Keke Palmer Recently Shared Her Favorite Freckle Pen, Fragrance, and Essential for Styling Her Pixie Cut.

      Introducing Unfiltered, a new beauty series that offers a unique look into the simple beauty routines of our favorite celebrities and content creators. They will share their guilty-pleasure beauty habits, their must-have products for a five-minute routine, the one good-skin tip they cherish, and more. To complete each conversation, we ask every celebrity to provide a selection of self-shot, filter-free photos that embody their Unfiltered beauty philosophy. Next, we’re excited to feature actress, singer, podcast host, and WWW July 2025 cover star Keke Palmer, who is also the chief brand officer for Creme of Nature. Below, she responds to our rapid-fire questions about her skin and makeup secrets, how she styles her current pixie cut, and more. Enjoy!

      (Image credit: @keke)As you guide the brand direction for Creme of Nature, the Scalp Relief Wipes marked your first product launch in this role. Can you walk me through that process? Were there multiple iterations before finalizing the formula?Article continues below It happened quite quickly. My main goal was to create something that girls could easily carry in their bags, especially while doing fitness, wearing protective styles, attending meetings, or dealing with edge buildup—situations like these. The accessibility we have with makeup for hair isn’t often the same. That’s where the idea originated. Once I pitched it and we discussed it, they began to iterate on the packaging, and I received the first product trial. Creme of Nature is an established company, and it offers a unique environment for testing innovative products while achieving immediate results due to its rich history. My primary concern was ensuring that the product wouldn’t strip the hair. We had discussions about this right from the start. I focused on how to address buildup and enhance the longevity of any hairstyle, especially protective styles, without stripping away the hair’s natural oils, which led us to our final result.

      Why was it important for you to work with Creme of Nature in this capacity? Is this something you’ve always envisioned doing with a brand?Many view Keke Palmer as an individual, but I see Keke Palmer as a brand. It’s a brand I’ve been developing with my family since childhood. Acting, influencing, sharing my beliefs through storytelling, and creating cultural impact through my work have always been part of my vision. For Creme of Nature to recognize my journey and seek my expertise to contribute to their brand aligns perfectly with my evolution as a businessperson. While I enjoy entertaining and performing, I’ve always had many thoughts beyond that role. Collaborating with them felt like a natural progression in my career.

      I’d love to learn more about your own scalp care journey. What’s your current routine, and how has it evolved over the years?My routine changes based on my hairstyles. To be honest, over the past few years, I've used a variety of products from both new and familiar lines of Creme of Nature. When I had longer hair, my routine was more extensive, involving treatments, masks, and overnight conditioning. Now, it’s simplified to a basic shampoo and conditioner routine, followed by the Foaming Mousse, which is essential for styling my pixie cut. I'm quite generous with the mousse, and I typically sit under the dryer for about 40 minutes to an hour. After that, I apply a bit of Shine Mist and use Edge Control on the edges and tips for added texture and flair before heading out. It’s a straightforward process. While I would have layered more conditioning treatments when my hair was longer, my current routine is quicker and easier due to my shorter hair.

      (Image credit: @keke)On a broader scale, if you had to rush out the door in five minutes, what beauty products would you grab or apply?For fragrance, I always include my favorite Creed perfume. My must-have is the La Roche-Posay SPF, particularly the new tinted version, which is my top pick right now. I also bring my shine mist, edge control, and scalp wipes. The idea for scalp wipes originated with protective styles in mind, providing flexibility, especially for 4c hair when working out and other activities. However, I've found that they work well for all hair types. With my short hair, I often need to fix the back without having to wash and restyle. Surprisingly, even with less hair, these wipes remain essential, fitting perfectly into my bag. I always carry some deodorant because I do perspire naturally, and a little lip gloss—I'm fond of Laneige but don’t have a specific favorite among their options.

      Awesome! Which Creed fragrance do you prefer?It’s Carmina.

      You’ve previously spoken about your struggles with hyperpigmentation and acne, but every time I see a picture or video of you, I think, "Her skin looks flawless." I need to know your secrets, whether in skincare or makeup! Oh thank you! Firstly, I would recommend anyone dealing