Taraji P. Henson’s Beauty Routine & Skin Care Staples
In Bustle’s Beauty Detail, we dive into the beauty bags of our favorite talents for intel on the rituals that keep them glowing and the MVPs (most valuable products) they can’t live without. Here, Taraji P. Henson tells Bustle about what inspired her venture into body care and how she’s learned to practice self-care at home.
When Taraji P. Henson launched her eponymous scalp care line, TPH, in January 2020, she really just wanted to improve the way she was taking care of herself. “During the lockdown [a few months later], when we couldn’t go anywhere, I couldn’t go to the salon,” the actor tells Bustle over Zoom. “So instead of going down into the depression pit, I decided to change the narrative and start taking care of myself.” As someone who admits she “can’t live without” scalp care, starting out in that beauty category made perfect sense to her.
Ever since, Henson says she’s evolved into a master of self-care, and turns each and every aspect of hers into one worthy of a spa — and that’s what inspired her to expand her line into the skin and body care space. “With Body By TPH, I wanted to provide that luxurious, spa-like feeling at an affordable price,” she shares of the brand’s expansion, which is now available in Walmart stores and on the store’s website. Achieving this “spa-like feeling” is low-maintenance, too, as Henson’s favorite practices consist of taking seemingly mundane chores, like taking a shower, and turning them into something meaningful.
One such example? Turning to the power of scent. To elevate her home, Henson says she likes to light a lot of candles. “I believe in aromatherapy and that wrong scents can set you off to a bad day, while nice, citrus-y scents can give you a great start to your day,” she tells Bustle. Her go-to fragrance is that of her Lit In The AM Candle, which gives off the fresh aroma of mandarin and ginger.
Henson has also begun to transform her bathroom into a personal “sanctuary” by building a sink shower and Japanese soaking tub. “I got an infrared sauna blanket and started doing 45-minute sessions in it,” she says. “Then I was doing foot detoxes, and I learned how to do my nails, then that trickled down into pedicures. Now, I’ve adapted that and I look forward to it. I wish I could take show you the whole nail table I have set up!”
Henson has found herself going to the salon less and less now that she’s become such a pro. “Taking care of myself has become a part of my routine,” she says. “And yeah, sometimes you want to be pampered by someone else, but there are some days you just don’t want to leave your house but you still want the amenities, right?”
Read on for a peek into Henson’s at-home self-care regimen, plus the beauty products she can’t live without.
Her MVP Face Cleanser
“I love my Bioré charcoal. I started using the bar with the pumice in it. Or sometimes I just use the pump with the Charcoal Cleanser by Bioré. I’m a simple girl.”
Her All-Time Favorite Moisturizer
“I absolutely have to have my Paul Scerri pH Balancing Face Cream. I’ve been using it for over 20 years. I’ve tried everything and this is just it for me.”
Her Go-To Hair Hack
“My favorite beauty hack is my top knot. I use a pack of passion twist hair, put it on the scrunchie, and put my hair up into a little knot. Then, I put that hair on with the scrunchie, wrap it around, and throw a couple of bobby pins in it. It’s so easy and tutorials are all over YouTube.”
Her Beloved Body Polish
“I love the Baby Buff’d scrub because a lot of scrubs for your body leave a heavy, thick, petroleum-type film, and this one feels just so luxurious.”
Her Can’t-Live-Without Lip Balm
“I always have to have my lip balm. I never leave home without it. I love this one — it either comes in a little pot or in a lipstick tube.”
Her Must-Have Skin Conditioner
“After [the scrub,] I use the Ish Condish, the leave-on conditioner for the skin, because I like to layer [products].”
Her Essential Bath Soak
“At night before bed, it’s all about the Double Z’s soak and scrub. I take a bath and scrub, or take a handful and just throw it in the tub. What I love is that the formulation turns into these cream balls in the water, so you try to catch them. In the tub, I’m just sitting like a big kid — I catch them, let them get on my skin, and rub them in. I can’t wait to take my bath tonight.”
