Mindy Kaling’s Must-Haves: From a $17 Moisturizer to a Frozen Burrito

A full-body moisturizing routine, Kaling says, was ingrained in her from a young age. “I really have to moisturize my entire body when I get out of the shower,” she says. “It’s something that I was taught by my mother, who was taught by her mother.”

While she says she has oily skin on her face, “my legs and arms have actually gotten pretty dry. When they get dry, because my skin is dark brown, it gets ashy and it kind of hurts actually, it gets kind of tight feeling.”

All year round, Kaling reaches for Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream ($17), which nourishes the skin with ingredients like sweet almond oil and vitamin E. “I love this particular cream because I don’t have to reapply during the day,” she says. “My legs are very moisturized for the whole day. In the winter when it gets more dry, it’s perfect, and then in the summer when I’m wearing shorts, I don’t have to worry about having ashy legs or arms.”

Pro tip: Because the formula is fragrance-free, you don’t have to worry about using it on sensitive skin (or, in Kaling’s case, her kids). “It helps that it’s a really clean brand, there’s not really a scent to it which I love,” she says. “It just makes your skin like look like the best version of itself.”

When it comes to her low-maintenance hair-care routine, Kaling says Dyson’s new wet-to-dry straightener has been a game-changer. (And our editors agree; you can read the full review of the tool here.)

“I work out every day, so I wash my hair every day,” she says. “I have pretty wavy hair, but I wear it straight because I like the way it looks and it’s also just less likely to get into knots that way.” That’s why she loves the Dyson Airstrait Straightener ($500), “because I am incredibly impatient when it comes to blow drying my hair. I don’t want to spend more than 10 to 12 minutes blow-drying my hair which is pretty impossible with almost any other device except for this one.”

To style, Kaling first divides her towel-dried hair into sections then sprays a prep solution all over before using the Dyson straightener. “I can have my whole head beautifully dried and styled in like 10 minutes,” she says.

Pro tip: Like most of Dyson’s hair tools, the Airstrait is also super quiet – another thing that Kaling loves about it. “It’s just a super quiet device and it doesn’t burn my hair,” she says. “I don’t see that creepy steam that comes off of your flat iron when you’re like, ‘Wait, is that good for my hair?'”

Frozen food might get a bad rap, but you can’t beat the convenience – and yes, there are actually healthy (or, healthy-ish) options out there. For busy mornings or a quick and easy snack, Kaling loves Red’s All Natural Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Burrito ($3). Not only is it packed with protein (12 grams!), but for Kaling, it offers a hearty dose of childhood nostalgia.

“Frozen food is just such a blast from my past,” she says. “Both my parents worked, I was a latchkey kid, so having frozen pizza, frozen burritos, little TV dinners, that’s what we had when we came home.”

Kaling still loves a frozen burrito, but doesn’t necessarily love the ingredients in the 99 cent options would grab from the grocery store as a teenager. “I found this brand Red’s All Natural, and they have the Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Burrito,” she says. “I have all the ease of lazy college self in the morning before I drop my kids off at school or after a workout. If I don’t feel like being the saintly healthy person that makes myself like oatmeal and a banana, I can feel like I’m eating fast food without it being bad for me.”

Pro tip: Kaling’s favorite hack for preparing a frozen burrito? A quick zap in the microwave before finishing it off in the air fryer for a satisfying crunch. If she’s “being fancy,” she adds a bit of diced avocado on top to take it to another level.

Kaling’s evening skin-care routine is powered by Lion Pose, a newly launched brand with inclusion at the forefront of its mission. Founded by Silicon Valley software alums and Harvard MBA graduates Madhu Punjabi and Nisha Phatak, the brand was created to tackle hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and scarring safely and effectively on all skin tones.

Lion Pose’s inaugural product, the Unspotted 4x Acid Jelly Night Serum ($79) contains a 15 percent active acid blend to lift away dead skin cells and help even out skin tone. “The reason I use it at night is that it’s pretty powerful,” says Kaling, who is an investor and brand ambassador for Lion Pose. “It has glycolic lacid, lactic acid, it has a lot of these good acids to reduce the look of dark spots and things like that. I like to wear it at night underneath like a thick moisturizer and let it seep in and do its thing.”

Pro tip: While Kaling recommends using the serum at night, she’s also worn it during the day underneath sunscreen. If you go that route, don’t forget to layer on SPF too to avoid any sun sensitivies.

The Hoka One One Bondi 8 sneakers ($165) have become a staple in Kaling’s routine, both in and out of the gym. “I wear them for working out and then I’ll wear them if I’m going to Disneyland or a day when I know I’m gonna walk a lot outside,” she says. “I think they really transformed my workouts. They’re breathable, especially now when it’s so hot out if I go for a walk, my feet don’t get overheated. There’s just something about this particular sneaker that makes me want to work out and they’re just so comfortable.”

Pro tip: Another thing Kaling loves about Hokas is the array of color options. “The ones I have right now are turquoise and lavender. They have very have a lot of basic colors if you just want white or black or whatever. But they have good arch support and good for just everyday running and walking.”