Grammy award-winning entertainer Alicia Keys has a distinct voice in music, but perhaps an even more striking one in the beauty industry.
Her quest for truth in her image and identity has been a common refrain throughout her life and career but reached an all-time high when she stopped wearing makeup in 2016, prompting more conversations about beauty standards and self-confidence. After being completely committed to rocking a bare face and influencing a number of celebrities to join her, Keys’ look has explicitly become a lifestyle.
Although Keys wears makeup occasionally now, she stresses it should be a choice for every person. In doing so, Keys has collaborated with popular drugstore cosmetics brand, E.l.f. Beauty to create a wellness and lifestyle brand called Keys Soulcare.
Her vision for Keys Soulcare is more than skin deep. “I have sat with so many people,” the artist told Beauty Inc., explaining that landing Oakland, California-based E.l.f. Beauty as a partner for Keys Soulcare, her community-first, clean, cruelty-free “beauty lifestyle” line that launched on Dec. 3, “felt natural — the right energy, the right people, the right timing, the right understanding of the story we need to tell that, that I’ve been on the journey of finding myself all these years”.
Nearly a year in the making and out just in time for the holidays, Keys launched three new products, offerings, as she calls them, which are a candle, face cream and a face roller. Inspired by her own skincare journey and love of ancient beauty rituals, these offerings allow people to make their beauty regimen a part of their nighttime routine. With an emphasis on “me time” and self-love, each offering’s description provides both the skincare benefit and the soul care benefit, in addition to an affirmation for consumers, which all impart a glimpse into the satisfying experience each offering can provide.
It is well-documented Keys has dealt with issues with her skin over the years so she deemed it imperative to work with a licensed dermatologist to create Keys Soulcare offerings.
The Skin Transformation Cream hydrates, plumps and nourishes, aiming to provide revitalizing and radiant-looking skin. Created alongside Austin-based and board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Renée Snyder, the founder of W3ll People, this cream purifies and centers the spirit. It is made with bakuchiol, a plant-based alternative to retinol and an antioxidant-rich exfoliator that helps enhance the look of skin tone and texture. Malachite, another ingredient used in the cream, has been used for thousands of years to cleanse, purify and calm the spirit as well as the skin. Ceramides and hyaluronic acid are also found in the cream, providing long-lasting hydration for a look of radiance and regeneration.
The soul care benefit for this face cream is that it nourishes, calms and centers the spirit as well as the skin for a major transformation of body and soul. The affirmation for this offering is: I welcome all circumstances as a catalyst for change.
The Obsidian Facial Roller stimulates senses while helping revitalize the appearance of skin tone, texture and suppleness. Obsidian is a volcanic glass forged from quickly cooled lava and has been used for thousands of years in feng shui and other curative rituals to repel negativity in addition to clearing the psychic smog that can surround consumers. Delicately handcrafted from natural obsidian stone, it is best to pair this roller with the Skin Transformation Cream (or the cream, serum or oil of the consumers’ choice) for deeper massage sensations, enhanced absorption and accelerated benefits.
The soul care benefit attached to this face roller is the fact that obsidian is known to block negative energy and Its cooling touch energizes as it soothes, promoting a sense of tranquility while broadening consumers’ awareness of the present moment. The affirmation for this offering is: I am strong, capable and unstoppable.
The Sage + Oat Milk Candle exudes a warm and welcoming scent while inviting consumers to deeply connect with their true selves. Valued as sacred by the Egyptians and other ancient civilizations, safe has a smokey yet calming warmth that sets the mood of relaxation. Oat milk gives off a fragrance like a love letter to your soul, according to the Keys Soulcare website.
The soul care benefit this candle provides is the capability to propel consumers to come back to reset and come back to the center. The affirmation attached to this offering is: I shine at full wattage.
When asked to describe what consumers can expect of Keys Soulcare in one word, Alicia Keys used the word ‘unlimited’.
“Your energy and how you feel is going to turn up so many notches and the beauty that’s going to come from you is just unlimited,” Keys says. “You can just expect to be more connected – on every level.”
In other words, Keys Soulcare goes beyond skincare to truly care for the whole self — body, mind, and spirit.
You can find Keys Soulcare offerings at Ulta and keyssoulcare.com.
