Celebrities are often admired not only for their talent but also for their flawless appearances. Their beauty and wellness routines are often closely followed by fans, who aspire to achieve similar results. While genetics play a role, many celebrities attribute their gorgeous looks and overall wellness to a combination of healthy habits, rigorous skincare routines and professional treatments. If you’re looking to elevate your beauty and wellness routines, consider taking inspiration from these Black icons.
Celebrity Skincare Routines
While it’s easy to get caught up in the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, it’s important to remember that behind every flawless red-carpet moment is a dedicated routine – and a team of professionals. But what if we told you that the secret to that star-studded glow isn’t always about expensive facials and exclusive products? Many A-listers swear by simple, consistent habits that are truly game-changers. The truth is, a healthy skin journey is for everyone, not just those with a glam squad on speed dial.
Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rowland always serves us with flawless skin. Recently, her friend and fellow actress La La Anthony told People that she always goes to Rowland when she needs beauty advice because Rowland is so on top of her routine. The actress revealed that Rowland is obsessed with moisture and taking care of her body. And in La La’s words, per People, Rowland is the perfect person to ask about skincare concerns within a friend group since, “She’s obsessed with skin care and making sure all of us take care of our skin and our bodies. She’s always sending tips on what to do. So if you’re friends with her, she’s going to make sure your skin is on point – no matter what.”
But she doesn’t gatekeep her skincare wisdom either. As she shared with her Instagram followers, her skincare routine is pretty extensive. The Destiny’s Child alum says people trying out her routine just have to “trust the process” to really get the benefits of it. She uses Shani Darden Hydration Peptide Cream, Dr. Nigma Serum No. 1, TheraFace Pro (for washing the face), The Things We Do High-Frequency Wand, Shani Darden Retinal Reform, Relevant Skin Eye Serum and a clinical cleansing complex.
Halle Berry
Halle Berry has flawless skin. Her secret to radiant skin is a combination of hydration and exfoliation. She uses a hydrating serum and a gentle exfoliator to keep her skin smooth and glowing. For those looking to try out her go-to products (and look), fans can try the Ole Henriksen Pore-Balance Facial Sauna Scrub, which is part of her day-to-day routine. As she shared in an Instagram post during the COVID pandemic, “It’s very eucalyptus-y, and you feel like these little grains – it feels like sand – you know, with attacking all this dry, dead skin and sort of sloughing that off […] You do it until you feel like all that dead skin is gone bye-bye.”
The award-winning actress, who is known for her active and holistic lifestyle, said her longevity regimen includes a morning cocktail of vitamins and supplements. As she shared with Marie Claire, “The first thing I take in the morning is vitamin A-D-K, fish oils and collagen in my coffee. Then, I take either Pendulum Metabolic Daily or Glucose Control supplements. Their probiotics have been really helping me heal some gut issues that I’ve had.” Clearly, Berry’s radiant beauty is something that she believes is created from the inside out.
Chlöe Bailey
As some fans may know, Chlöe enjoys a minimalist skincare routine. She even showed off her simple and effective skincare regimen in a Vogue Beauty Secrets video. As she states, “I really love not overcomplicating my skin-care routine”, so she starts off with a clean face and some depuffing tools. This includes a roller and chilled under-eye patches. The Sacheu Beauty facial roller is her pick for a more snatched look. She then layers on her sunscreen, followed by her signature balm, liner and high-shine gloss to maintain a plump pout. Although her vibe is pretty natural overall, even when she wears bolder makeup, she knows that an uncomplicated yet effective skincare regimen equals a sculpted finish.
Lori Harvey
Lori Harvey always serves up grace and style; the same can be said for her skincare, which involves her SKN by LH collection. The skinline has its own five-step system: cleanser, toner, vitamin C serum, peptide eye cream and niacinamide moisturizer. But she swears by three ingredients that consumers can find in many of her products. Apparently, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide are the heavy hitters. These help with hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and firming, as she tells Vogue.
