Written by: Christina Garcia, Co-Founder
I grew up in Miami, where most days were spent under the hot Florida sun. My weekends were sacred with my family, and I was lucky enough to spend many of them with my abuelita — Spanish for grandma. Like many other Cuban immigrants of this time, my father and his parents arrived in Miami on the Los Vuelos de la Libertad, or Freedom Flights, that allowed them entry into the United States.
My abuelita was the first person to introduce me to skincare products from a young age. I never predicted her skincare ritual would inspire me to one day co-found my own skincare line, Covey. As a niñita, her routine was so mesmerizing: it was an insight into what an adult did and she would let me do every step with her. When you’re young, skincare is a mystery and has this allure. I was in awe of everything she did and I felt so grown up that I got to use ‘adult’ skincare.
Clean & Simple
Everything my abuelita used was gentle enough for a five-year-old to use. Her routine was wildly similar to Covey’s three-step program today. We would wash our face first with a foamy cleanser. Then, she would pat a bit of toner onto my face. Next, we would apply a gentle moisturizer. The finishing touch — and the scent that brings me right back to my childhood — was a little dab of Aqua de Violetas. It’s a light, fresh cologne created in Cuba. It was gentle enough for a newborn’s delicate skin, so many Cuban mothers douse their babies in it, even today.
When I started exploring Covey with my best friend, Emily, we wanted to create a simple, clean approach to skin health, much like my abuelita’s philosophy. Every product she used was gentle on the skin and never had a fragrance. She didn’t use harsh exfoliants or anything ‘trendy.’ She only used what she deemed at the time were essentials. Covey is an essential skincare line available today: an effective cleanser, a potent vitamin C serum, and a luxe moisturizer.
A Routine Matters
I would often sleep over at my abuelita’s and every morning and night, we would do her skincare ritual together. She taught me the importance of being consistent with the care of your skin and how being consistent, along with the right products, will make a difference in your skin.
My abuelita didn’t have much – she couldn’t afford a 12-step skincare routine, much less expensive skin care procedures. But even if she could, she always believed that less is more. And she had beautiful, porcelain skin — even as she aged, it was smooth and glowing.
And while less is more, high-quality products with trusted ingredients are essential. While I don’t remember the brands she used, they worked. She never had to scrub her face hard to get her makeup off, and the moisturizer she used would sink right into my skin and never felt oily or left my skin shiny. When Emily & I were developing Covey, these were the standards we held our products to – they needed to be effective and backed by the latest research & science.
A Legacy of Love and Self Care
Because of her, I value & cherish my skincare routine — and it’s my goal to make our skincare routine a self-care moment for people. For so many years, we’ve been told “more is more” to have clear, glowing skin. My abuelita taught me that’s not the case.
It’s an honor to continue her legacy with Covey and show others that you can have clear, glowing skin with a simple, effective skincare routine. In everything I do — from my skincare routine to the number of possessions that I have — I always try to simplify it, and I always feel lighter, more fulfilled and have more glowing skin as a result. My abuelita was always the definition of beauty, and her values have carried me through my adult life, both as a woman and an entrepreneur.
Right now, you can get 10% off your first order, so check out Covey. Get the skincare routine that beauty editors, models and consumers say has transformed their skin.
