It’s been 14 years since Michael Strahan retired from the NFL, following a 15-year career as a defensive end for the New York Giants. Since then, his professional life has not only taken off, he’s gone in countless directions: He’s a commentator on the Fox NFL Sunday pregame show (along with hosting “Thursday Night Football”), he’s had a four-year stint as co-host of “Live! With Kelly and Michael” alongside Kelly Ripa and is currently a morning host of “Good Morning America”.
In 2015, he also launched his Michael Strahan clothing collection, which he wears almost every day. “Everything in my line is designed for versatility,” she tells CNN Underscored, noting that the Modern Fit Crew Neck Sweater with navy triangles is one of her new favorites. “All my tops can take me to meetings, social events and beyond. I love them.” It can also often be found in the collection’s straight black jeans, which can easily be passed off as dress pants. “Our denim has the perfect amount of stretch,” he says, useful for when he’s sitting on a plane or in front of the camera for hours at a time. (Or, you know, to shoot yourself to the edge of space with Blue Origin.)
Now Strahan is also getting into the skincare game for the first time. On September 16, she launched the Michael Strahan Daily Defense line (available at CVS), which is a five-product regimen based on the products she uses every day to defend against dry skin.
CNN Underscored spoke with Strahan, one of the busiest men in television, to get his favorite everyday essentials for when he’s on the go.
Sports clothing
Strahan points out that it is not always in a suit and tie in front of a camera. When he has downtime, he prefers to be comfortable and relaxed in sportswear. “This is my favorite of the NFL line, hands down,” he says of this Michael Strahan MSX Tank Top. “This is what I wear when I’m watching games, I’m at home, or I’m sweating at the gym.”
Daily moisturizing cream
There are five products in Strahan’s new skincare line: a face wash, a shaving lotion, an aftershave balm, a face and neck moisturizer and a conditioning oil for the beard She prefers to use all of them as part of her daily routine, but if she’s traveling, she makes sure to at least put on the moisturizer, which is non-clogging and made with vitamin E and avocado oil. “It’s my secret weapon for looking and feeling my best,” she says. “Especially during football season, which is my most active season.”
A device for work and play
Because he often travels by plane, train or car, Strahan says he always has his iPad on him to watch content while on the go, too. “I love my iPad,” she says. “Not only for working and catching up on emails, but also for unplugging and watching movies.” He adds, “On ‘GMA,’ a lot of the actors come to promote their movies, so I’m lucky enough to get the projectors to see them in advance.”
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canteen
“A good skin care routine is also related to hydration,” says Strahan. “And nutrition too, of course.” Make sure you get at least eight glasses of water a day with your 32-ounce portable stainless steel Hydro Flask. “I’m always drinking a ton of water during the day,” she says. “That helps me stay on track.”
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Quality suitcase
“GMA” and “Thursday Night Football” are filmed in New York (where Strahan is based), but he still constantly flies around the country for various morning show segments, for football games or to shoot commercials or other media appearances . “I’ve become a packing pro at this point,” she says, noting that she loves the durable Away bags. “Having a good quality bag is really important with the amount of travel I end up doing week to week.”
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Meal replacement bar
Leisurely sit-down lunches aren’t exactly something the workaholic Strahan can write about every day. “My schedule is so hectic,” she says. “But it’s important to stay fueled. When I can’t sit down to lunch, I just eat a Quest bar. They’re healthy, so they’re always in my bag. Sometimes that’s how I get from meeting to meeting.”
Portable charger
No lost connections here. Strahan says he has to stay connected for work, which means he won’t go anywhere without a portable cellphone, laptop and AirPods charger. The best-selling Anker PowerCore III Elite is slim enough to fit in your pants or jacket pockets and charges in three hours. It then has enough juice to recharge a mobile phone up to five times. “It’s really important that I stay charged up from all my work meetings and calls throughout the day,” says Strahan.
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