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EADEM
Editor’s Note: We reviewed this article on September 20, 2023. As per our editorial policy, we are constantly updating our content, to make sure it reflects the best of the best when it comes to beauty, wellness, and fashion. We want to assure our readers that we still stand by our recommendations, which we do.
Eadem was born out of a need for community in the beauty world. Founders Marie Kouadio Amouzame and Alice Lin Glover were colleagues at Google when they formed a friendship based on a shared love of beauty and skin (which then eventually lead to founding Eadem). Today, the brand joined the skincare industry with its first product: the Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum ($68). It’s a pillowy, milky serum that aims to fade dark spots and prevent new ones. But, unlike other serums on the market, Eadem is specifically designed the serum to support skin with melanocytes—that is to say, skin of color.
The Mission
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According to the founders—and the chemist and dermatologist they worked with—hyperpigmentation works differently when you have natural skin pigments. Alice Lin Glover, who struggled with acne her whole life, told us that oftentimes the treatment for acne and hyperpigmentation is too harsh for skin with melanin, as melanocytes are very delicate and sensitive. So, the Eadem founders decided to build a product that preserves natural skin tones while targeting scars and spots.
The Process
Creating the serum was a labor of love for Kouadio and Lin Glover. They began the formulation process in 2018 and worked through 25 iterations before arriving at the final product. For context, most new product lines meet with a factory and pick from a catalog of formulations—Eadem started from scratch. After 25 versions, a few final tweaks, and about three further iterations, the product is ready to go to market. They committed to the difficult process of building their serum from the ground up to make sure their skincare met the exact needs they felt were missing in the marketplace.
The Formula
The product is formulated with amber algae (a plant-powered, non-bleaching ingredient), niacinamide, and encapsulated vitamin C. This power trio dramatically reduces dark spots while evening skin—without affecting tyrosinase, which is the enzyme that controls melanin production. This special combination is calibrated perfectly to preserve melanated skin’s natural tone as it treats dark spots.
The product passes the Sephora Clean test too. “‘Clean' has become a controversial word given that there’s no set definition for it,” Kouadio says. “For us, it’s an important distinction because research has shown that compared to white women—independent of socioeconomic status—women of color have higher levels of beauty product-related environmental chemicals in their bodies."
"For us, health is beauty, plain and simple," Kouadio adds. "We ensure our products adhere to US, European Union, and Canada regulations to make sure our formulas are kind to the skin (they’re also Sephora Clean)." The duo went above and beyond to ensure their first product was at the highest level of efficacy, safety, and stability by testing for potential irritation, sensitization, and allergic contact. "None of these tests are required by the FDA, by the way,” Kouadio adds.
The Review
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The product itself is luxurious. The texture is plush and gel-like. In addition to healing major scars, it also smoothed over some textured spots I hadn’t even noticed until they weren't there anymore. My skin overall feels more balanced. And most importantly, the formula is super gentle. With other Vitamin C and hyperpigmentation products, I’ve found them to be occasionally stinging or requiring a nourishing moisturizer to pair on top. That is not true of Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum.
The Community
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If you think you’ve heard of Eadem before this launch, it might be because while formulating their skincare marvel, the founders built an online community platform centered around sharing the beautiful stories of women of color. The ethos they brought to the formulation of their skincare product is baked into the brand’s DNA.
“We see Eadem as a movement, not just a good-skin moment,” Marie said. “We want to share the deeper cultural connection and recognition Alice, and I saw in each other, our cultures, and our relationships." The plan was always to launch a skincare collection. Still, the founders wanted to build a community first that "challenges the conventional beauty conversation and lends a microphone to women of color." It's all about sharing beauty stories that have previously remain untold—a mission we can all get behind.
