Alicia Keys Is Giving Herself Permission to Glow

Affirmations are a soul-anchoring ritual in Alicia Keys’ life. Her world is filled with infinite responsibilities—being an acclaimed singer-songwriter, beauty founder, mother, wife, etc.—so pausing momentarily to recite a grounding mantra is one way she consciously cares for herself daily. “When you’re trying to juggle a lot of things, sometimes you feel heavy anxiety,” Keys says. “With affirmations, I discovered that when I could hold onto a phrase, those feelings would lift.” 

When we met on one sunny San Diego morning in late August, Keys had carefully chosen her daily declaration. That day, her schedule included shooting her Byrdie cover and a campaign for Keys Soulcare, the holistic beauty and wellness brand she established in 2020. Even with an 11-hour day on set ahead of her, her pure gratitude for all that’s on her plate was palpable as we sat together in her dressing room. “I told myself this morning, ‘I’m allowing today to be full of joy, fun, and celebration,'” she says. 

Leaning on euphoric sentiments like this has not only helped Keys stay rooted in her personal life, but it’s also shaped the spirit of Keys Soulcare. Every touchpoint of the brand is embedded with Keys’ empowering energy. Each product offering has an uplifting name and a carefully crafted affirmation on the packaging to encourage “soulcare.” The term is a two-fold concept Keys defines as simultaneously nurturing your soul and nourishing your skin. “When creating Keys Soulcare, we had so many revelations,” she says. “We saw that there was skin, hair, nail, and body care—but there was no soulcare.” 

For Keys, caring for her skin and soul became deeply intertwined practices over time. “My skin was super sensitive and prone to breakouts,” Keys says. “I thought it would go away after I was 18 years old, but I continued to break out past my mid-20s. I started to realize my skin was reflecting everything—from what I ate to how I felt to the energy around me. At the time, I had a lot of toxic energy around me, and I needed to get rid of it. Prioritizing my health and well-being was the catalyst for creating Keys Soulcare.”

Along her path to wellness in 2016, Keys famously swore off wearing makeup on covers and red carpets. Her decision wasn’t rooted in a disdain for cosmetics but rather a desire to understand who she is and what she wants without being bound by the weight of beauty standards. “Often, we get confused and believe that beauty is only external,” Keys says. “We live in a world where it’s all about the outside and physical appearance, but I think many of us are looking for deeper concepts and ideas [about beauty].”

Taking years to sit with herself—bare face and all—allowed her to become intimately acquainted with a freer version of her mind, body, and spirit. Keys Soulcare is a physical manifestation of all the inner and outer work Keys has done throughout adulthood. While she’s spent a significant portion of her self-discovery journey establishing rituals that feed her soul, Keys has also devoted herself to learning what actually benefits her skin. Through exploration, she became familiar with the impact ancient ingredients can have, especially when blended with contemporary science. Naturally, Keys Soulcare’s offerings (developed under the guidance of Renée Snyder, MD and board-certified dermatologist) adhere to this dual-ended formula philosophy. 

“The energy around Keys Soulcare is a beautiful combination of ancient meets modern,” Keys says. “These ancient concepts have been around for so long, and they’ve been so successful. Sometimes, we forget that there are so many natural ways to feed your soul and nurture your skin. Working with a dermatologist has allowed us to think about how we can use everyday ingredients I love, like Hōjicha [a roasted form of Japanese green tea] and manuka honey, to create offerings that work for everybody’s skin.”

The diversity within Keys Soulcare’s offerings vividly reflects Keys’ evolving relationship with her skin and sense of self. When the brand debuted four years ago, the initial range included a curated edit of skin-focused essentials like the Skin Transformation Cream and Obsidian Facial Roller. Subsequent launches in 2021 featured additional skincare offerings, like the Golden Cleanser, Be Luminous Exfoliator, and Comforting Balm. 

2022 marked a landmark moment for Keys Soulcare—and Keys herself. Having reacquainted herself with makeup on her terms, she was ready to introduce color-infused skincare offerings to the brand’s lineup. “When we created the color line, we decided to call it ‘Make You,'” she says. “Sometimes, the beauty world confines you. With Keys Soulcare, we support the idea that you don’t have to cover up. Instead, every person gets to define how they want to express themselves, and it can change as much as you want. I love having fun with the offerings and dialing it up or down, depending on what feels good to me at the moment.”

