Abigail Spencer’s Favorite Things, From Fashion to Food

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Abigail Spencer has long embraced her wanderlust. Whether it’s for work or for pleasure, she’s gotten good at living on the go.

“It has to be easy, and it has to be able to travel,” the Suits actress said of her chic — yet practical — on-the-go summer style. “Everything to me is, ‘How do you create a system for travel?’” Case in point: After wrapping writer/director Jake Allyn’s Clean Hands in Georgia alongside Zach Braff, Spencer then headed to upstate New York to film the Fox medical comedy, Best Medicine, with costar Josh Charles. Between the two projects, the County Line Florals founder made a pit stop in Los Angeles in late April to host French skincare brand Bioderma’s 30th anniversary party at iconic hotel Chateau Marmont.

“I love to throw a party,” said 43-year-old star, who crafted the blooms herself through her company, County Line Florals. “I love hosting and creating a floral story for a brand.” She also called up friends, former co-stars and beauty insider pals to celebrate: Zooey Deschanel, Melanie Lynskey, Kim Raver, Camilla Luddington, Amanda Kloots, Maggie Lawson, Nasim Pedrad, Chriselle Lim, Ashley Madekwe, Nichelle Hines, Kelly Zafjen, hairstylist Vincent Pelletier and others joined the festivities with Bioderma North America CEO Jeremy Bayen, marketing director Iryna Bilodid, brand manager Marie Roland-Gosselin and PR and influencer partnerships manager Esther Kim.

At the starry beauty soirée, Spencer revealed her introduction to Bioderma came when she was filming abroad.

“The only way anybody takes their makeup off in Hollywood is because of Bioderma,” Spencer explained. “I was shooting my first nighttime series on the air, Angela’s Eyes, as the lead. I was in makeup for 18 hours a day. Prior to that, I started developing under skin acne because I couldn’t get all the makeup off of my skin. I started having to do various things to strip my skin and regulate it. It was horrible for my skin. It might have gotten rid of the under skin acne but [it was] stripping my face. When I was in Canada shooting Angela’s Eyes, the makeup artist introduced me to this brand that I had never seen in the States before —Bioderma. I [have been] using it ever since. The wipes have saved me many a night coming home from an event. I just keep them by the bed to get the makeup off.”

Bioderma launched abroad in 1995, but it only became available in America at Ulta, Target, and CVS last year. The company is further expanding its footprint in the U.S. by opening its first corporate office in Houston next year. To celebrate the milestone, the skincare brand suggested co-hosting a dinner party in tandem with Spencer, whose company, County Line Florals, also handled the event’s flowers and hospitality.

Spencer also co-hosted a second June event for Bioderma in Toronto. Between upcoming projects abroad and summer plans, THR figured who better to ask about travel style essentials? “Wherever I go, [I think], ‘How can I keep things fun, easy, effortless, and reusable?’” she shared. “You’ll see the coordinating of all these pieces. They all go together.”

As for where her travels will take her next, Spencer joked, “Where will it not?” She has upcoming jobs in Italy and Paris as well as plans to visit her home away from home of Ojai, “[which] isn’t too far away but it feels a world away when I’m up there. It has become my second home and healing place.”

In honor of the starry beauty party, Spencer shared her summer must-haves and travel hacks. Ahead, shop her list of dozens of items — from her favorite Bioderma product to Joanna Vargas’ top serum; clothing from La Ligne, Agolde, Anine Bing and Tory Burch; beach-ready accessories from Janessa Leone, Karl Lagerfeld, Amanu and Freda Salvador; the latest from the Maya Brenner x Abigail Spencer Retreat necklace collection; and much more.

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water Makeup Remover

“I don’t travel without it,” Spencer says. “I keep it in my car. I keep it in my purse. I keep it on a plane,” Spencer says, adding that in addition to removing make-up, it’s also her hack for clothing stains. “If you spill red wine or chocolate, put a little Bioderma Micellar water on it with a little Q-tip. It’ll get it right out. That’s the bigger secret that I’ve learned about Bioderma. It’s [great for] my skin, but also stains.”

Joanna Vargas Rescue Vitamin C + Squalane Serum

“Of all the serums I’ve used, this vitamin C serum leaves the most [beautiful] glow, and [I love] the smell of it. I’m a vitamin C person, and this is my favorite vitamin C and my favorite serum [Joanna Vargas] makes.”

No Makeup Makeup Foundation + Brush Duo

“I don’t want to look like I’m wearing makeup [in the summer], but I want to look a little better than I do without makeup. It’s the easiest [product]. With the brush, it blends right into my skin. It evens out my skin tone, and that’s all that I’m wearing this summer.”

EltaMD UV Daily Broad-Spectrum SPF 40

“I have cystic acne, so I cannot use sunscreen on my face. It breaks me out. The only one I’ve been able to use is Elta MD. It’s made specifically for an anti-acne experience, and it’s the only sunscreen that doesn’t break me out, so it’s perfect for summer. It’s light, too. But [I don’t use] the tinted, you’ve got to go with the regular [product].”