Issa Rae
Issa Rae has been open about her approach to staying hydrated during her skincare routine with Vogue. And as an early morning riser (we’re talking wake-up calls of around 5 AM), she has to be ready for the day. She keeps it relatively simple with a gentle morning cleanse using Cetaphil and a lip moisturizer of Vaseline. Then she uses a soothing face oil and rich moisturizer from some higher-end brands like Tata Harper and Dr. Barbara Sturm. To seal the deal, she uses eye cream and SPF, which protects her natural, glowing base before adding any makeup.
Rihanna
Rihanna is an iconic figure in both the beauty and skincare world. So there’s no doubt that her routine is impressive. She even designed Fenty Skin to have a minimal and unisex option for people. And she’s launched her products as multitaskers, so there is a cleanser/makeup remover, toner/serum hybrid and moisturizer with SPF. These all reflect her “skin care is self-care” mantra and preference for streamlined steps, which can adapt to her busy schedule. As the “Diamonds” hitmaker says, “I am trying to get people into a ritual. Something that’s really simple—three steps. We start there because skin care can get really complicated.”
Celebrity Wellness Routines
Celebrity wellness and beauty routines offer valuable insights into how to achieve a radiant glow and maintain overall well-being. By incorporating healthy habits, effective skincare products and professional treatments, anyone can enhance their appearance and feel their best. Remember, consistency and patience are key to seeing results.
Megan Thee Stallion
A non-negotiable for Megan Thee Stallion these days is to have time at the top of her morning to journal, meditate, pray, apply a hydrating face mask, play with her dogs and listen to music, as Women’s Health reports. She shared that, “Alone time is something I need. I like getting up and being able to be at peace. In my everyday life, I speak with so many people. When I perform, I take on so many energies. I like to recharge my battery. Let the start of the day be about me; then, I can give my energy to everybody else.”
On top of that, Megan Thee Stallion has said that she prioritizes her physical and mental health, and that she invests time in her wellness routine. She has shared details about her skincare routine, diet, and exercise habits with Women’s Health. Her gym routine consists of 40 minutes on the StairMaster or the elliptical, Goblet squats, leg extensions and hip thrusts. She also likes to include Renegade rows, lat pulldowns and lat flies.
Lizzo
In her song “Rumors,” Lizzo comments on internet denizens having things to say about her personal health and wellness; “Last year, I thought I would lose it/Reading sh*t on the internet/My smoothie cleanse and my diet…” Such is the case with many plus-sized figures in the public eye, who tend to face more scrutiny than their slim counterparts. Despite the judgments regarding this celebrity’s health and wellness routine, Lizzo emphasizes feeling strong. The Grammy-winning artist posted a photo of herself at the gym to her Instagram, with a caption reminding the reader that they can do anything they put their minds to.
“I’m taking the time every day to put some love into my body,” Lizzo told The New York Times in an article emphasizing “body neutrality.” Lizzo’s also no stranger to mental health struggles, something many of us can relate to. In a 2022 interview with Variety, she states that the spotlight didn’t magically make her depression and anxiety go away. She knew she needed to learn how to become “emotionally honest” with herself.
Beyoncé
In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Queen Bey noted that she fell into the bad habit of prioritizing work over caring for and loving herself. The results began to take a toll. “I have not always made myself a priority,” she stated in the interview. However, she’s turning the tables on her on health and wellness routines and taking care of herself these days. She emphasizes the importance of sleep, and found that CBD has been a go-to personal treatment for her insomnia. She’s also a fan of honey, both for herself and her children, with its phytochemical, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Beyoncé’s a fan of clean eating, too. A few years back, she implemented the 22-day vegan diet into her routine. Queen Bey’s advocacy was so influential that she penned the forward for Marco Borges’ book “The 22-Day Revolution.” Though she’s rather private about her personal life and downtime, the 43-year-old shared a wellness ritual that she gets her three kids in on as well with GQ Magazine.
