“I’m growing my hair out right now so I keep it in a little bun. I wash it every week at the hair salon. African American hair, it’s a process—you have to wash it once a week; if I washed it every day, it would fall out! So I go every week and get it washed, conditioned, and blown out. I go to a salon in the Bronx called Doris *—my hairdresser’s Doris—she is amazing. She’s been recommended to me by a ton of people. She assesses the situation and treats it from there. I get it relaxed every two to three months, otherwise it’s super curly. It’s not easy to manage when it’s curly! [Laughs] Anyway, it’s around $80 a week, but it’s worth it. I usually go to Ricky’s for hair products; I like this line called Mizani—it’s super moisturizing.

For my face, I use Kiehl’s Foaming Non-Detergent Washable Cleanser; it’s really simple and wonderful. And then I use their Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub—it’s really gentle but you still feel the exfoliation happening. Right now, I’m using Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion SPF 15. My face tends to get oily so I keep my moisturizer pretty light. And I know it sounds cliché but I do drink a ton of water. It’s a chore, for sure, but I’m always like, ‘This has to work.’

I’d always been afraid of experimenting with color because I have very dark skin, so it took me a while to get comfortable with adding a splash of color here and there. Now I’ll throw on a berry lipstick—I’ve learned that deep plum colors work well with my complexion. Like what I’m wearing right now—this is ‘Confession’ by Urban Decay. Normally I wear mascara, by Sephora or Givenchy. If something unexpected shows up on my face, I’ll use a little Makeup Forever concealer.

I’m obsessed with the gym. I love my fitness instructor Tina Thompson—she teaches at the Union Square and Lafayette Street locations of Crunch, so I alternate between those two. I take her classes five times a week. She does a combination of cardio and body sculpting, to a mix of really good, fast-paced music, so you’re constantly working. She’s hilarious—you’re laughing the whole time. And the people I see there become friends of mine, so it turns into this social event/workout. I think my gym membership is the best thing I’ve ever bought, because of her.”

*Doris Salon, 4641 White Plains Road, Bronx NY, 347-843-7407