If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what famous people add to their carts. Not the JAR brooch and Louis XV chair but the hairspray and the electric toothbrush. We asked singer Jhené Aiko — who was recently named the face of KVD Vegan Beauty’s True Portrait Foundation — about the bodywash, toothpaste, and candles she can’t live without.
I use it as a bodywash. I use it as a bath soap. I’ve washed my hair with it. I’ve washed dishes with it. I’ve washed my crystals in it, too. I don’t think I’ve done all 18 things that are listed on it, but I’ve definitely used it a bunch. That’s what I love about it. I don’t use this to wash my dishes every day, but I have after running out of the dish soap that I usually use. It’s like, Oh, I can just use the Dr. Bronner’s. It’s super gentle, but it’s also effective.
I have a lot of peach fuzz, and although my skin is mostly oily, sometimes it does get really dry. This isn’t something that I use every day or even every week — probably once every two weeks, when I start to see the hair grow back on my face, or see my complexion get a little dull. It’s kind of like a resurfacer. I put it on the highest setting so it vibrates faster, and I don’t have to apply as much pressure. It sort of does the work for me. I got it from my former makeup artist — her name’s Felicia. I had gotten dermaplaning during a facial, and she was doing my makeup at the time and said she saw such a difference. Then, one day, she gifted me a Dermaflash.
I have so many crystals. I don’t know how many — I probably have 20 big ones? And when I say big, I mean the size of a watermelon or a coconut. But I also have every size in between and all different kinds. Sometimes I’ll leave them certain places or I’ll give them to people. Or I’ll lose them. Rose quartz is one of my favorites — it’s the pinkish one. I definitely am not an expert on crystals. I buy them based on whatever attracts my eye. I have a little book that breaks down the properties of a crystal and what they’re good for and what they’re made of, but I pick mine by sight. Different ones definitely bring up different feelings for me. Rose quartz is supposed to balance out your heart and bring love into your life. I have a heart-shaped rose quartz that I put to my heart sometimes, like if my heart is beating fast I’ll put it there. It could just be me making this up, but I believe it calms my heart. I start breathing slower. And it’s beautiful to look at.
I love something you can use for a lot of things, and coconut oil has multiple uses. I tend to use it more for my skin — if I use it at night, I feel like when I wake up, my skin is more supple. I love lotion, too, but if I was going to a deserted island and was asked if I wanted to bring body lotion or coconut oil, I would bring the coconut oil because I can use it for other things. In quarantine, I haven’t been straightening my hair, and my hair is pretty dry when it’s curly. So I put a little bit of oil in my curls just to give them a little moisture.
I use this spray as a toner before I put on serums and lotions. I also use it on my whole body. Right when I get out of the shower, I’ll dry off, then I’ll spray my face, and then I’ll spray my body. My skin can get pretty oily, so I don’t necessarily need it throughout the day unless it’s hot — but then, it wouldn’t be for my complexion, just like a cool-me-off type of thing. I also enjoy the aromatherapy element too; because of the rose, it’s very soothing.
When I feel overwhelmed and stressed out, I love a bath — depending on my stress level, I’ll take one three to four times a week. I love to soak. I’m actually in the bath right now. Baths are relaxing even if they’re only just water, but I love smells, and this bath stuff smells really good. I’m sure the CBD is also relaxing me, too. I started using more CBD products to wean myself off pills for aches and pains. I used to automatically want a prescription, but then I would have to deal with the side effects once I stopped taking those medicines. It was really hard for me. After I had my daughter, I had a lot of back pain. Nothing is the same; like if I’m sitting down too long, something will ache. I was also in a bad car accident in 2013. I broke my wrist, busted my chin open, and I’m pretty sure I had some whiplash. Even now, my neck will hurt. So now, as far as treating things like headaches and other aches and pains, I’ve been using CBD stuff. I would kind of equate it to like a cup of chamomile tea; I feel calm. Chamomile tea doesn’t make me sleepy; it makes me feel calm, and I like that feeling.
I like to try different blotting papers. I’ll see some I’ve never had and I’ll be like, “Ooh, I’ve got to get those.” I just got some from Erewhon; I don’t even know the brand. I also use these ones from Boscia. I have a couple packs — they’re probably the ones that I use the most consistently. I usually blot oily areas right away after I put on products. Sometimes I’ll be immediately shiny on my T-zone, so I blot and keep blotting papers on me throughout the day.
I haven’t always been natural. I’m trying to think about when I went natural — I guess when I started learning about the harm that certain ingredients in deodorant and toothpaste and stuff like that can do to you? I also never liked how some of the other nonnatural brands mixed with my natural scents. It always would smell weird to me. This scent just works really well with my natural scent, and it smells lovely.
I love candles. I first saw this brand in Erewhon, and I was attracted to its candles’ names. One is called “Magic Intention,” another is called “Zen.” It names some after chakras too. And they all smell really good and natural. I burn one every two days. I’ll leave it burning all day so the smell can fill a whole room. The candles have a light scent; they smell really good, but they’re not overpowering. I have a very strong sense of smell. I have three cats, and anytime one of them uses the litter box or anything, I smell it, even when no one else can smell it. I’ll be like, “You don’t smell that? What is that?”
I always get seasonal colds, and used to take vitamin C gummies during the cold and flu season. I started taking this recently, within the past two years. My boyfriend at the time turned me onto it. He had one of the packets and told me to take it one day when I started feeling like I was getting a cold. I felt great within 15 minutes. So then I started reading about it. I saw that it’s pretty popular and just kind of researched the brand. I also use its magnesium every day. All of the vitamins come in these little jelly packets that you have to drink with water. Just using them daily, I have actually noticed a difference.
When I was about 18 or 19 I started reading about the effects of fluoride and how it could calcify your third eye — that’s something that I believe and write about. Tom’s tastes like a regular toothpaste but it’s fluoride-free. And my breath smells great. All day.
I tan pretty easily, but I also lose color easily. My diet and time in or out of the sun can change my complexion, so my skin tone definitely fluctuates. I also wash my face and exfoliate a lot, so the skin on my face is kind of a different tone than the skin on my body. When I’m looking for a foundation, I try to find something that balances out my face and my body. My shade color in this foundation is 60, which is actually a special number to me, so when I found out that shade matched perfectly, I was really impressed — it was a sign. My skin can be really oily, too, which is another reason I like this foundation, because you don’t even need a setting powder for it. I apply it with my fingers because it’s really silky — it just glides on my skin. There’s a certain intuition in applying it — my skin talks to me when I apply it, and I know exactly how much I want. I pretty much stick to a medium coverage, but I can also easily build on this if I want more coverage.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
