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 hair spray and the electric toothbrush. We asked singer Debbie Gibson — who’s just released a single, “One Step Closer,” from her upcoming album The Body Remembers — about the lip balm, hot plate, and leggings she can’t live without.
I live in Vegas, so needless to say, my lips are constantly dry. I can’t sleep at night if my lips are dry — they always have to feel good — so I put this on all the time. I have some in every room of my house and in my purse. Bruce Wayne, my longtime hair and makeup artist in New York, introduced it to me. I like that it’s scent-free.
I started Hula-Hooping when I was 6 years old. I was really good at it. I used to dream of being in the Guinness Book of World Records for hula-hooping. I would practice for hours in my yard. Hula-Hooping was an instant spirit-lifter during the pandemic. You cannot be stressed when you’re hula-hooping. It’s so joyful and ridiculous. I’m always thinking that I fall short in certain areas of my life, that I’m not doing enough or I’m not good enough. But I know I’m good at hula-hooping. Doing something I know I am good at when I am down on myself gives me the mental break I need in that moment. I pick this up and hula hoop for five minutes when I need to clear my head and destress. I’m not patient enough to do it for hours anymore — I’d say the longest I can go now is 15 minutes.
People make fun of me for my hot plate. I have a lot of food sensitivities, so I’m very basic with food. I live on eggs and I like to make them myself, up to four times a day. I feel very self-sufficient and badass for having my hot plate with me at all times. I’ll even bring it when I check into five-star hotels. I don’t want to wait an hour and a half for eggs from room service. I can just whip out my hot plate and a little pan. I only eat the yolks because I’m sensitive to the whites. Cooking a yolk sunny-side up with the hot plate is an art form: I crank the heat, dial it down when the egg is about done, then flip it with a spoon.
Wearing a hat to me is, as Dua Lipa would say, like future nostalgia — it’s modern and nostalgic at the same time, which is very much my energy and personality. If you love a hat, it’ll love you back. It’s as simple as that. I was known for wearing a black bowler in the ’80s, but I’m always updating my look. I added this powder-blue hat to my collection this year. I found it at the Downtown Summerlin mall in Vegas. I walked by this denim shop that also had some hats and knew it was the one for me as soon as I saw it. It frames my face perfectly. I love the shape. It’s not too stiff — it’s actually pretty soft. If I’m not having a great hair day, the hat instantly changes the vibe for me. I feel very myself in it.
My late grandma Josephine always had a percolator going. Hers was from Farberware and I always liked the taste of coffee from her percolator, so I got one myself years ago. You fill the pot with water, put the filter with coffee on top, then plug it in. That’s basically it. My favorite coffee, hands down, is from Dunkin’ — it tastes the best. I drink it every day.
I was a techie little girl. I started recording demos in my garage when I was 13 years old, so I’ve been into gear and tools for some time. I have a recording studio in my home with a vintage Neumann that’s 50 years old that I just got refurbished. But I wanted a newer version. This sounds fantastic. Certain songs really benefit from this mic because it’s quite warm. The mic is actually really tiny. I bought it sight unseen — because of COVID, I couldn’t try it out then bring it back. I thought it would be bigger from the picture, but when I saw it, I was like, “Oh my God, this is actually pint size!” It’s very cute. The size makes it easy to carry around. I take it with me to hotels in case I need to record something.
I’m not a pants person — I’m a leggings person. Jeans are just not comfortable. Spanx are my best friend. They give me that extra sleekness and suck me in where I need them to without feeling like I’m suffocating. They’re comfortable. They’re rock ‘n’ roll. You can dress them up or down. They’re just a vibe. I have these basic ones that go with everything and faux patent leather ones, which are really shiny.
My manager put me onto these shakes. I’m not vegetarian or vegan, but spiritually and physically I feel better when I eat things that are. This has a pea-protein base. You just blend two scoops with water and that’s it. Along with my hot plate, I’ve started to bring my blender with me everywhere I go so I can make the shakes. I have one pretty much every day. It tastes like a treat, too.
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