Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys reveals the self-love motivation behind her new beauty line as Keys Soulcare launches on Cult Beauty

Plus our favourite Keys Soulcare products to shop.

29 January 2021

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Famed for hitting the high notes, her songwriting skills, her impressive array of Grammy awards, as well as lending her support to those facing injustice and inequality and for giving up makeup, all reasons why Alicia Keys wasn’t top of our celeb list to launch a beauty range. But her makeup free years have been a clue in themselves as to what’s would be in store when Keys Soulcare, her new skincare and wellbeing brand - which is now available to shop on Cult Beauty - finally launched.

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Chatting during her GLAMOUR cover interview, she reveals it all started with her own struggle with acne and scarring and her journey of skin discovery.

“I mean, I actually had big, big challenges with my skin for quite a long time, and most people definitely don't know that. It was a trip and it was very hard for me,” reveals Alicia. "I felt like I had to hide everything and I felt really self-conscious. It definitely affected my confidence."

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She reveals her skin issues were one of the reasons she gave up makeup, to stop the vicious cycle of break outs and covering them with makeup, leading to more breakouts. "Its been a journey to find my way to what works for me, and what's good for me, and good for my skin. Since then I’ve grown and been able to release a lot of that energy and do good things for my body, so it was able to shift my skin. But look, sometimes it still trips out!"

Her experience has led to a passion for skincare and ingredients that work, citing sulphur, honey, rose water as some of her favourites, and led her to collaborate with medical dermatologist Renee Synder MD, and e.l.f. Beauty to create a range of skincare, bodycare and 'aircare', aka candles with therapeutic benefits.

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Yet it’s a vision that goes beyond skin deep. She has her sights set on turning our morning and evening skincare maintenance into a self-nourishing ritual. “We talked about space and wellness and being good to yourself and mental health, but we are not really taught how to create moments or rituals to care for yourself and to lift yourself up,” she says.

It was a realisation heightened in lockdown. "I had a lot of trouble finding that space in the beginning I couldn't get a handle on how to find the time that I needed, I was literally like bam, bam, bam, bam the whole day, and finally at the end of the day, I was like, 'I can't even think.' So, it took some time to get to a place where I could create some space. And then when I did, I really loved it. And it had a deeper meaning than it had in a long time for me, because I was like, 'Oh, this is what I need.' I recalled how important it is to make sure you're getting what you need, because nobody's going to give it to you.”

With beauty boss and wellness guru next on her agenda, she's also offering to slide into your inbox with a weekly dose of wellness news, sharing her and expert's secrets on dealing with the stresses of modern life. From tips on how to de-stress, sleep better and how to carve out time and space to connect with your inner self and boost your wellbeing.

So what features in the Keys Soulcare collection? At the top of our wishlist is the Skin Transformation Cream. Developed by Alicia Keys and expert dermatologist, Dr. Renée Snyder, its a specialist medley of ceramides, hyaluronic acid and bakuchiol – as well as transformative malachite – the Skin Transformation Cream will refine your complexion and bolster wellbeing. Rich and replenishing, bakuchiol is perhaps the star of the show. It's a plant-based alternative to retinol that works to smooth, revitalise and fortify the skin to leave it even-toned and supple.

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There's also the Harmony Mask, which we can't get enough of. Manuka honey is at the heart of this indulgent product, which has the ability to leave skin feeling totally hydrated and replenished. The honey works alongside activated charcoal, both as a nod to ancient Egyptian beauty practices and for its ability to purify and balance complexions in crisis. Oh, and the mask is also laced with gold foil - an ingredient used by Cleopatra herself - to foster a radiant, consolidated complexion.

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Before we left Alicia, we couldn't resist the temptation to ask which other everyday beauty heroes feature in her kit. “I’m a lip balm kind of girl," she says letting slip there may be a good one coming our way sometime soon. "I do love a good Jade or Rose Quartz roller and I love some good ice to put the roller in.

"I have this Sacred rose water face toner spray. It's in this beautiful, mystical bottle. Rose is meant to open your heart your spirit. So not only do you have that gorgeous smell but you feel open. I love that.

"I use Chanel Mascara [Le Volume De Chanel Mascara in Ecorces £28].

On my hair now I have the Flawless hair products and they're amazing for my hair. I'm also a candle fanatic. One of my favourite candle companies is called Harlem Candles, a black owned company, she's amazing. Their packaging is gorgeous."

And Alicia's beauty mantra we can all make use of...“You look beautiful because you feel beautiful, because you have given time to love yourself and appreciate yourself and cherish yourself.” And we’ll all say Amen to that!

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