The Essentials List: Gwen Stefani shares the beauty and self-care products she can’t live without

Content is created by CNN Underscored’s team of editors who work independently from the CNN newsroom. When you buy through links on our site, CNN and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Learn more

Gwen Stefani is a self-proclaimed “makeup junkie.” Famed for her iconic red lipstick, the pop icon says experimenting with makeup looks is her idea of meditation. “Before there was music, there was makeup,” Stefani tells CNN Underscored. “I fell in love with the transformative power of makeup while working behind a beauty counter in high school. Seeing the way that someone’s day could change when you did their makeup and made them feel like the best version of themselves was so special.”

Her beauty-counter days were the inspiration for the creation of GXVE (pronounced “give”), Stefani’s clean, high-performance makeup brand that hit the market in 2020. The three-time Grammy winner adds that her experience as a vocal coach on the “The Voice” also fueled her beauty obsession. “It has allowed me to be super creative and play with fun makeup and hair looks,” she says.

Stefani, whose career skyrocketed to global stardom as the frontwoman of No Doubt, shares that making time for self-care is important to her. “You have to remember, I was on tour for like 35 years on a bus, so it’s a luxury to do things like take a bath,” she says. She’s also found solace in gardening, a pastime she’s taken up since meeting her husband, Blake Shelton. “There’s something incredibly satisfying about planting seeds and crops and watching them grow,” she says. “I never thought I’d be a nature girl, and now I can’t wait to get back and be in our yard.”

Ahead, the singer, songwriter and beauty entrepreneur shares her makeup and self-care essentials.

Beautyblender Original Makeup Sponge

To create the perfect base and get that luminous airbrushed finish she’s famous for, the star turns to this cult-favorite makeup sponge, which you wet before use. “I’ve been a Beautyblender fan for years and always apply my makeup with one,” she says. “I need to get more because mine always seem to go missing mysteriously.” The OG sponge applicator, instantly recognizable for its egg-like shape and neon-pink hue, is edgeless and reusable, and glides on the skin for a high-definition, flawless finish.

GXVE Beauty I’m Still Here Longwear Clean Matte Liquid Lipstick

“My signature look has to be my red lip,” Stefani notes, adding that she got her first red lipstick from her grandmother as a teenager. “Every time I put on a red lip, it’s transformative.” Through GXVE, Stefani says she was finally able to share her favorite red shade with the world. “If I want something more casual, I line my lips with the GXVE Beauty Anaheim Lip Liner in Scarlet Red and layer it with Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in Cherry,” she says.

One/Size by Patrick Starrr On ’Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray

Stefani might have her own beauty line, but she loves trying new products. “I recently spent time with Patrick Starrr, so I’ve been trying all of his One/Size makeup products,” she says. “I love his setting spray and blurring powders.” Created to give your makeup next-level hold for 16 hours, this non-sticky waterproof aerosol spray absorbs oil and tightens pores, thanks to ingredients like witch hazel and green tea extract.

GXVE Beauty Can’t Stop Staring Mascara

“Whenever I need my look to transform from day to night, I always pop on an extra coat of this mascara and throw on GXVE Beauty Line It Up Gel Eyeliner, and I’m good to go,” she says. Designed to lift, lengthen and add definition minus the clumps, this deep-black mascara is infused with conditioning botanical oils and vitamin B to boost the health of your lashes. “The bristles on [the brush] are freaking amazing and reach every lash,” Stefani says. “I feel naked without my lashes. I have a drawer full of lashes in my glam room at home.”

Le Labo Santal 26 Candle

“Doing makeup is when I feel most relaxed and creative, and I love lighting a candle,” Stefani says. Her go-to is this smoky, leathery scent by cult candle brand Le Labo. The soy wax candle, hand-poured in Mississippi, is a softer, gentler version of the brand’s Santal 33, which blends cardamom with notes of iris, violet, sandalwood and cedarwood. Stefani also likes to “mix things up” when it comes to scent and has been enjoying Jackie Aina’s candle brand, Forvr Mood.

Byredo Bal d’Afrique Parfum

“I’m super passionate about scent,” Stefani says. “This is one of my favorite fragrances right now, but it changes all the time.” This rich, romantic scent from Byredo has a vetiver and cedarwood base and notes of African marigold, bergamot, buchu, violet and cyclamen. “Fragrance is so personal and always brings me back to certain places or experiences I’ve been so blessed to have in my life,” the singer says.

Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com