A version of this story originally appeared on the Strategist U.S.
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 stain-remover pen and the tongue cleaner. We asked Joe Jonas — who recently collaborated on a sneaker with footwear brand Koio — about the eye cream, mints, and pillow spray he can’t live without.
I’m obsessed with caffeine in general, so when I found something that allowed me to put it on my face, I was like, perfect. This wakes up my eyes. I’ll use it when I fly overnight and have to wake up at 7 a.m. for a radio interview. Or to quickly perk my eyes up before a performance. It helps me look my best when I’m really tired. Kiehl’s makes some of the best facial products — its moisturizer is also one of my favorites. I’ve been a fan ever since I strolled into its New York City flagship store long ago and started testing stuff.
A lot of stuff I buy is cheap — I use throwaway Gillette razors — but there are some bougie things I swear by. This is one of them. A few months ago, I finished filming a movie called Devotion. I play a 1950s-era Navy pilot. Those guys had to shave every day, so I fell into the rhythm of shaving daily. I actually really enjoy it, especially with this shaving cream. It smells so good. The texture is like a light, airy whipped cream and you have to really lather it on. It also tingles a little bit. Don’t quote me on this, but I swear it pulls the hair away from your face so you can catch it better. I feel like if I use anything else at this point, my face will break out.
When I was living in New York, my buddies Richard Chai, who’s a fashion designer, and Mike Deleasa were running around the city shooting film. The photos they took were so beautiful. They looked ten times better than photos I took on my iPhone. So I got a film camera and started taking photos of everything. I have an Instagram account called Cup of Joe where I post my film photography. I pretty much always use Kodak 400 film. It’s one of the easiest, most beautiful films I’ve ever used. I love what the photos look like when I get them developed.
I highly recommend this spray. Does it work? Who knows, but I like to think it does, and I like the lavender smell. I overdo it sometimes and spray it so much that our entire bedroom smells like the spray. My wife Sophie can get upset with me; she’s like, “Can you not spray it in my face, please?” She thinks I spray it too much, but I love it. I have a mini size, too, that I always take when I travel.
This was an important book for me in terms of self-discovery. I keep it in my bag and pull it out every once in a while to read a couple chapters when I need some inspiration. It’s one of those books you can definitely get lost in. There are a lot of parts that have different meanings to me, but one line I always find inspirational is: “Remember that wherever your heart is, that’s where you will find your treasure.” That line has always stuck with me. I’ve recommended the book to so many people because I hope it will help them the same way it helped me.
During quarantine, we played board games every day from probably noon to 6 p.m. We played different ones, but Uno Attack is by far the best. As with the original Uno game, the goal is to get rid of all your cards first. But Attack is way more intense. There’s a gadget that dispenses the cards, so you can get one or you can get six. Sometimes you just keep racking up all these cards and you’re like, “Oh great, I have half the deck.” It takes a lot longer than a normal game of Uno, but it’s way more fun. Sophie and I got really into it. She wins every time — and I’m not just saying that to be nice. [Editor’s note: Uno Attack! is marketed as Uno Extreme in the UK.]
I take my jumprope with me everywhere. I just throw it in my backpack. When gyms were closed, I’d go to the park and jump rope for 30 minutes. Even now that I’m able to go to the gym again, I still rely on it because it’s a really good workout. I jump rope in-between scenes while filming. It helps keep my energy up when I’m on set for 12 hours straight. I also use it religiously before going onstage because it gets me pumped up. I can do a few tricks, but nothing incredible. Mine is pretty cheap, I bought it years ago and think it was Adidas? The brand name seems to have worn off.
I wear these all the time. They’re the best travel shoes, in my opinion, because I can wear them with everything. I can dress them up or down, and I’ve even worn them to the gym. I was a fan of Koio even before I collaborated with the brand on a shoe. I strolled into its New York City store one day and loved everything I saw. They make some of the most comfortable, versatile shoes I’ve ever owned. I usually wear all-white or all-black ones because they will match anything I wear.
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