Q+A with Cody + Julian Levine, founders of Twice

If you've explored one of our shops recently, you may have seen some new products lining the shelves, joining the ranks of the other family-owned apothecary brands we've curated over the years. Those would be the Early Bird and Twilight toothpastes from Twice, a brand founded by two brothers on a mission. Cody and Julian Levine teamed up with musician Lenny Kravitz to create toothpastes devoted to clean, high-quality ingredients and funding dental missions to provide oral care to communities in need. We sat down with Cody and Julian to discuss the inspiration behind Twice, the power of a smile and more.

the birth of Twice is such a beautiful story. can you walk our readers through how you came to launch the brand?
Cody: Four years ago on the beautiful island of Eleuthera, we experienced what we like to call, "the power of a smile." Alongside the GLO Good Foundation, we joined a team of 25 volunteers to set up a free dental clinic in Lenny Kravitz's hometown. We treated over 300 patients in five days, most of whom had never been to the dentist their entire life. We saw the emotional side of dentistry... when you can change someone's life overnight by giving them a new smile.

Julian: We wanted to create a company to help GLO Good provide more dentistry to people in need and help more people transform their lives. When we looked into oral care, and the products we use to take care of our smile, we realized a disconnect. The smile is so beautiful, yet the products we use are not, from the inside out. There we had a mission – create the world's best oral hygiene products by completely rethinking them.

what does GLO Good Mission mean to you?
C: For me, GLO Good Missions started as a family passion, but has turned into the spark of purpose that has changed the course of my life. It is what pushes me forward every day in building Twice. The opportunity to help more people smile means everything.

J: GLO Good Missions are where magic happens. Seeing the life-changing dentistry and hearing the stories of patients serve as reminders of how important oral health is and how we can all make a difference.

 how has growing up around your father, an acclaimed dentist, affected how you view dental care?
C: Our father has never looked at the industry of dental care as one-dimensional. He has used his dental practice as a testing ground for creating breakthrough oral care products. He has written books and teaches at the BU and NYU Dental Schools, and is working with top dentists around the world to bring the industry into the digital age. He's shown us the endless potential to build something special around the smile. He's also shown us the scary realities of people without access to care – something that everyone deserves.

J: Our dad is our hero and our mom is our heroine. They enabled us to find our purpose through GLO Good. Here we saw dentists as heroes. It took a mission to the Bahamas to realize how incredible their skill set is. Our dad is an acclaimed dentist because he worked tirelessly to be the best. I'm so grateful for his work ethic and innovative spirit, which have been instrumental in helping us get to where we are today. 

what is your ultimate goal for Twice?
C: Our ultimate goal is to become a smile company. Similar to how Casper is considered a sleep company. From the products we make and the experiences we create, to the knowledge we can share and the impact we can have all over the world helping people smile.

J: We are thinking about oral care and hygiene differently – we want people to love and look forward to taking care of their smile. There are a lot of exciting things to come for Twice. Most importantly, we plan on making a difference every step of the way.

other than Twice Early Bird + Twilight, what other self care products can you not live without?
C: My three daily staples are eucalyptus deodorant, Supergoop sunscreen, and my synthesized musk.
J: My one constant – petitgrain perfume oil.