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What Rita Ora Can’t Live Without

Photo: courtesy

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 Rita Ora — who recently collaborated with ShoeDazzle on a footwear collection — about the candle, hot sauce, and lip balm she can’t live without.

I know a lot of people have it, but Santal 33 just suits me really well. I’ve basically been wearing it since I could afford it. It’s just so fresh: It’s got sandalwood and cedarwood in it. It’s a bit musky and not too sweet — like a natural smell but with outdoor vibes.

I love hot sauce. To be honest, I can’t eat anything without it, so I’ve tasted a lot of hot sauces and this one has never failed me. It’s not crazy thick and it just goes with everything. You don’t want a sauce that overtakes the taste of food and this one doesn’t do that.

I had the original AirPods, but the noise-canceling Pros are just that much more amazing. I love not hearing anything, so sometimes I even use them as earplugs. The sound quality is good, too — I was actually really impressed. Lately I’ve been listening to Megan Thee Stallion and these DJs called Bicep, who are really cool. A lot of H.E.R. — I really love H.E.R. — and some WizKid and songs by this guy called Benny Sings, whom I love. I’ve been listening to some old stuff, too, because I’m a very old soul.

Photo: retailer

They don’t taste too good, but I take these every day. It’s a vitamin C supplement that I’m super-strict with, because vitamins really help keep me together. Especially with everything going on right now, I just really want to take things to protect my immune system.

My friends always say my house is like a greenhouse with candles because I have so many plants and candles. They’re like, “It’s a greenhouse you’re going to set on fire,” and I’m like, “Please can you not?!” But I love fragrances so I burn candles all the time. The Ambre scent is smoky and rich, but sweet. It’s a really sexy smell.

Photo: retailer

When I was growing up, finding affordable beauty products that were also good was a struggle. Glossier has done such a great job — it’s super affordable and just a really refreshing, youthful brand that has lovely colors and cool packaging. I really like the lip balm and all the different flavors it comes in. They all smell fantastic. It’s the perfect lip balm.

When you travel so much as I normally do, you find things that work for you and they become like your religion. You are away from home and a lot of these things start to become like home, if that makes sense. This is one of my favorite face creams. It’s got all these amazing enzymes in it — I really think it’s like a magical cream. It feels amazing. I put it on in the morning and at night.

My hair gets damaged from all the styling done to it, so I try my hardest to protect it. I don’t really like using anything for the hair with any sort of chemical ingredients, because they’re really not good for it. After I fell in love with Aesop’s body wash and hand wash, I was like, “Well, they must have good shampoo.” It makes my hair smell nice and feel silky. I have naturally curly hair, so I need something that really feeds it. This is a good product for that.

As I’ve said, I’m a big scent person. I use this peppermint roller all the time. I put it on my temples and on my wrists when I need to relax or destress. It’s important to create small moments of self-care for yourself. Those moments are really precious to me.

I don’t really do the thick, thick, thick stuff. This is easy to put on and smells like sweet coconut, my favorite scent. It’s the best body lotion; I use it all the time, and every time I tell people about it and they try it, they’re like, “It has changed my life.”

Photo: retailer

In my previous shoe collaborations, like with Adidas, it was all very much sports related. So working with Shoedazzle was great because I got to play with so many different silhouettes. It’s hard, but if I really had to pick my favorite shoe from the collection it would probably be the block-heel bootie. To me, it’s the easiest to walk and perform in — even if it’s just for virtual shows — and I personally always prefer a thick heel.

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What Rita Ora Can’t Live Without