If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what famous people add to their carts. Not the JAR brooch and Louis XV chair but the hairspray and the electric toothbrush. We asked musician Anderson .Paak — who recently launched a sneaker collection with Vans — about the speaker, flushable wipes, and water bottle he can’t live without.
I started drinking a gallon of water a day a long time ago. But I always bought gallon jugs, which was super wasteful. My assistant got me this cool, reusable one-gallon water bottle with these little markers on it that tell me how much I’m supposed to drink at seven o’clock, nine, eleven, and so on. It also has phrases like “Keep Drinking” and “You’ve Got it” or whatever. Mine has this big straw on the lid, too. I bring it with me everywhere. I drink a lot of tequila in the studio, so I feel like drinking this much water balances things out.
It’s big. Huge, actually. That’s the best part. I bring it all over the place. I do a lot of waiting around. On tour, I’m waiting in airports, in the green room before the show, in the green room after the show, and for the after-party to start. Lots of waiting. So this speaker is perfect for that. It changes the mood of a room. I got my first one at an electronics store in an airport. I was like, “I need that.” I have four or five of them right now because it’s always good to have backups.
I grew up with sisters who always told me to do this or try that or use this other thing. As soon as I see them, they pick me apart. That’s why I got this eye cream. I don’t have dark circles — yet — but I don’t want to wake up one day and look like Vince Vaughn out of nowhere, you know? So I use this preventatively. Kiehl’s has been around since the 1800s, so shit, they must be doing something right. I try to wash my face before I go to sleep, then put this on.
Sea Moss is a superfood. It’s from the ocean and it’s really good for joints, immunity, my brain, stuff like that. I was on Instagram and the product popped up in an ad. After quarantine began, I started working out like crazy. For three weeks, I acted like I was training for the Olympics or something. I was really bored and I think the Instagram algorithm knew I got into health stuff. When I saw the ad for this, I was like, “Oh cool.” I started researching it and decided to try it because it sounded really good. There are something like 102 vitamins and minerals in it, so it’s jam-packed. I swear I feel a difference in my body. It’s also good for my skin, too.
I’m super regular; I know exactly when I will need to take a deuce. That’s great and not-so-great at the same time. It’s the worst on tour because I’ll be at the airport and have to go. The toilet paper in places like that is basically cardboard and my butt is sensitive. So I always have these wipes on me to keep my butt clean. They get all up in there much easier than regular toilet paper. It’s like taking a little shower. And they’re flushable and biodegradable.
About four or five years ago, I was shopping at a store for my wife. The lady at the counter was like, “Do you want to try some colognes, too?” I was using Tom Ford Black Orchid, and I really liked it, but I got tired of going places and smelling other people wearing it. She told me to try this and I just loved it. My wife hated it — she’s not into the same scents I am — but I’ve stuck with it since then. I like a warmer scent that’s a little subtle. I don’t want anything that smells like it’s sticking to the wall, but I still want to leave an impression.
I own hundreds of sunglasses. I have four pairs in my backpack right now. This pair is a real conversation-starter. People will come up to me and be like, “Yo, where did you get those? They’re sick.” I love Alessandro Michele’s style — he always uses textures and does fun, unique things with Gucci stuff, especially its sunglasses. A lot of them are larger-than-life, which is what I gravitate towards. I’m nearsighted; I can’t see far away, so I put prescriptions in most of my sunglasses. That’s also why I like Gucci — they’re cool glasses and I can add in my prescription lenses.
I’m a big fan of sneakers with textures and colors and other details that jump out. I want fun shoes that I won’t see on everyone else. For this collection, I worked really closely with my stylist Jasmine Benjamin to create unique pieces that I would actually wear. We worked on it for two years. I wanted the stuff to have a funk-rave feel — a lot of colors and psychedelic vibes. We found some ’90s-inspired patterns we loved and then Vans showed us all these different silhouettes they had in their vault. They introduced me to the Sid style. I love the look of chenille on shoes, so we implemented that into the Malibu pair. I named them Malibu because it’s the name of one of my albums. I think we put together a pretty cool shoe.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
