Image caption: The Strategist. Image: Getty Images; Illustration: Joe McKendry
If you’re anything like us, you’ve probably wondered what celebrities add to their carts. Not a JAR brooch and a Louis XV chair but hair spray and the electric toothbrush. We asked drag queen Miss Fame – who launched a discrimination group In collaboration with 27 Rosiers – About chocolate They hide in friends’ stores, their investments suitcaseThe creamy lip conditioner they can’t live without.
When I wake up, I like to have a really great breakfast. It’s my only meal of the day that I have complete control over. If we had oranges in the house – my husband picks them for me, for which I am very grateful – I will always have orange juice. It is a form of self-care because the results of Vitamin C internally are amazing. Helps keep the immune system strong and protect against environmental damage. I found this succulent when I was shopping in New York for home and decor supplies. I loved that it was small enough to live in an apartment in New York. It’s something I can put away. I think this succulent is nice. It comes with two lemon and orange juice options, which are color coordinated.
I have no idea why, but I had my own bias about owning a Nespresso. I didn’t understand marketing or what it means to have one. Maybe it’s because one of those things we see in office spaces is the social type coffee makers. But what I’ve noticed in Europe is that there are a lot of Nespresso stores and it’s a real thing. I saw the use of Nespresso as the imagination of a coffee connoisseur. I have embraced an awareness of the quantity and quality of the caffeine itself and the flavor of the coffee. We have a cute little machine that makes a great little latte or espresso whenever the need arises. It’s part of the European lifestyle, especially the Italian – my husband’s family is from Milan. There is time for a latte. There is time for cappuccinos. Then there is time for espresso.
I prefer milk chocolate because I have a proper sweet tooth. Although I like my coffee straight, I like the chocolate to be sweet. Depending on my emotional state, if I’m feeling a little sad, I go for a full bar. Or if you need a tasting to finish off a delicious meal, I’ll have a piece. Switzerland is famous for its legendary chocolate and cheese. I think it’s the quality of dairy in the country that gets these great flavours. It’s really intense and delicious, and it almost feels healthier. Our little pantry is completely stocked with chocolate. It’s like a chocolate factory in our house. I also introduced any family or friends I’ve brought to Switzerland to Swiss chocolate. They’re like, “It’s so creamy and perfect.” So I always give chocolates when I come back from Europe. Another trick my husband taught me was to pack the chocolate bars. When I visit people’s homes, I always leave a few bars hidden in their pantry, so that they discover they are having fun. And yes, they can probably find it in town, but they’ll feel better when you get it straight from the source where they make it.
I’ve always enjoyed Restaurant St. Yves – I’ve probably used it for 20 years. It is very difficult in Switzerland to find a physical exfoliator for the body, like a real scrub where you get an intense scrub. This one is very effective. I wouldn’t use it on my face because it’s too strong. It’s a little controversial – that’s a strong word, but it’s made from an apricot pit, which gives it a sand-like texture. It’s great once a week or every two weeks, depending on the season. It has always made my skin feel really soft. When I apply the serums and creams afterward, I feel like I’m getting a deeper level of product penetration. It is especially great as a foot scrub. It is very affordable. This is something we’ve all seen in someone’s bathroom. We all know the product. I’m using the original because it always works.
Again, the exfoliation is very special. Part of my relationship with beauty and fashion is using products that keep my skin looking good. Valmont’s scrub is one of the best scrubs on the market, but it’s very expensive. I invest in products that are appropriate for my skin type. I use it once every two weeks. You feel like you’re getting a proper exfoliation. It doesn’t feel like it’s tearing your skin, but it makes you really soft and smooth. And it lasts me a very long time. It might take an entire year to go through one jar.
I was introduced to this by a makeup artist in Hamburg, Germany. I always peek into professional makeup kits to see what they have on offer and get advice. I was so impressed with this recommendation that I added it to my own collection. I’ve been wearing makeup for 18 years, so removal is a must for clean, beautiful skin outside of makeup. The first step is to break down that makeup. This Caudalíe remover can break anything – a really strong waterproof liner, glue that attaches to lashes, foundation, lip liner. It doesn’t feel even greasy, even though it’s oily. I just rinse it off immediately after massaging it into my face and lips, or I use a very hot towel and press it against my face and gently wipe off the makeup.
I’ve moved from the harsh winters I live in in New York to Switzerland, which is like a winter wonderland. I don’t get that intense coastal winds, but I do get this kind of globe beauty outside which means drier air. Because of this, my skin needs more steps than usual. This lip repair is the first step of the second. It is basically a lip conditioner. It’s a different texture than anything we’re probably used to using on our lips – it’s more of a cream. I apply it as part of my mask routine and allow it to absorb. Then, when I rinse everything off, I sometimes reapply and put ointment on it. The antioxidants in it are incredible. Whenever I find antioxidants in products, I will use them all over the face and body.
I bought a Rimowa last summer. I got to know the brand through the Dior collaboration. Mr. Kim Jones had produced a suitcase set with Rimowa, and I ended up getting a nice suitcase. I was like, Well, now I need to match this up. I haven’t been able to get it from PR, and I usually don’t feel comfortable spending that kind of money on a suitcase. But I realized that when I travel to my necessities for Miss Fame, I prefer to protect her in a tough case. And for fashion, I stay in great hotels, so I really want to come. Miss Fame is a complete experience, from walking into the hotel to leaving. There is a sense of pride associated with the way you carry yourself when you enter spaces with your things. The elements of my work – my invested wigs, my heels, my custom-made corsets, my makeup – it’s all part of my job. I wanted to put them in a beautiful, protective environment where a showgirl was in a box. Rimowa enjoys this full stature. It is something to raise myself creatively and attract high-level opportunities. There’s this saying, “You wear the job you want.” Well, that’s part of getting dressed up for the job I want.
My headphones must be connected to something. I lose the jewelry I bought for myself when I have to take them off in hotels, so my wireless headphones will be gone in a second. I need it so that I can listen to music or edit videos on the train when I get back from Paris to Zurich. It’s a way of escaping and creating my own fantasy while I’m on a train and I still keep my distance. I need to maintain a great essence and vibrancy by keeping the music alive in my ear, so as not to lose it living in a city like Zurich. It has beautiful countryside, but it’s not the same as living in New York.
Rosiers 27 and I have this in common. It is an absolutely unique product as it happens to bridge the gap between skin care and cosmetics. It’s the best of both worlds. Contains 27 Rosiers essential blends of soothing ingredients that also protect the skin barrier. Furthermore, this specific cream contains plant-based collagen and a stable form of Vitamin C, which also creates a barrier to prevent environmental pollutants. The best way to use it is to apply it to my makeup. I work on the powders and foundations first, and in the end, I’ll take a large synthetic brush and stamp a mixture of shimmery bronze and glowing rose on my cheekbones, Cupid’s bow. I use a smaller brush to get details around my nose or the inner corner of my eyes. If I wanted to create extreme drama, I would use hot white gold under the brow bone or across the collarbone. I like that the shades are intermixable, so you can create custom combinations. If you mix all three, it will be a gorgeous champagne blonde that you could wear on anyone’s skin. It’s neutral, it’s amazing.
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