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 Rosie Huntington-Whiteley — an ambassador for Hourglass Cosmetics, which recently released its new holiday collection — about the deodorant, sweatpants, and electric toothbrush she can’t live without.
I’ve followed Elin Kling, Totême’s founder, from back when she was a blogger. Before Instagram really got going, I used to read blogs adamantly — like every evening — and hers was my favorite. These white tank tops have an interesting neckline; it’s a little twist on the basic. They’re simple but slightly elevated and easy to layer. And they’re not fast-fashion — these are things I will have in my wardrobe forever.
I’ve discovered a lot of smaller brands throughout quarantine. I love a brand with a great story behind its products or a mission statement that resonates with me, whether it be sustainability or clean ingredients or the founder’s story. Wild’s natural deodorant really impressed me: It comes in these beautiful, reusable cases that you can refill, making it more sustainable. And it works.
A toothbrush often gets overlooked or forgotten: People invest in these really lovely skin-care and makeup products for their bathroom, but will then just pick up a random drugstore toothbrush or toothpaste. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I want to love everything I use. The Apa toothbrush is a beautiful piece of technology. I love how it looks and I love using it — I wouldn’t use it if it didn’t work. I bought it maybe three years ago and it’s really held up. I’ve obviously changed the heads, though. [Editor’s note: This product is currently out of stock, but you can sign up to find out when it’s in stock again.]
I use this every other evening or every third evening. It essentially punctures the top layer of your skin, allowing it to absorb more of whatever product you use. The first time I used it, I was really surprised when I woke up in the morning: My skin definitely looked much more radiant. It feels good, too, in that sort of pain-is-pleasure way.
I’m a big fan of candles. Now that I’m home a lot, I have them burning throughout the day, but this one in particular is really special. It’s in my bathroom. I want to burn it all the time, but I only light it when I know I will have time to fully experience it. It’s really indulgent and just changes my mood. It also looks beautiful. It would make a great gift.
My hair is thick, but the strands themselves are fine, and when I was pregnant they just broke. I was not that person whose hair got really thick and luscious while pregnant. Mine got really brittle and snapped, leaving me with weird layers. The constant breakage was hard for me, so after my son was born three years ago, I went on the hunt for a shampoo and conditioner that would give my hair the hydration it needed. Before my son was born — about seven years ago — I used Pureology religiously, but stopped. Then, when I went to get my hair coloured after salons opened up in the U.K., my colourist told me to try this shampoo from Pureology’s strengthening line. I’ve since been really, really, really impressed by how my hair went from being quite dry and brittle to hydrated, smooth, and shiny. It’s back to life.
Everyone from my girlfriends to my followers has asked me so many questions about what sweatpants I wore during quarantine. After I posted a picture of me in this particular pair, people went crazy. The quality is just amazing and they look cool enough that you could throw on a pair of boots and wear the sweats on a quick outing. [Editor’s note: This product is currently out of stock.]
I use it every evening. I have acne-prone skin and the active serum is incredible for people with skin like mine. I started using it years ago and have stopped a few times since then, but I always come back to it. And every time I do I wonder why I ever stopped. It’s definitely an investment, but for me, the price is worth it.
If I wasn’t doing what I do now, I’d probably be in some kind of graphic-design job because I’ve always been really drawn to packaging. To me, this packaging is a dream come true: The multifaceted, architectural design of it really amazes me. And the formula of the lipstick is second to none. It is one of my favorites because it has this beautiful creamy texture and is really saturated in colour and pigment but doesn’t smudge or feather. It has a satin finish — not quite shiny, not quite matte — and feels amazing on the lips. Of the two colours — At Dawn and At Dusk — I wear the former the most because it’s a great every day colour, sort of like your-lips-but-better. At Dusk is more of an evening colour, so should going out ever happen again, I’ll be wearing that.
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