We asked comedians Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer — who recently partnered with MiraLAX on a new campaign, The Gut Gap — about the silk bandanas, artisanal popcorn, and classic hoop earrings they can’t live without.
What Abbi can’t live without
I just love Lesse’s products. They’re super-minimal and organic and the packaging is so lovely and less impactful on the environment. I use a lot of the line, I think there’s only five or six products, but this mist is my favorite. I use it in the morning and at night as my toner, and I use it whenever I need a little brightening or I’ve been in my office all day. I’ll go and give myself a spritz in the middle of the day if I’m feeling low, energetically or otherwise. I’m also a sucker for incredible branding and I think that Lesse brand founder Neada has really done such a lovely job with the product inside and out. The ingredients and the intention behind it really match up with the way it looks.
This popcorn is really fucking good. It’s made with nutritional yeast — that’s the flavoring. Someone taught me a recipe to make kale chips in the oven with nutritional yeast sprinkled on top, so I was familiar with it, and then it became a staple in my pantry. It’s gluten free, it’s natural, it’s made with vegan ingredients. And it’s popped by the sun. I love popcorn. If I’m having a craving for popcorn, I will get this. It feels cheeky and healthy. It’s the best in the biz, in my opinion.
I go through phases of having a favorite pen, but this has been my go-to for a couple years now. I’m really hooked on it. It just has such a nice line. I feel like the 0.3 thickness is the right one for me personally. I’m sitting in front of two of them right now.
I’m a big everyday to-do list person, and also taking notes while I’m working. On calls or Zooms I always have a notebook open. I will say I do have some other pens that I use if I need to write faster. This pen feels more intentional because of the way that it’s shaped, the tip of it. I’ll use it if I’m writing something like a card and I’m not really writing as fast.
I’m not really a big drinker, but I found this at the restaurant Runner Up, which is one of my favorite spots in Brooklyn. It was chilly, and after dinner the server was like, Do you guys want to do amaro? He recommended this brand Forthave, which is a Brooklyn company. I’ve since tried a bunch of their other products, which are all delicious, but this is the one I really like. It’s a teeny cute bottle — with amaro you only need a little bit, like a little shot of it. But you don’t take it like a shot, you sip it. It’s warming and has a nice nightcap vibe to it. The photo on the front is a mask, and it’s inspired by how, during the Spanish flu, people put herbs inside a mask to try and stay healthy. The flavoring is very herbaceous — it’s kind of an acquired taste. But so far, whenever I’ve brought this out or given it as a gift, people are into it.
What Ilana can’t live without
This was a recommendation from my producer, Madeline Kim. Madeline’s a surfer, so she doesn’t want to have some thick, white pasty nose of sunscreen. I was really surprised at how light and fluffy this was for a mineral sunscreen. It doesn’t have a white residue or make my skin look ghostly. It has such a beautiful application, but the fact that it’s a mineral sunscreen is what got me addicted because I really try not to use sunscreen that absorbs into the bloodstream. I use this all over my kiddo, too, and on our bodies. It’s so thin and goes on so fast, and that makes it easy to apply on a kid that’s running away from you.
I never would’ve thought that I’d bring a boring water bottle onstage, but it looks actually quite intentional on that stool. Normally it’s more typical to have a glass of water on stage during a standup set. But this water bottle is so sleek in its design and so quick to open and close. And the flow works better than a glass of water splashing everywhere as I dump it onto my face.
I found this brand Monrowe on Black-Owned Everything, Zerina Akers’ platform for luxury clothing and health and beauty products all made by Black creators. I’ve been using these silk bandanas since COVID because I thought they were a chic way to cover up an N95. I’m not saying to replace an N95, but to cover a true N95 and to have something that feels nice on your skin. They have heft and are simply comforting — I’ll wear them around my neck, as a mask, or put them in my hair. It feels like my skin and hair are retaining their moisture but are also getting a gentle loving caress. I’ll even steam them out and de-wrinkle them because I use them a lot. I just ordered more in deep purple and I’m deeply excited.
Sabs is actually is my hairstylist in New York and she founded this brand NTRL. Every time I get my hair cut or glossed, I get to pick up a new balm in person. I have two different versions of it: there’s the push stick that can apply directly on the lips, and there’s the little tin. I sometimes bring both of them with me because I love to use the tin to apply the balm to my nails and cuticles. They’re high quality and the flavors are subtle — none of them are too strong. It just feels natural, like the name.
Orveda invited me in New York to come get a facial and try out their products, and I’m so happy they did. I sometimes go for more utilitarian or plain products, so I don’t know that I would have elected to buy this line or even known about it had they not invited me. I will definitely be continuing with it. The whole line is so elegant. The bottles are green and it smells green — it smells fresh and natural. Every product goes on so light and meshes into your skin. I use the Vital Sap after I cleanse and tone, and it just awakens my skin. It’s light, it’s energizing, it feels like it’s from the earth. It just feels clean.
What they both can’t live without
AJ: These are my everyday basic earrings. I have both my ears pierced and I have two holes in my right ear, so I got one that’s a touch smaller for that second hole. They’re so thin and light, you almost forget they’re on. It’s just a little minimal, chic touch that elevates me the slightest bit. I feel put together even if I’m not. Also, they’re pretty affordable and they wear really well. But these hoops were my intro to J.Hannah and now it’s my go-to spot if I want to buy myself or someone in my life a piece of jewelry. I even recommended them to Ilana and I think she wears them often too. You have these, right?
IG: Right. I got the white-gold ones. This was one of those times where we just blend together and I was like, Ooh, I need those. I actually don’t like earrings, but they’re so light, I don’t even take them out to sleep.
IG: I’ve been traveling so much on my stand-up tour, and I’ve been really grateful to have MiraLAX as a tool to stay regular. It takes a stressful thing off my plate.
AJ: It was an incredible experience to work with them, because it’s something that we both actually use in our lives. It’s a very helpful thing to have around because it really does work. Also in my experience in working with the brand, they’re really trying to provide information about how women are twice as likely to suffer from stress and constipation than men. The stress upon women especially is such an issue that we don’t talk about enough.
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