Skai Jackson’s Nighttime Routine Includes TikTok “Clownery”

There’s no fooling Skai Jackson. Even though the actor, writer, and activist is a TikTok queen (hello, 21 million followers), that doesn’t mean she takes everything she sees on the app at face value, especially so-called hacks. “If it’s not a cooking video, I do not take advice from TikTok,” she tells Elite Daily. What she does take is major care of herself. When it comes to her mental health, the 20-year-old star is here for three things: self-care, skin care (the scientifically proven kind, not the viral kind), and all-around good vibes — vibes she hopes to spread with her latest project.

As the face of Cacharel’s new Bloom Up! scent from the Yes I Am fragrance collection, which is all about positivity and optimism, the Disney Channel alum is spreading the joy with her new campaign. According to Jackson, the name Bloom Up! is a saying she feels applies to those times when you want to emanate confidence: “You want to feel just boosted up.”

The scent itself is also uplifting, with its fresh, sweet, and mostly fruity notes. “It smells amazing,” says the Reach for the Skai author. “This is the perfect scent for anyone who wants to spray something on and you want people to smell you from a mile away and be like, ‘Who is that? They just smell so good.’”

Of course, applying a few spritzes of a delectable fragrance isn’t the only way Jackson maintains her healthy mindset. The former Jessie star also writes in her journal, hangs out with her besties, and fits in a nighttime regimen that really works for her. She’s also not immune to TikTok scrolling. (Celebs, they’re just like us.) Ahead, Skai Jackson talks about what helps her stay positive, her go-to skin care routine, plus the one TikTok trend she believes actually works.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Elite Daily: Since Cacharel’s Yes I Am fragrance collection is all about optimism, what are some things that help you to stay positive?

Skai Jackson: Sometimes, if I’m feeling down, I like to talk to my friends. My friends always put me in a better mood and they’re always there for me no matter what. But I also really like to write how I’m feeling in my journal and write positive affirmations so I can look back and see how I’ve grown as a person, even if it’s a week or two weeks from now. You’ll definitely see a difference.

ED: What are some self-care habits you swear by to help you unwind?

SJ: When I’m at home, I start by getting in the shower. I like to clean my face thoroughly, so I’ll use a toner, my cleanser, then I go in with my face steamer that just opens my pores up and pumps my skin up. From there, I’ll go in with a nice moisturizer because I have very dry skin. Sometimes I’ll do a face mask, too.

If I’m not at home, I like to go to the spa so I can get a nice massage, get a nice facial, get my nails done, and get my hair done. It definitely makes me feel a lot better, and puts me in a very good mindset.

ED: You made it to the semi-finals of Dancing With the Stars in 2020, which can be both physically and mentally intense. What are the best self-care tips you learned from being on that show that you still take into consideration today?

SJ: DWTS was one of the most challenging things that I have ever done. We were working Monday through Monday, so I didn’t get a day off. I was rehearsing every single day for six hours, not including when we would tape, so it was an all-day process. I had to teach myself to give myself time to unwind, and it’s OK to tell people that you need a break. It definitely challenged me mentally, and it pushed me to the limits that I didn’t know I could be pushed to, but it was a great learning experience.

ED: You’re also very active on TikTok. What are some TikTok skin care trends that you’re here for and ones you’re not?

SJ: When it comes to skin, I don’t really use TikTok because sometimes I feel like a lot of people do things for attention. I saw a video where someone had blackheads and oil and they used something and it was just magically gone. I was like, “Oh, my gosh, let me get that, that looks amazing.” And I did, and it did not work at all.

But TikTok did teach me that using aloe fresh from an aloe leaf on your skin and in your hair moisturizes everything — that’s one thing I did learn from there. Otherwise, if it’s not a cooking video, I do not take advice from TikTok.

ED: What are some TikTok recipes that you’ve tried?

SJ: I just tried one. It was called a Mississippi pot roast; I made that the other day and it was so good. The one before that was my at-home Chipotle rice bowl, but I made it with Jamaican jerk chicken instead.

ED: You briefly shared your latest skin care routine on Instagram. Can you break down your nightly routine a bit more?

SJ: I think my skin care routine used to be very long and drawn out. I would use everything, but what I posted on my Instagram was pretty accurate. (It includes One/Size makeup remover spray, witch hazel, a hydrating facial cleanser, a lip scrub, and Cetaphil moisturizer.) If anything, I was just missing maybe a face mask that I like to use. I don’t do a full routine all the time. Sometimes, I just get in bed, and I don’t care; I’m so tired after work.

Usually, I get in the shower, wash my face, then moisturize my skin. I wrap my hair up, and put my bonnet and scarf on. From there, I make myself some dinner, brush my teeth, get in bed, then I’m on TikTok all night. I’m on TikTok or on FaceTime with my friends, and we’re just cracking up laughing the whole time.

ED: What’s currently on your For You page?

SJ: Literally, the dumbest, stupidest, funniest videos. I’m on clownery side of TikTok — that’s what it is — but it makes me crack up. Sometimes, I find things so funny when they’re not really funny.

ED: That’s a good side to be on. Going back to IG, you recently shared pics with Jenna Ortega. How do you deal with finding time with your friends who also have busy schedules?

SJ: I have friends who are in the industry, and I have friends who aren’t. It’s kind of hard to balance that because they either have to go to work and clock in or I’m working as well. Our schedules are just so all over the place. If I can’t see them in person, we’re on the phone all the time. But I try to make sure, either on a Saturday or Sunday, I’m spending at least one day with my friends. Sometimes, I’ll just go to my friend’s house, and we’ll do everything that I would do at my house. I just want to be with my friends.

ED: What are some ways you unwind with your friends?

SJ: I like to watch movies with my friends and eat good food. Sometimes, we like to make food and be in the kitchen cooking. We just like to vibe and chill. I think that’s just the biggest thing.

ED: You also post your workouts at Dogpound on Instagram a lot. How often do you work out each week?

SJ: I work out three days a week. I get a personal trainer every time. I work out with three or four different personal trainers who are my favorites, and they kind of just do whatever I want to do. I love doing full body workouts. I don’t like a lot of cardio, but I like working out. It’s definitely something that I learned to love.