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Found: The Beauty Products Shawn Johnson East Loves As Of Late

Author:

Jamie Schneider

December 19, 2023

Former Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Editor

By Jamie Schneider

Former Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Editor

Jamie Schneider is the former Senior Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in Coveteur, The Chill Times, and Wyld Skincare.

Image by Family Made Media / mbg Creative

December 19, 2023

We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links.

Shawn Johnson East is a lot of things. She is talented, she is dedicated, she is dazzling—but most of all, she is relatable.

Yes, I do realize I'm saying this about an Olympic gold medalist, New York Times bestselling author, and winner of Dancing With the Stars—accolades that are, for most of us, decidedly not relatable.

But Johnson East just has the ability to draw you into her world. Her TikTok bio reads, "We're best friends; you just don't know it yet," which I'd say perfectly captures her sunny essence.

Ahead of my conversation with the ultimate multihyphenate, I had multiple friends tell me that Johnson East is their all-time favorite person to follow on social media—namely because of her hilarious YouTube challenges (see "Husband does pregnancy contractions"), realistic parenting content (a recent favorite: "No snacks before bed"), and honest pregnancy hassles (like a much stronger appetite).

So it should come as no surprise that she also gets candid about her skin and makeup regimens. Below, Johnson East bares all her beauty faves.

Image by Shawn Johnson East

The tried-and-true: A multitasking body moisturizer

"I am very large and in charge right now—like 36 weeks pregnant—so I swear by Bio-Oil. It's just super easy. It's not a pretty process these days, but it's fun. It works.

"I started using it years and years and years ago. I was using it for scars and loved it. I love the smell of it. And then when I got pregnant, people were like, 'Use it on your belly!' So I basically bathe in it."

Bio-Oil Skincare Body Oil

$ 21

It does contain mineral oil as the main ingredient (if that’s a player you tend to avoid), but it also features sunflower seed oil, soybean oil, and a texture so silky smooth you’ll want to bathe in it—at leat Johnson East does.

The surprise hit: A minimalist makeup brand

"I would say Merit. I'm obsessed. I thought it was going to be too good to be true, and I swear by it. I love it; it's the easiest way to apply makeup every day.

"The bronzer, concealer, and blush are amazing. It's so easy with the stick form to just draw on your face, blend, and then you're done."

Merit Bronze Balm

$ 30

Sheer yet buildable, this bronzer stick instantly adds a natural-looking definition and warmth. I personally like to blend it on my cheekbones, hairline, lids, and bridge of my nose for an all-over, “latte makeup” glow.

The secret: A good cleanse

"I hope it's not underrated, but I feel like sometimes it is based on friends of mine…washing your face at the end of the day. I still can't believe how many people go to sleep with makeup on, so I think that it can be underrated. Just clean your face!

"I'm not super picky [about cleansers]. Anything that works, but I go for minimal [formulas]—just the basics."

The up-and-coming: A modern beauty clinic

"The first thing that came to mind is Skin Pharm. I feel like they're going into more and more locations and cities, and I adore them. I just think their stuff is high-quality. They give great facials and treatments—they do gold infusion facials and vampire facials—and I love it."

Skin Pharm Youth Serum

$ 115

A serum that can do it all. Thanks to hyaluronic acid, peptides, allantoin, and plenty of skin-loving antioxidants, this formula has the ability to fill in fine lines, plump skin texture, brighten a dull complexion, and soothe inflammation.

The splurge: Vampire facials

"Getting a vampire facial is worth every penny. [I see a nurse practitioner], her name is Madeline, at Skin Pharm… It is amazing. It is the greatest invention ever.

"I was so nervous [at first]. Honestly, the only part that makes me cringe sometimes is taking blood, but that's literally the hardest part.

"I have dark circles under my eyes, fine lines in my skin, and I get melasma a lot. I'm naturally very freckly; especially with pregnancy, my melasma gets a lot worse. So [vampire facials help with] a little bit of everything."

The steal: A trusty baby oil

"I would say Johnson's Baby. Every time I travel—no joke, any place in the entire world—it's just a common thing you can find everywhere that you can trust.

"I love their nighttime wash that smells like lavender. I'm a sucker for their OG product, the yellow Johnson's baby wash. It reminds me of my babies in the hospital, and it just smells so good.

"Their oil is amazing—my daughter won't take a bath without putting the oil in the bath. It's actually a game changer; if you've ever taken a bath with oil in it, it's the greatest feeling in the world when you get out."

Johnson's Baby Oil

$ 2

Mineral oil is the main ingredient here, which, again, some people choose to avoid, but we can’t ignore it’s moisturizing power. We also must give this classic option credit where credit is due: Given its ability to lock in water, many adults swear by this baby oil to moisturize their own skin—Johnson East included. It’s been a staple in many households for decades (my own included!), thanks to the simple, dermatologist-tested, formula that leaves your whole body feeling like velvet.

The spa day essentials

"My daughter is now obsessed with 'spa days,' what she calls them. She'll say, 'Mama, can we do a spa?' So we'll draw a bath, and we'll take a bath together… She gets to pick and choose what she uses every time.

"She always wants me to do her makeup—but 'makeup' honestly is like a lotion on her face or a glitter stick. But we always take a bath, and in the bath, we have bath paints that she plays with for probably 45 minutes.

"When we get out of the bath, she wants to put lotion on just like Mommy does. So I put lotion on her whole body, and then she likes it if I blow-dry, brush, or braid her hair, or do her nails. She's such a little girly girl.

"My mom, from as far back as I can remember, every single night [took] a shower, bath—almost like the spa day I just described. I would bathe, and she would give me lotion, brush my hair… She just did a really good job of encouraging self-care time and hygiene. It's a really fun thing to now pass on to my kids.

"My mom would do exactly what I just described. We'd take baths together. She would do my nails. She would brush my hair, braid my hair. We would do spa days in the sink. It was basically like going to a hair salon—she would wash my hair in the sink, and it was the most relaxing thing ever."

The carry-on: Wipes, wipes, wipes

"With kids, hand sanitizer, wipes, and lotion, always. My kids are prone to having dry skin, so we always carry lotion. And then they're just little germ monsters. So the more we can have hand sanitizer or wipes, the better."

Editor's note:

I love that Johnson East prioritizes lotion with her sanitizers. They're wonderful at killing bacteria, but because of their high alcohol content, they are very drying and damaging to our skin microbiome. Hand creams, however, can help replenish your lipids and skin barrier; derms recommend applying your cream of choice within two minutes of sanitizing.

The signature: A pop of shadow

"This is the first thing that popped into my mind. I get the most questions about—and this is so weird—what eyeshadow I use. I use the same exact thing every single day, and I never change. I'm a creature of habit. I just use my blush!"

Editor's note:

After a quick TikTok investigation, I found Johnson East's go-to blush: Sigma Beauty's Cor-de-Rosa Blush Palette.

Sigma Beauty Cor-de-Rosa Blush Palette

$ 29.50

With six gorgeous shades, you’ll be sure to find a hue that fits your fancy. Cor-de-Rosa means “color of the roses,” and this airy, powder formula will certainly make your cheeks (and lids!) appear petal soft.