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. For this installment, we spoke with Santigold, who recently released her fourth album, Spirituals. She talked to us about her retinol, the sneakers she’s worn for decades, and the candles she bulk buys.
I was having serious, chronic neck and shoulder pain. Bad enough that I tried platelet-rich plasma treatments (where they take your own blood, spin it, and inject it back into your body). When the pandemic hit, going back in for another treatment didn’t feel safe. The doctor I’d been paying thousands of dollars to suggested I just try rolling a tennis ball along the spot that hurt and using an electric heating pad. I thought, Okay? But I tried the pad. And I never had the pain at that intense level again. You can drape it over your shoulder or wrap it around the side of your neck that hurts. You can put it on your hip, whatever — it really works.
I was buying these ten at a time at one point. As a person, I used to always keep it moving, keep it moving — almost in survival mode — and could feel in my chest a lot of things I’d held inside. A lot of that can happen from not allowing flow through the heart chakra, especially for Black women carrying generational trauma. This candle focuses on that particular chakra, and it smells amazing — a mix of rose, palo santo, and frankincense. I keep it burning in my studio for the smell alone, but it’s nice to know it’s helping me with other stuff too.
These always set the tone in a room for me. Our bodies often associate states of being or time with scents, whether good or bad. And I’ve used palo santo for so long that it’s almost like I’ve trained my mind to associate it with being grounded. It’s like a ritual. I do burn sage, but that’s more of a medicinal smell. Palo santo is gentler and makes me feel good.
There’s a whole area in my kitchen dedicated to supplements. As a mother of three — my 4-year-old twins and my 8-year-old son — and a person with about eight careers revolving around the one, I’m always so taxed. I like to take these because I was told they’re one of the purest kinds of turmeric. They give me more stamina. Living with three small children who come home sick from school, I can’t be getting every cold they have. Supplements.
This might be the first retinol I’ve tried. I don’t know much about skin care in the way a lot of people do; I’ve never done anything invasive to my face. But during the pandemic, when I couldn’t go to Kate Somerville for a facial now and again, I noticed the texture of my pores wasn’t looking great. I liked Kate’s products, so I went online, browsed a bit, and bought this. It sprays out foam, smells like lavender, and leaves no sensation of product lingering on your skin. It’s so light. It’s not oily, but it also doesn’t leave your face dry (I have dry skin). It’s great.
The Wet Brush has changed my whole hair game. Jeez. You just have to use it in the shower with a good conditioner in your hair. I’m super tender-headed, and the brush is so gentle at untangling that I use it on my kids, too.
When we all started using hand sanitizer so much during the pandemic, it was making my hands so dry. They looked crazy. I really like DoTerra, and I saw that it made an On Guard hand sanitizer. This one’s got high-quality, natural oils that mean it smells really nice, is moisturizing, and is antibacterial (without just relying on alcohol). I love that. I use the On Guard soap and the oils — and you can rub the oils on the soles of your feet to boost your immunity in the winter.
This has no sugar in it. It’s unbelievable. I hate stevia and artificial sugar flavourings. But this is covered in a dark chocolate that tastes like real, sugar-sweetened chocolate (and isn’t!) and has a salty flavour in there too. It’s a staple. So many of us eat to soothe our mood, and I figure if I’m doing that, choosing something like this is a great option.
The Oura Ring has been a game-changer for me. I really haven’t been sleeping well for the last four years, since I had my twins. Somebody told me to get the Oura to see why I then had chronic exhaustion. It shows you how much and what kind of sleep you’re getting; I realized I was getting less than five hours a night for extended periods. I’m someone who tends to override their body when I’m pushing it beyond its limit. So this ring is my partner in helping me not do that.
I’ve been buying this shoe in black for at least 20 years. I wear them all the time: with dresses, with sweats, with shorts. I literally wore mine yesterday. It’s hard to figure out a sneaker that looks good with a dress, and I don’t like heels, so these are good for me. I’ve been into dresses more lately because they’re one-and-done; you can look like you tried when actually you got dressed in under five minutes. That’s my style.
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.
