For all the millennial moms out there who are not like a regular mom—who want to be a “cool mom,” I see you. I am you. But unlike Regina George’s mom, I want to dress like an adult and evolve my personal style. As the years go by, I’m more thoughtful about what I put on my body and bring into my home. Plus, I have more disposable income to support the brands that share my values. And so, I spend more time than I’d like to admit discovering new brands and products.
Trying to find cool things that no one else has isn’t a new development for me. I am [humbly but proudly] the friend who used to do everyone’s hair for prom, who first embraced the jellies that are now back in style, who decorated her college dorm room with handmade Indian tapestries, and who weighs in on outfit options at midnight the night before your big event. (I was honored to style my best friend recently for her Dreamforce keynote!)
My community of moms in Alameda, Oakland, and Marin often ask me for recommendations on cool, new, indie, clean, and sustainable goods—fashion, beauty products, and home decor. Why do they ask me? I would like to think it’s because they like my style. But it’s probably more because I lead the marketing team at Novi and they know I have direct access to chemists and data scientists who verify marketing claims. I joined the company because I care deeply about conscious shopping—choosing brands and products that align with my quality standards, are focused on human and planetary health, and that uphold basic human rights principles in their manufacturing processes and supply chain.
So how do I find my picks? Beauty is easiest, because the products in the clean beauty programs that Novi verifies are my go-tos—at Ulta, Sephora, Bloomingdale’s, Target, and Amazon. But clothes and home decor are harder. Sometimes Shopbop, Anthropologie, or Revolve work for me, but it takes a lot of scrolling to find something great. [They haven’t yet incorporated much e-commerce functionality to filter by sustainability feature, value, or third-party certification (e.g. B Corp. Call us! We can help!)] I attend events like West Coast Craft and Renegade Craft regularly to discover new designers. I occasionally scroll through secondhand or vintage marketplaces like The RealReal and Chairish to find both sustainable and unique items. And finally, I consult the goop Gift Guides and NET-A-PORTER’s The gift edit, but unfortunately, most of their recommended products are out of my budget.
And so, I soldier on with my sad little Google and TikTok searches like “going out top for cool mom,” “chic sustainable brands for women over 40,” “affordable barrel jeans,” and “best clean mascara of 2025.” And I do read fashion blogs and follow influencers whose style I admire. But after a while I see most of them getting paid endorsements for Ann Taylor, Shein, or Commense. So I deem them “no longer a cool mom,” because sustainability is cool (!), and go back to watching White Lotus in my jammies, wishing someone would write this blog post.
Since the social algorithms seem to be trying to lead me away from what I actually want—buying fewer, better things, or what we here at Novi like to call good goods—I thought sharing my recent faves and finds might be helpful to other cool moms. With Mother’s Day around the corner, I’ve categorized products into two groups: what I would want, and what I’m considering for my mom (which she may not like at all). Many of these items cost more than the traditional alternatives, and I recognize that I have immense privilege to even consider purchasing them. But if there was ever a reason to splurge, celebrating moms is it.
I hope this list can save other moms, or the people who love them, some time and a cringeworthy Google, IG, or TikTok search history. And I hope to introduce some of you to brands worth investing in. Happy Mother’s Day to all who should be celebrated!
Ally’s List (For Her Mom)
I’ve been eyeing these woven flats for months and have decided to get them for my mom. These are pricey so it’s good that the chartreuse metallic ones I want are out of stock. I have had a pair of their loafers for over 5 years now and still wear them all the time. The styles are artisan-made, sustainable, and timeless. This brand was founded by two women best friends in Sausalito so it’s local and women-owned. They have a new store on Fillmore in SF that my financial planner has asked me to avoid.
Price: $395
Get it at: fredasalvador.com, Shopbop
Notable attributes: Leather tannery is a Leather Working Group approved trader, handmade at a family-owned factory in the traditional footwear town of Elda, Spain
My mom will spend lots of money on beauty products for me but has a really hard time spending on herself. This stuff is well worth the price for anyone with dry or damaged hair. My amazing colorist Cory at Pony Salon in Oakland introduced me to it and now I don’t want to live without it. IMHO, this puts OLAPLEX to shame.
Price: $29
Get it at: Target, Sephora, Amazon, TikTokShop
Notable attributes: Headquartered in SF, vegan, no silicones
Verified by Novi
I got this at a Credo Beauty while visiting LA on the recommendation of a salesperson. This clean mascara contains peptides and actually works—and I've tried them all.