She launched her haircare line, Cécred, which she uses on what she calls “Cécred Sundays” – a bespoke day for self-care. According to her GQ interview, she practices reflexology, cupping and essential oil baths. She wakes early, around 6 AM, to work before her kids wake up. “Parenting while working, I move forward, embracing the beauty and the chaos of it all.”
Ayesha Curry
Per Forbes, Ayesha Curry lives a dairy-free lifestyle because of the positive effects that it has on her family. She launched a skincare line, Sweet July Skin, in 2023 which is a true celebration of her Jamaican roots, featuring clean, simple and effective products. In conversation with E! News, Ayesha Curry explained, “You can’t pour from an empty cup, so to be at your best for the people that rely on you, you have to take time to prioritize yourself. Maybe it’s a skin routine at the end of the day, or taking 15 minutes to journal first thing in the morning.”
Jodie Turner-Smith
Jodie Turner-Smith is well known for glowing skin and seemingly effortless beauty. And now, as Elle reports, her viral “everything shower” emphasizes the importance of in-depth and habitual self-care. It includes daily body exfoliation with gloves and as she says, “You gotta be using the scrubbing gloves when you’re showering, ok […] you gotta scrub the whole body, daily.” After that, she seals in moisture with almond oil on her wet skin, which she swears by.
But that’s not the end of her wellness efforts. She actually prefers to air dry and then moisturize with shea butter after her shower. This way, she can enjoy her self-care time. But ultimately, what adds to her glow was shared with Net-a-Porter by her facialist, Guendalina Gennari. To release tension, they do sculpting techniques and massages that “work the muscles as well as the ligaments and lymph from the inside of the mouth.”
Cynthia Erivo
Cynthia Erivo trains her body and mind pretty intensely, linking movement with her mental health. And even before her star role in “Wicked,” she had some relatively strict lifestyle guidelines. As she tells People, “I naturally don’t drink or smoke or eat meat or any of those things.” So, while she got very low levels of sleep during filming, around three hours or less, she still somehow managed to find time for more.
Even after waking up at the crack of dawn after getting minimal sleep (which she doesn’t recommend), she would get up and work out. She exercised routinely to be sure she stayed in shape for her flying stunts for the movie. But she also expresses the importance of taking care of the inside. “I learned that a therapist is also really helpful with the bruising on the inside. I live a little bit like a monk,” she revealed to People.
Tracee Ellis Ross
As fans might have seen in her recent Roku Channel series, “Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross,” this longtime cultural connoisseur has a down-packed self-care routine. She treats wellness as a daily ritual, so she works out often and swears by many body care techniques. Some of her favorite tools in her toolkit are tongue scraping, dry brushing, lymphatic body massages and focused facials. She pairs all of these habits with breath work, too. But some other things work well for her hectic work schedule.
As she told Self, “I get my eight hours of sleep whenever I can, how I can. I love taking baths. I love cooking for myself. I am a big eater. I’m not a starve-yourself girl. I do eat, but I try to eat really well. I love sugar, but when I’m working, sugar isn’t great.” When she’s jet setting, Ellis makes sure to sculpt her face with the fascia stimulating tool, drink as much water as possible, wear compression socks and do a sheet mask. These things help her to feel her best by the time she lands, per Vogue.
Michelle Obama
Post-White House, Michelle Obama has shifted from keeping her iconic sculpted arms to maintaining more flexibility and mobility. Now, she focuses more on being kind to her body while still staying active. As many remember, during her first years as First Lady, she championed movement nationally with the Lets Move! Initiative. She helped kids build healthier lifestyles and habits, which is still an iconic legacy.
In recent years, as she tells Vanity Fair, she has had to be more gentle with herself as she experiences menopause. “I think my skin still feels healthy. My hair is still in my head. These are the things that I have to count my blessings for. I am still physically active and my goal now, instead of having ‘Michelle Obama arms,’ I just want to keep moving.”