Keke Palmer might be far from the Strahan, Sara & Keke studio in Manhattan’s Times Square—but as they say, the show must go on. Palmer, a coanchor on the weekday talk show, is continuing to film episodes of the GMA spinoff from her home in Chicago, where she’s quarantined with her family. And though this not an ideal format, the ever adaptable Palmer is getting used to conducting interviews over Zoom. “It’s so crazy to me because before all of this, Zoom never mattered to any of us,” she says with a laugh. So what is Keke Palmer’s Zoom style? Is she business on top, schlubby sweats on the bottom? “Today I did beat face and a top, but that’s because the other days I looked how I usually look during quarantine,” she jokes. “I just thought people deserved to see more than that.”
Here, the musician, Hustlers actor, and breakout star of the viral “Sorry to This Man” meme shares more of the personal faves that are getting her by these days.
The last thing I bought
Makeup! During social distancing, I’ve run out of things to do with myself so I’ve decided to become my own makeup artist. I got some Nars concealer, foundation, good old Orgasm blush, a Natasha Denona palette—they’re highly pigmented, and I’m a big fan of hers—and then I got some eyelashes to play with. I don’t really do such heavy makeup in my everyday look, but I wanted some more varied options. I got so much makeup, so I’m going to be doing some fun tutorial videos soon.
My fave app
Instagram is still my favorite app on my phone. I love the comedy on there—Jay Versace and Rickey Thompson. I love their pages.
The best dish to cook at home
There are two things I’ve gotten really into lately; one’s a zucchini soup that’s really delicious and makes me feel healthy. And I’ve also gotten into making spaghetti bolognese. It’s not the two-hour version—it’s the quick, shortcut one. I put in whatever I want—I chop up carrots, onions, celery, zucchini, and put it all together with meat, garlic, tomato sauce and paste, and tagliatelle pasta. I really love it because it’s quick and easy for when I’m in the carb world. I get most of my recipes from Pinterest and different articles online.
My fave reality show
Love Island, honey. Love Island has come in and stole the show—specifically the U.K. version. They have their own language and a total world of their own. I’m so obsessed with it.
My feel-good song of the moment
Banks’ “Fuck ’Em Only We Know.” She’s so cool. I love that song.
The best pair of leggings
When I’m working out, I just want form-fitted. Nike has been really good at making sure everything is held in one spot. The more everything jiggles, the more difficult the workout becomes for me. So I love Nike sportwear—I have a capri pair and a pair that goes all the way to the ankles. If I’m wearing leggings for my everyday life, Forever21 or Urban will do me just fine.
My favorite scent
Hermès Musc Pallida. I’ve been wearing it for about a year now, and I think it’s unisex. It’s a perfume oil, which I like because they last so much longer since you don’t have to use as much and there’s not as much alcohol in them. I first found this in an airport while I was traveling. For whatever reason, you get to see all the really good stuff in the international areas in airport stores.
How I practice self-care
When it comes to wellness, working out plays a really big part for me. Over time it’s become more second nature to me and something that I enjoy, rather than something I have to force myself to do. Since we can’t go to the gym right now, I do a lot of body-weight exercises—push-ups, lunges, curtsy lunges, fire hydrants, squats, jumping jacks—all of the moves you can do wherever you are. That’s really important for me. I also meditate and do yoga, which helps me to stay at peace. Back in the day, I did a lot of Vinyasa yoga, and it’s done me well during this time. I can go online and find a lot of people to do yoga with, but I’ve just been doing it on my own. It really helps to keep me calm and my mind at ease.
My fave workout
I’m not afraid of weights, and I also love Pilates. I use ClassPass, which I think is such a genius app. I also dance in my free time—it’s a very fun and cheap way to get cardio in, which is quite difficult for me.
The best beauty products I use
I love Anastasia’s Brow Gel. I go for more of a bushy-natural look, but everyone has a different style that they like. I also use the Dior Pump ’N’ Brow, which I really love. It comes in a couple of different colors, and I use the dark brown. Also, sometimes when I don’t want to do too much to my eyes but still want some definition, I’ll put some of my blush on my eyelids for a natural glow.
My fave movie snack
A slushy. Even if I’m not hungry, I’ll always get that cherry slushy. It’s the best.
The fashion trend from the early 2000s that I miss the most
Bling and low-riders. Remember when bling was on every damn thing? Bling on your jeans, bling on your hat, bling on your glasses, bling on your belt.
My favorite piece of clothing
A good pair of Levi’s. I think they’re still the best jeans ever—they come in so many assorted cuts, feels, old school, new school, high-cut, low-cut. Right now I’m wearing a vintage high -ut pair that are straight boot-cut. To me, Levi’s are a standard piece of clothing to have—you can never go wrong.
A fave color to wear
I love patterns, yellow and purple—colors that really pop on my skin.
My go-to sneaker
The pair of Gucci sneakers that I got this year—they’re a collaboration with Disney and have Mickey Mouse on them. Girl, they go with everything. They’re the most perfect shoe, and they’re understated. I think you can count on certain designers to use really great materials that last a long time, but at the same time, I’m not the kind of person that wants to be like, “Louis, Louis, Louis, Gucci, Gucci, Gucci.” So what I love about these sneakers is that you can’t immediately tell they’re Gucci—they’re just a nice pair of shoes.
The romantic comedy I always watch
Brown Sugar. It was very grounded and seemed to be rooted in something very real. I’m a big fan of the writer/director Rick Famuyiwa, and I love the actors in it—Sanaa Lathan, Taye Diggs, Queen Latifah, Mos Def—a lot of good talent. And the storyline is about falling in love based on the love of music. Music brings everybody together.
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