato
Her skin care must-have:
"Our First of All Cleanser, that was my baby and my favorite product to create because I really wanted to create a cleanser that took everything off: Makeup, skin care, sun care, everything in one step. And I think we probably did 18 iterations of that product. I would come home from work and test the different samples and [be like] 'no, my makeup's still on.' I needed it to really work without stripping and drying your skin."
And the final product does just that. It's made to nourish, strengthen and protect skin while still providing a deep clean. (And yes, it can even remove waterproof makeup.)
Her dry scalp essential:
"Nizoral is my ride or die, because I have a very dry scalp," DiDonato tells us.
She previously raved about the product on her TikTok page, saying that she had tried a range of shampoos and prescriptions to help manage the dryness, and this $16 product was the one that actually worked.
According to the brand, it gets to the root cause of dry, flaky scalps and can even help with hair loss caused by dandruff.
Her drugstore hair care find:
"I honestly have used so many different hair care brands," but shares that Pantene, for conditioner, is her current go-to. While she didn't share the specific formula she uses, this one is a bestseller from the brand.
According to Pantene, the conditioner delivers deep hydration and helps strengthen and build new hair bonds.
Her small business beauty fave:
"My favorite, favorite hair oil is [from] a small business called May11," DiDonato says.
The revitalizing oil is said to promote hair growth, as well as moisturize and brighten your strands.
Her morning essential:
"The key thing for me is waking up 30 minutes before my kids — washing my face, doing my skin care, brushing my teeth, having my coffee and, ideally, getting a little journaling in. I feel like if I’m a little clean and put together, I did my journaling, I’ve had my coffee, I can do it."
While she says that she used to find journaling "weirdly performative," adding some structure has helped her appreciate the practice more and stay consistent. "I like to do three points of gratitude, three affirmations and three goals for the day," she says.
The snack she always keeps stocked at home:
"I love Siete cookies and Chomps, but I'd say Siete cookies [are] my number one."
The brand has a number of flavors, including classic chocolate chip, Mexican shortbread and more. And all of them are both gluten and dairy-free.
Game-changing parenting find:
"I love my Bugaboo Donkey, especially after my second baby, with the double stroller — that is an epic stroller," DiDonato says.
The stroller is perfect for growing families, as it's easily convertible. You can transform it from a bassinet into a seat, and you can even add another seat to fit up to two kids at a time when you purchase the Donkey Duo Extension Kit.
