Marsai Martin Unwinds With Journaling & Tyler The Creator's New Album

Being in the public eye and having a chaotic schedule go hand in hand — which is why we trust celebrities to know how to seriously unwind. In The Comedown, NYLON’s favorite famous faces break down their nighttime routines, from blue-light glasses to supplements — and everything (relaxing) in between.

At age 20, Marsai Martin has accomplished more in her career than most people twice her age. In 2019, she became the youngest person ever to executive-produce a film, Little, when she was just 13 — and since then, the grind hasn’t stopped. Beyond overseeing her production company, Genius Entertainment, Martin is currently wrapping production on a top-secret project, and serves as ambassador and partner producer for skin care brand Clinique. As a glasses wearer and someone with highly sensitive eyes, she credits the brand’s rigorous testing and Eye Safety Promise as the reason her eyes don’t get irritated after long days on set. She especially loves the brand’s All About Eye Depuffing Serum, a cooling rollerball she requests that her makeup artist always keeps on hand. “That way, if I'm waking up at the crack of dawn, I don't have to worry about [tired eyes],” she says. “I can get to set, and she can use the serum while she's prepping my face for the day.”

Whether she’s acting in front of the camera or sitting in the producer chair, one part of Marsai Martin’s routine rarely changes: her 8 p.m. wind down routine. In fact, she credits these relaxing evenings as a chance to slow down from the her acting, producing and ambassador duties. “I'm an old lady at heart, so I’m definitely not outside whatsoever,” she tells NYLON.

Below, Martin shares her evening routine — from her breathwork practice to the special someone she always texts before bed.

Walk us through your nighttime skin care routine. What products do you use and why?

I love to start off with the Clinique Take The Day Off. It's a complete game-changer for me, and it's something that I feel like everyone needs in their routine. It's super silky and dissolves makeup, SPF, and even [gets rid of false] lashes. And, it's safe for my sensitive skin and eyes. It's extremely important for me to be able to feel completely refreshed before laying my head down because I do not like makeup on my pillow. That's a real pet peeve of mine.

Then, I go in with Clinique's All About Clean Liquid Facial Soap, and maybe I do a little toner, followed by some lotion — preferably, the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. That's the OG for sure. And that's pretty much it. I try not to do too much. I'll add serums here and there, depending on how my skin is feeling that night. But aside from that, I’m ready to go to bed, so it's very quick and easy.

When you're on a strict production schedule, do you have any grounding rituals to help you navigate the late nights and early mornings?

I think it's important to take your vitamins at night. I always forget in the morning because as soon as I wake up, I'm rushing out the door. I also have coloring books or scripts that I like to read. Even though it’s work, it's calming for me to understand a story and get excited for it.

What about a bedtime playlist?

Of course, Tyler The Creator’s new album, “Chromakopia.” Even though it’s probably not the calmest thing to listen to when you go to sleep because it's a lot of “rah-rah,” I love it. There's also Mac Ayres, who is such an amazing artist. He has a new album out called “Cloudy.” And, so does Leon Thomas. They will always put me in a great mood for the next day.

How do you get prioritize getting a good night’s rest?

I have a bunch of aunties that love breathing exercises. Nadine Hicks, who was actually my makeup artist on the set of Black-ish, is now a yoga instructor and all about meditation and a calm mental state. Whenever I need her, she's there to help me with breathing exercises. She just sounds like a warm hug when you talk to her.

Is there a bad nighttime habit that you’ve had to kick?

I used to be a big TV watcher, but now I am completely fine without it. I turn everything off before I go to bed and it's super dark. I think with my mind running wild throughout the day, finding a time where it can just take a pause and have nothing to focus on is very important. But, I will just sleep anywhere. It's not that hard for me to go to sleep.

Do you have a nighttime hair care routine?

It really depends on the state of my hair. I change my hair a lot. But, if I'm in braids, I would have a scalp oil — something peppermint. I like the tingles on my scalp and making sure it's super clean. Then, I'll just throw on my silk bonnet and call it a day. I'm not super big on styling my hair. I'm currently working on styling my crown. I just try to get it as prepared and prepped as possible for the hairstylist that will be touching my hair that day.

[For a silk press,] I like a sleek look because I think that it’s easier for me to wrap up. As much as I wish that I would just throw my hair in a bonnet, that just doesn't work when you have a silk press. It's a method to the madness, truly. My grandma and my mom taught me how to have that in my routine.

What do you change into when you get home after a long day?

Oh girl, I love lounging. I will wear lounge clothes basically everywhere. I'll pull up to set with lounge clothes. That is my jam. I don't have a certain brand, but anything silk is super comfortable. I [also] love having big fluffy jackets, even when it's hot outside. I just love being comfortable.

Any other rituals?

Journaling, journaling, journaling. If you don't like writing, I do these diaries on my computer using the Photobooth app. Use whatever outlet you have to express yourself or talk about your day because it’s great to get all of that out before you go to sleep. This way, you're waking up in the middle of the night thinking about it. It’ll just drive you crazy.

Last thing you do before you close your eyes. Go!

I'll voice memo my man before I go to sleep.

That’s so sweet. How does that serve your routine?

It's being able to decompress aside from journaling. But it’s also a reassurance thing. That’s super important in relationships — making sure that your person knows that you're okay, and talking about your day. My schedule is a lot, and I think that for your mental health, your person should know that you're good.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.