Mindy Kaling on Her Secret to Great Skin, Vision Boards, and Solange Knowles

How the star maintains her glow despite her packed schedule.

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Mindy Kaling Beauty Routine
(Image credit: Getty)

Welcome to Beauty Around the Clock, Marie Claire's weekly peek into the daily lives of some of the most game-changing women in their industries. Ever wonder how they get it all done in a day? Here's your answer.

If you need Mindy Kaling these days, you’ll probably find her buckling down on new scripts at home in Los Angeles. With two shows she co-created currently streaming—Never Have I Ever on Netflix and The Sex Lives of College Girls on HBO Max—and four more shows in development, plus two young kids (4-year-old Katherine and 1-year-old Spencer) and a new partnership with AT&T Fiber, the multitalented celeb is busier than ever. So how exactly does she look so glowy all the time?! In addition to the halo effect of her megawatt smile, Kaling adheres to a handful of simple daily rituals in order to look and feel her best. (While making sure there’s always time to secretly binge-watch a reality show in the pantry.) Here, she shares her go-to beauty products, her favorite form of self-care, and her secret to the perfect green smoothie.

Rise and Shine

I started doing this when I was pregnant, because my OB/GYN told me hydration was so important: I drink a large glass of room temperature water every single morning. It also wakes me up!

Power Start

I can't really eat anything before 10 a.m., but around then, I have a green smoothie consisting of spinach, apple (with seeds), lemon (with peel), romaine lettuce, coconut water, and banana. It makes me feel like no matter how bad my eating is for the rest of the day, I had some good nutrients first thing.

Signature Look

I don't wear makeup every day, which is why I think my skin has been so good the past five years. I feel the most confident with just a tiny bit of foundation, strong liner, lots of mascara, and blush. I almost never wear any kind of lip [product] besides balm because masks ruin it!

Self-Care Ritual

I love making vision boards! It's such a nice mix of creativity and reflection.

Hair Help

When my hair is still wet, I comb through it with a special detangling brush then put in some serum before I blow dry. I am absolutely loving the Lolavie Perfecting Leave-In hair treatment that I got from my close personal friend Jennifer Aniston. I also love Augustinus Bader hair oil!

Signature Scent

Lately I've been using Tom Ford "Fucking Fabulous," which is just a beautiful, upbeat fragrance, perfect for every day.

Beauty Icon

I think Solange Knowles has the most flawless skin and hair. She doesn't follow trends—she sets the trends.

Lights Out

I cannot keep my eyes open past 10 p.m. I can't even blame this on my kids, I've been this way since I was in my late twenties!

Shop Mindy’s Favorite Beauty Products

Iris Goldsztajn
Iris Goldsztajn
Morning Editor

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.