Danielle Brooks's Fragrance Layering Technique Involves a $19 Bath & Body Works Mist

Beauty routines are integral to getting In The Mood—not for any other person, but for you. Here, get a glimpse into the products, habits, and mantras that help powerhouse women slip into the sexiest version of themselves.

I've been a huge Danielle Brooks fan ever since she played Tasha "Taystee" Jefferson on Netflix's Orange Is the New Black. Her career has obviously evolved since those days, and she's managed to nab roles in even more noteworthy projects like 2023's The Color Purple, A Minecraft Movie, and currently, HBO's Peacemaker. Even as an actor and singer with a full plate, she still manages to make time for self-care and engaging in the beauty practices that make her feel her best.

Brooks and I share the same first name, but during the course of one 15-minute conversation with her, I learned that that isn't the only thing we have in common—we also both happen to have the same appreciation for Bath & Body Works fragrances as we do the luxury kind, and we're both guilty of abbreviating our nighttime skincare routines when we feel it's necessary.

To get the lowdown on all the other products, mantras, and habits that help Brooks feel sexy and step into her feminine power, keep reading.

I actually don't have a mantra, it's more of a song. So anytime that I listen to India Arie's "Private Party," it gets me to feeling my most feminine, most powerful, and my most grounded.

I always have my eucalyptus plant and my peppermint soap—those are my go-tos. I'm starting to get more into scrubs as well. Any time I get a gift bag with a body scrub in it, I always throw that into the shower. I keep my Cetaphil Gentle Foaming Cleanser in the shower with me for when I need to wash my face, and then—I don't know if people know about these—but I keep an African scrubber. It's basically just like a textured cloth that can really just help to scrub off the dirt.

A girlfriend of mine tried to get me into that red light face thing, but it wasn't working for me. But every now and then I'll put one of those little patches on my face for pimples. It's the Mario Badescu Drying Patch.

I like to use Maison Francis Kurkdijan OUD Satin Mood Eau de Parfum. That just sounds sexy. The real perfume people are going to kill me for this one, but it's such a strong scent, so sometimes I'll throw on the Bath & Body Works Mist in Champagne Toast to kind of lighten it up a little bit. You know how they talk about high-low fashion? It's kind of like high-low fragrance.

I do love when they pull the liner out and give me a little cat eye with a really good lash—that makes me feel sexy. And then if you really want to get into it, you could throw a little mole on my face—it don't matter where you put the mole. Placing a cute mole somewhere on my face makes me feel really sexy and feminine.

I've been calling it the braided bussdown. It's basically boho micro braids that come halfway down my back, and I just love those because even when I go to the gym, I can still feel feminine. I don't want to say beautiful because I'm always beautiful regardless of if my hair is down my back or not, or how tight my curls are. I'm always going to be beautiful, but it makes me feel sexy when I have those braids and I can toss 'em to the side. It's something about it, especially when it's that boho look.

Oh, nothing but that crimson red, honey.

No, ma'am. It's getting shortened. Even last night, I didn't take off my face until six in the morning, and that is not like me. I am an early bird, or at least I go to sleep early. But last night I made sure to wash my face and then I just moisturized with the Mary Kay Age Fighting Moisturizer because my mother still does Mary Kay.

Gaining more wisdom and not giving a damn what people think about me.

Putting lotion on! Putting lotion on my entire body—back, neck, legs, feet—and then also scrubbing my knees and elbows. That's something that I was taught by my mom and my grandmother since I was young. They didn't play about that. No rusty knees!

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