John Legend skincare and beauty routine

Welcome to Beauty Around the Clock, Marie Claire’s weekly look into the daily lives of some of the most innovative women in their industries. Have you ever wondered how they do everything in one day? Here is your answer.

Ask John Legend about makeup and he’ll quickly direct you to his makeup artist. “I wear makeup when I’m on TV and doing photo shoots and things of that nature, but I have no idea what my makeup artists are using on me,” he tells Marie Claire. “I just look at the final product and go, ‘great!’”

But when asked about skincare, Legend has strong opinions. For starters, Legend is well aware that there is a glut of celebrity beauty lines. In fact, he jokes about it. “The world doesn’t need another line of celebrities,” he says. “Celebrities don’t often tell people that they’re treating their skin with products that most people can’t afford,” he says. “Then they put their name on products that really shouldn’t exist.”

But Legend is filling the celebrity skincare market with products with a purpose. In February, he launches Loved01, a pH-balanced, hydration-focused skincare system formulated specifically for those rich in melanin, while still being suitable for all skin types.

“We looked at what was happening in the market and the science around dermatology; we just saw that there weren’t enough products targeting melanin-rich skin,” he says. “We want to put melanin-rich skin at the forefront of our research, product development, formulations, and meet the needs of black and brown skin first.”

Here, the father of three dives into what fuels his day, how he keeps his skin fresh, and of course, which Real Housewives series he gives his wife.

Contents

Increasing the brightness

I have kids, so a lot of my waking up has to do with how early they wake up. They usually get up between 6:30 and 7:00, so that’s usually when I get up too. And that means for me sleeping seven or eight hours, we try to go to bed around 11 o’clock, and I think it’s important to get enough rest. When I’m on tour, I even take an afternoon nap just to supplement that because my voice needs to rest, my body needs to rest, and of course our skin reflects whether or not we’ve had enough rest. and that is why sleep is important.

power start

In the morning, before working out, I usually eat a banana or an apple. I like some piece of fruit just to give me energy. And then I usually drink a lot of water and green juice, and then sometimes I’ll make an omelet or eggs on toast or something like that mid-morning.

We usually eat a salad or soup for lunch, and then treat ourselves at dinner. We have heavier dinners. I don’t know if that’s nutrition wise, but that’s how we like to live, and my wife is a very good cook.

daily playlist

In the morning, I sometimes listen to The Daily from The New York Times. But when I listen to music, it’s usually classic soul like Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Donny Hathaway, or Stevie Wonder.

I also love listening to hip hop when I’m in the car driving. I love Nas, The Fugees, Jay-Z, Outkast and Tribe Called Quest. I grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, and was in college from ’95 to ’99, so that’s my sweet spot: I love hip hop from that era. But when the kids are in the car it’s a different story because they want to hear something from a Disney soundtrack.

Fitness fix

We have a gym downstairs in our garage, and I’ll go downstairs and work out. Usually my trainer will come and we will train in the gym.

I like cardio so I’ll do the treadmill or the bike. Then I’ll do burpees and jump rope. I used to do boxing but it hurt my shoulder a bit. Then, I do weights, planks, and things of that nature for the core.

hair aid

My brother is my hairdresser so he does my hair every two or three days because I’m always on TV or doing photo shoots or something, so he usually just does my hair and I don’t have to shave. but we have a shaving cream that is really great. It’s really creamy.

And then when I get out of the shower, I also wash and condition my hair with SheaMoisture.

characteristic aroma

My favorite scent is Tom Ford Black Orchid. (opens in a new tab). I wear it every day and feel dressed; like it’s complete when I put it on. I’m like, “Okay. Now, I’m ready to go.”

beauty icon

My wife, Chrissy Teigen, has amazing skin, and she has honestly helped me learn how to take better care of my skin over the years. We’ve been together since 2006, so for about 16 and a half years we’ve been in the bathroom together and many of our rituals evolved together. We have learned from each other. She is my beauty icon.

PM routine

I wash my face every night with our face and body cleanser, but then use a retinol cream, glycolic acid, and moisturizer that my dermatologist, Dr. Lancer, recommends.

Turn off the lights

In the evening, I usually have a glass of wine. I make my own wine, so we have LVE Wines and it’s in stores across the country. One of my favorites is a Cabernet Sauvignon, so I usually have it with dinner. While I’m relaxing, we watch a show. We like Hulu or HBO Max dramas, but we also watch Real Housewives or 90 Day Fiancé.

I am also a big sports fan. I grew up in Ohio so I love Ohio State Football and the Cincinnati Bengals. I will also watch a lot of basketball and Chrissy will tolerate it like I have learned to tolerate all reality TV. We currently feel like Real Housewives of Potomac. It’s current and they always keep it exciting and dramatic. They are fun to watch.