Price: $29
Get it at: Sephora, TikTokShop
Notable attributes: Vegan, cruelty-free
Verified by Novi
My mom actually introduced me to this one! Her friends were all talking about it because it’s supposed to be a great brightener for mature skin (and dry skin). Can be used as a highlighter on cheeks, lips, and eyes. This is Bobbi Brown’s latest company and the whole ethos is “no-makeup makeup.” They follow guidelines even more stringent than those of the E.U. to eliminate over 2,700 potentially harmful ingredients.
Price: $40
Get it at: jonesroadbeauty.com, TikTokShop
Notable attributes: Women-founded, no phthalates, no sulfates, no petrolatum, no PEGs, no cyclic silicones, no EDTA, no BPA
Cool brand, cool packaging with a cool brush applicator to paint on/rub in the powder. Critical for moms on the go but good that their kids or grandkids don’t have to ingest talc or polymers.
Price: $42
Get it at: crownaffair.com, Sephora, goop, Moda Operandi
Notable attributes: Refillable packaging, clean formula
Verified by Novi
My stepmom saw mine last time we went on a trip together and wanted it. She has a much more classic style than me but we both like the timeless and unique look of this. Something different than the Away suitcase most of my friends have.
Price: $295 (on sale from $445)
Get it at: tourparavel.com
Notable attributes: Small business, carbon neutral, vegan leather detail
My mom doesn’t sleep as well as she used to so I was thinking this might help her understand her body better. The previous versions looked too bulky to me but the v3 horizon style is sleeker and the gold finish would go with the rest of the jewelry she wears since she’s not a mixed metal fan.
Price: $395
Get it at: ouraring.com, Amazon
Notable attributes: Responsible sourcing and production
Ally’s List (For Ally)
During my last trip to NYC, a very cool soon-to-be mom friend brought me to this little shop on Elizabeth Street. I instantly fell in love with these shoes. The brand was founded by two lawyers who started out making men’s neckties but ended up making comfy, unique shoes from globally-sourced textiles inspired by their travels. They now also have stores in Aspen, Nantucket, Paris, and LA.
Price: $245
Get it at: resipsa.com
Notable attributes: Handmade using repurposed textiles
Fun sunnies, handmade in Marin. They used to be called Wolfspout but recently rebranded. I found these through one of the cool mom influencers whose content I actually still enjoy:
Meredith Peck | sparkandpepper.
Price: $147
Get it at: sardine.net
Notable attributes: UVA and UVB protection
A very cool New Yorker recently turned me on to this unisex clean perfume brand that started as a boutique hotel chain. Fragrance is the least regulated of beauty products and thus, the hardest to find in clean options. They just joined Sephora’s Clean + Planet Aware programs
Price: $42
Get it at: themaker.com, Sephora
Notable attributes: Vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, formaldehyde-free, phthalate-free, synthetic dye-free, glass packaging
Verified by Novi
I love this site because it features global indie designers, many of whom make their goods by hand. A lot of my favorite pieces have come from London-based jewelry designers. This one is by Elk & Bloom.
Price: $116
Get it at: wolfandbadger.com
Notable attributes: Handmade, 14k gold plating over sterling silver
My very cool little sister and the Gen Z folks on my team tell me I have to ditch my no-show socks at the gym or I’m outing myself as a millennial. And so, I have embraced higher socks alongside my higher purpose. I especially like these ones with retro varsity vibes.
Price: $54
Get it at: bombas.com
Notable attributes: One purchased = one donated
Clean self tanning from Canada, so you know it must be good. Swimsuit season is coming, and I haven’t been great about toning it, so I will tan it.
Price: $119
Get it at: saltyface.com
Notable attributes: Vegan, cruelty-free, sustainable packaging, non-clogging, safe for all skin types
I got a smaller black version with the hypnotic straps about five years ago and still wear it all the time. I now want a bigger one that fits my work laptop but I’m waiting for their seasonal sale. These are pricey but the quality of the leather is amazing. The pops of color in the woven handles give me a dopamine hit every time I use it. Each bag is handcrafted in Argentina by skilled artisans who have passed techniques down through generations.
Price: $460
Get it at: mechamendez.com
Notable attributes: Vegetable-tanned cow leather, dyed with anilines, 100% cotton lining
