What’s In Your Starter Kit?
What’s In Your Starter Kit?
I love a good starter kit. What are you putting in yours? Here's mine...
I love a good starter kit.
The idea of a personal starter kit came from a Dave East interview. I write and interview professionally, and I always admire when an interviewer asks a fun, intriguing question that begs for a discerning answer. So a few years back when I saw an interviewer ask Dave, “If you had a starter kit based off your personality, what items would be included in a Dave East starter kit?” I immediately wrote it down. I spent the next week asking each of my friends what would be in their starter kit. The answers were so fun!
What the hell is a Starter Kit?
A starter kit is different from your current or monthly favorites. I guess you could call your starter kit your ride-or-dies. It’s the things you always keep on you, or the things you’re known for. For instance, anyone around me worth their salt knows I keep a bottle of gin on deck. They know my brand, they know my go-to gin drink, and they know how I order it because I’m never not drinking it lol. It’s so ingrained in my personality that anytime a friend tries a new gin drink they call me lol. In fact, as I write this I’m drinking a wonderful gin and tonic now courtesy of Hendrick’s Orbium (and it is exquisite).
The first starter kit I ever made looked something like this —
(it was on my author website)
As you can probably tell, at the time I was coming off of a very, um, provocative season lol. I was enamored with the art of seduction, so at that time in my life my starter kit was pure glamour. CL So Kates, red lipstick, sultry candles, and negligees. I’d like to think Dita Von Teese would have been proud.
Now, I’m in a different season. Time has passed, and I’ve graduated to my 30s. Plus, I’m also not an active nightlife writer anymore. So I’m no longer spending most of my time dressing up and being out in Las Vegas clubs all night so I can turn in an article by 10 am about Migos’ performance at Drai’s (ahh, good times though!).
It made me wonder, what would be in my starter kit today?
I shared recently how I have borderline personality disorder, a mood disorder that leads to episodes of dissociation which leads me to feel a loss of identity. When that happens I have to do exercises to help me find my way back to myself. Compiling a starter kit is a cool activity that helps you visually make something that showcases some of your personality. It’s not a moodboard, but more of YOU-board. Ah-ha, get it?! Get it?! *cue corny joke drum sound*
Below I’ve shared what’s in the 2024 Zauni Tanil starter kit. If you make one please share it with me so I can see your board, or I’d love to hear in the comments what would be in your kit.
My Starter Kit
GIN: A non-negotiable in life. I genuinely love the taste of alcohol, and a good gin just does something euphoric to my brain and body. I have a bottle of Hendricks at home at all time. Not only because it’s good, but because when I started my career the magazine I worked for had a relationship with Hendricks, so also *nostalgia*
MY FIRST BOOK: The story inspired by my juicy love affair in Las Vegas. While I’ve published other books since, flowers from smoke has a special place in my heart because it’s about that time in a woman’s life when she begins to discover her power and her confidence in her seduction. And yes, the man it’s inspired by did read it, and we had quite an intriguing conversation about it.
LUSH: If LUSH only has one fan, it’s me. My bathroom is littered with little black pots. I am one of their fiercest advocators. I’ve been using LUSH skincare since my teens, and now in my 30s I see no signs of stopping.
JEWELRY: I’m in my diamond season. I’m here to sparkle. Give me more shine, more sparkly, more frosting. *shout out if you know that reference*
PRE-ROLLS: I love a good pre-roll, because I loathe rolling. Also, I don’t believe in sharing. I am not passing anything. We are grown enough and make enough to have our own. I keep a bowl of pre-rolls at home where guests are more than welcome to help themselves to what they like. Just don’t ask me to pass mine. I stand with Kendrick, I’m a gemini and I’m selfish. I’m not sharing.
FREE 6LACK: An album that changed my life, and one I still, 8 years after its debut, play nearly every other day. Ex-Calling? Sublime. Luving u? FREE?!! *chefs kiss* If you hear me playing Alone/EA6 on repeat, just know I’m in my scheme era.
PENCIL LIP LINERS: If NYX ever goes out of business I will bulk buy every single brown, nude toffee, espresso, and nude beige lip pencil I can find. 9 times out of 10 if I’m not in a red lip, I’m wearing a mixture of those lip pencils. I’m not someone who buys multiples for makeup, but I love these so much I keep a back up on me.
TRAVEL CARDS: I need points, I need lounge access, I need to book trips with my points, I need rewards. I’m traveling a lot right now, so give me all of it. All the AMEX points. I love it.
LIMES: I don’t want lemon in my water, I want lime. If I’m drinking any cocktail, eight times out of ten I will ask for a bowl of limes. Dumping 6 lime slices in a gin and tonic? Yes, I certainly will. Sprinkling half a lime with salt and eating? Absolutely. Great snack. Interestingly I’m not too fond of lime flavored food, but lime drinks? Delicious. A cherry limeade?! Top 3 drinks of all time.
SWEET RED: Similarly to gin, I will probably always have a bottle of Menage a Trois Silk Sultry Red tucked away in some kitchen cabinet, along with some pretty champagne coupes. It’s the best cheap, grocery store sweet red. A late night glass or two with a bowl of dark chocolate is to me what red wine and popcorn was to Olivia Pope.
BLACK HANDBAG: I feel like every era of my style journey is defined by a distinct black handbag that I carry non stop. Currently, it’s a Prada Saffiano shoulder bag, but as my style is beginning to shift again I’ve had my eye on this Salvatore Ferragamo bag for a minute and might pull the trigger. (I swear if one of y’all buys it from this post I’m flipping all this shit over lol 😩😂).
SEXY SUPPLEMENTS: I need something to get my blood pumping, which is why I’m a passionate fan and consistent supporter of desire-targeted supplements. These supplements tend to include ashwagandha and maca as the main ingredients in order to promote lower cortisol levels (less stress) and increase libido. With depression, sometimes my passionate, vibrant energy can become dull. I take these daily to help calm my body and stimulate that dulled energy.
SUNGLASSES: A pair of Saint Laurant sunglasses. All I need.
SCENT: I love a good scent, something that’s sexy and animalistic, almost repugnant in some cases. Recently I’ve been enamored with Orebella, Bella Hadid’s fragrance brand. So sultry. So good.
LINGERIE: Best brands: Intimissimi and Natori for everyday, La Perla for tradition and artistry, Gap Body for lounge pieces, and I know y'all may disagree, but when they get it right?! Victoria’s Secret. Especially vintage VS slips.
PILE OF BOOKS: My love of stories knows no bounds. My home is scattered with books and magazines. I love reading intriguing tales of intriguing lives from intriguing people. Lately I’ve really enjoyed Wildflower: A Memoir by Aurora James, I’ll Drink to That by Betty Halbreich, and Your Table Is Ready by Michael Cecchi.
PRADA: I have my own love for Prada, but I can’t help but admit one of the reasons I like Prada so much is because my mother is a Prada lady. It’s one of her favorite brands. That woman loves a Prada bag. So every time I carry a Prada purse, or she hands me one down, I feel so cool like her. It makes me feel like her mini-me 🥹. And since I think she’s the coolest woman ever, I love when I get to match her fly.
BIBLE: I’ve been an avid NIV bible reader, but lately I’m thinking of switching to a new version. Regardless, though, my black leather bound bible is my homecoming. It’s one of the places I converse with God. To know me is to know how much I love God. Full stop. If there could only be 1 single thing in my starter kit, it’d be my bible. •
If you had a starter kit based off your personality, what items would it include?
xo, Zauni Tanil (Instagram)
