Amy Sedaris once said, “I like to play ugly people who think they’re pretty.” As Jerri Blank, of Strangers with Candy, and with her antic At Home with Amy Sedaris, she’ll do just about anything for a laugh. The actress, comedian, and writer has popped up in Elf, The Mandalorian, BoJack Horseman, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Tapping into her love of pipe cleaners, pom-poms, and all varieties of glue, she wrote the delightfully cheeky book Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People. And—fun fact—she used to sell homemade cupcakes and cheeseballs as an occasional side hustle. Sedaris’s daily rituals include a morning post to her wildly popular Instagram, multiple skin-care products, and quality time with her emotional-support rabbit, Tina.
WAKE-UP TIME:
It changes, but usually 8:00 to 8:30 A.M. I do about 15 minutes of rabbit chores, make my bed, and then do an Instagram post.
BREAKFAST:
Seldom.
VITAMINS and supplements:
My new favorite is OsteoMove. I can feel a huge difference. It’s a game changer!
PRODUCTIVITY TRICK:
A glass of water and a walk around my block.
JET-LAG HACK:
I ignore it. Or I sometimes use the SK-II Facial Treatment Mask and have a cup of tea.
WORKOUT:
I go to the health club three days a week for strength training. Pilates on Zoom once a week. And a stretch class on Saturdee.
TRACKER:
Zero. I’m not a gadget person. I didn’t get an iPhone until 2015!
SNACK:
Popcorn. And I’m addicted to eating BonBon Swedish candy. Preferably while watching Bill Maher. It’s my weakness.
COCKTAIL/MOCKTAIL:
I’m not a big drinker, but when I do, it’s tequila or mescal with ice and lime or a gin martini straight up with olives.
MOOD LIFTER:
Massaging my bunny every chance I get always does the trick. Or I could spend hours talking to other rabbit owners.
ENERGY BURST:
Double espresso on ice.
SELF-CARE:
I get a facial once a month at Sunday Skincare NYC. It’s mostly massaging my face.
FIRST BEAUTY PRODUCT:
Jergens lotion. When I was 11, my mother took me to the dermatologist. He wrote on his prescription pad that I needed to apply lotion to my face and body, and he recommended Jergens. I felt so special having a doctor’s note! Ever since, I have religiously applied lotion to every area of my body.
BEAUTY TREATMENT YOU’LL NEVER, EVER DO AGAIN:
Eyebrow threading. Painful!
LOTIONS, POTIONS, AND SPRAYS:
I like so many! Santa Maria Novella soap and La Roche-Posay face cleanser. For serums, it’s Reyn, Goop Youth-Boost Peptide, and Vintner’s Daughter. For moisture, I use True Botanicals Renew Pure Radiance Oil, Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream, and Linné VI.c Nurture Face and Body Balm. I also use unscented Epicuren After Bath lotion and switch to the coconut scent in the summer, Enfleurage Sweetgrass Water spray, Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, and L:A Bruket Lip Balm.
MAKEUP MUST:
I don’t wear a lot of makeup, but I just started wearing Jones Road Miracle Balm, and I really like it.
SCENT:
I do everything RuPaul says not to do. I mix five things, but my base is always Comme des Garçons Incense Avignon. My brother David says I smell like a strange cookie, maybe one with pencil shavings in it.
WHERE ARE YOU HAPPIEST?
Nothing makes me happier than walking into my bedroom and seeing Tina, my bunny, on the bed. Or when I’m around family. Or sitting in business class watching a mini-series about Jim Jones and eating a sundae.
WHAT GETS YOU OUT OF A FUNK?
A book, massaging my bunny, and taking a bath. Seeing my brother David is also helpful.
IF YOU COULD CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR APPEARANCE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
My head is the size of a coconut, and my hair is sparse and scattered—just like the hair on a coconut.
WHEN DO YOU FEEL THE MOST BEAUTIFUL?
Never.
BEST THING ABOUT AGING:
I’m closer to becoming a ghost. I am going to be a fantastic ghost! I almost can’t wait.
Holly Parmelee, formerly an associate publisher at Little, Brown and Company, is an editor and writer at Serendipity magazine