Let Me Glow Illuminating Serum served as the brand’s soft launch into the color category, and its original Golden Aura shade is a bona fide bestseller. This October, the brand is adding two new crystal-inspired shades of Let Me Glow, Moonstone Aura and Bronze Aura. Excitement instantly gushes from Keys’ voice when our conversation pivots to the glow-enhancing serum. “I’m so in love with Let Me Glow,” Keys says, as her makeup artist applies the primer to her skin. “You can pair it with anything, and it will add a subtle luminescence to your skin. It really is a viral sensation, and seeing how much other people love it feels good. Like with music, you never know what people will respond to.”

The positive feedback Keys’ brand has received has made her feel affirmed as a founder, inspiring her to continue championing the importance of Soulcare. “It’s beautiful to see people resonate with our philosophy and product offerings,” she says. “I love that we’ve created a new conversation around beauty and how we can connect with ourselves more. It’s the dream, to be honest.”

The multihyphenate is also proud that Keys Soulcare is a brand that engages all generations, her Gen Alpha sons included. “Keys Soulcare is for everybody,” she says. “I’m teaching my boys about skincare. My 14-year-old, Egypt, is in that prime hormone zone, and our offerings are great because they’re gentle and good for his skin. Conversations [about soulcare] are also big in our household, and we talk about how to express who they are and how they feel. I’m always asking them, ‘How do you feel?’ or ‘How can I support you better?'”

Keys Soulcare is undoubtedly one of Keys’ grandest visions realized, and she’s impressively brought it all to fruition while performing at the highest level as a musical artist. Between 2020 and 2023, she released three albums (Alicia, Keys, and Santa Baby), embarked on two tours, and celebrated the 20th anniversary of The Diary of Alicia Keys with a one-night-only show at Webster Hall in New York City. This year, she performed in the Super Bowl halftime show alongside Usher, and her single “No One” and Jay-Z collaboration “Empire State of Mind” became diamond-certified records. 

Having spent over two decades in the music industry, witnessing its ebbs and flows, Keys keenly knows that longevity is one of the greatest gifts. “It’s totally unbelievable in the most amazing way,” she says while reflecting on the continued growth of her career. “I’m so grateful that there is this connection that lasts [with the music] and you can feel it.”

Keys’ affinity for being a recording artist will certainly never fade, but as she’s grown, she’s also welcomed opportunities to channel her abilities into other creative realms. She’s spent the last few years developing the music, lyrics, and arrangements for Hell’s Kitchen—a semi-autobiographical musical of her experiences growing up in the Manhattan neighborhood. The show debuted off-Broadway in late 2023 before transitioning to the historic Shubert Theatre on Broadway in March. “With Hell’s Kitchen, I’m occupying a space that is brand-new for me, but I did not let the fact that I was not completely familiar with it stop me from trying and thriving,” Keys says. “We launched on Broadway this year and won two Tony Awards.”

Theater is not the only new territory Keys is immersing herself in, however. She and her husband, record producer and rapper Swizz Beatz, are also worked together to curate an exhibit of the paintings, photographs, and sculptures they’ve collected. Titled Giants, the showcase spotlights the work of legendary and contemporary Black artists (from Barkley L. Hendricks to Amy Sherald). “We launched at the Brooklyn Museum [in February] and are opening at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta,” Keys says. “We never dreamed there would be an art collection that holds our family name. It’s so beautiful.”

Keys, who grew up in a one-bedroom apartment in Hell’s Kitchen with her mother, didn’t imagine a world where her talents would open doors across industries. She’s performed her chart-topping hits on the most coveted global stages, built a successful beauty brand, and contributed prolifically to art and theater. And that’s the concise version of Keys’ resume. 

When Keys thinks about her ascension from adolescence to the present day, she can’t help but enter a state of deep reflection. Her professional accolades hold a special place in her heart, of course, but her growth as a woman moves her the most. “Younger Alicia would probably think I’m soft now, but I actually got stronger,” she says. “I’m so much more in touch with the truth. However, I do think the younger version of me would recognize herself in who I am today. Even though I’ve changed so much, my spirit and essence remain intact. I’m grateful for that because things in life can change us.”

In this season of life, at 43 years old, Keys doesn’t have a prescriptive plan for the future. She now finds comfort in the unknown and welcomes whatever calling beckons her next. “I’m so excited to continue to evolve,” she says. “I’m open-minded about what’s possible because it will lead you to places you never imagined. I’m learning, now more than ever, that there is no limit. There’s so much more to dream about, and I finally feel free enough to do it.”