“I discovered Agent Nateur at We Care [Spa in Desert Hot Springs, Calif.]. They have a pretty stringent policy around which products they’ll bring into the space out there. They have to be natural, vegan. It is the lightest [product], but it has a super glow. It almost looks like it’s putting a little color into my skin but there’s no color and also it has a tightening aspect to it. It’s a great summer body balm because it tightens. I have noticed a huge difference. It’s all natural and it works. It’s my go-to now.”

Surratt Relevee Lash Curler

“I always say if I was on a deserted island what’s the one beauty product I’d bring? This eyelash curler. I don’t wear mascara in the summers as it’s too messy. So, I go to Kristie Streicher to keep lashes and brows summer [ready]. When I use the Surratt eyelash curler, I get asked if my lashes are real. [It’s the] best on market I’ve found.”

“Janessa makes a really great travel bucket hat, but this one has the tie. I was in Indonesia with Jules [Hough] and Nina [Dobrev], and we all had our Janessa Leone bucket hats. But they didn’t have a tie. Mine just flew off into the ocean — never to be seen again. I realized, ‘Alright, we need a necktie from here on out.’ This one is dainty and feminine and also protects from the sun. It’s like a little shield.”

“[These] flower sprinkles from As Ever are like joy in a little can,” she says of the currently sold-out edible flower petals from close friend Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle brand. The sprinkles can be added as confetti to any confection: “You put it on everything. I put it in drinks. I put it in salads. It’s perfect for me. When I can’t have County Line Florals, I have my As Ever flower sprinkles.” Just add your name to the wait list for when it’s re-released.

Smileactives Vibrite Sonic Power Blue LED Light Electric Toothbrush

Smileactives Teeth Whitening Gel for Toothpaste with Clinical-Grade Hydrogen Peroxide

“SmileActives is a new discovery. I am obsessed with having white teeth, but I’m not willing to do the strips because my teeth are so sensitive. It has blue light technology. I travel with it and have it on the airplane. It has a little bit of a whitening gel. It is the easiest system to use.” She added, “I mean, who doesn’t love being a little tan and having white teeth in the summer?”

Billiecart-Salmon Champagne Le Rose

“I normally don’t like a rosé champagne, but this is the best one I’ve ever had. [This tastes like] summer to me. We went through years of rosé all day, you know? And now I feel like champagne rosé all day is where we’re headed.”

Sakara The Essentials Bundle

“I was in Georgia shooting a movie last month, and [there weren’t] a lot of great, healthy options to keep my energy sustained. When I’m shooting, I tend to not eat meat. I take out a lot of processed foods. I need all of my energy, and so I notice that a gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, plant-based [diet] is the best for me when I’m shooting. I don’t have a lot of options in Georgia, so I started ordering Sakara. It was so easy and such a game changer. They [also] have all these supplements that help with energy, that improve metabolism. They really do work. I also like liquid vitamins. I feel like it gets [to] your system faster. They made it super easy. [I also like] the essentials kit for travel. I always feel like when summer rolls around, I’m like, ‘Oh, I’ve got to work out again and keep it right and tight. So what are the ways to do that?’ That’s a way to do it.”

Plant People WonderBurn Gummies

“This is another new discovery for me. They sell at Erewhon and Whole Foods, but it’s a small company. I like liquid vitamins, and I’ve really gotten into the gummy craze. They all taste great, but the WonderBurn [is my favorite]. They help with appetite cravings and really settle your system. And they’re all natural. It’s a great young founder [Gabe Kennedy with Hudson Gaines-Ross]. I love finding companies like this.”

New Era 2025 MLS Kickoff 9Twenty Adjustable Hat

“This is my L.A. hat. If you are an Angeleno, you need a little piece of L.A. with you at all times — especially as we continue to heal and recover from the fires. And I do love L.A. Football Club. It’s my favorite L.A. local sports team. You can get [this hat] in all sorts [designs], but I love LAFC.”

La Ligne Fiona Mini Dress

“I’m into a jean dress this year, I’m going back to my Southern roots. I also like support, and what I love about this jean dress is it’s a little corseted, so it keeps everything in place. You can wear it with tennis shoes or you can dress it up. It’s cute and well-proportioned. It’s a great summer dress.”

“La Ligne is a forever staple [in my wardrobe]. What I love about their price point is you get a Celine-level aesthetic for a much more reasonable price. They make this dress with the sweater top and bottom. I have been wearing it all the time. It’s my uniform. It is a great travel dress. I wore it in Georgia. I’m wearing it in L.A. I’ve been wearing it in Ojai. I put a sweater on it.”

La Ligne Solid Mini Marina Cardigan

“A summer sweater is always a thing for me. You know how in the summer things can feel heavy on the skin? [This doesn’t], but it has great coverage. I love a navy with everything. So instead of [wearing] black or white, I think navy is a great summer sweater. I’m like, ‘Have I been wearing this sweater too much?’ But it’s perfect. This is my go-to sweater right now.”

“I am going to Italy to shoot a movie later this summer. I just started [thinking], ‘What would I want to [wear]? What is the perfect classic Italian summer look or summer vibe?’ I saw that dress, and I was like, ‘There she is. She’s right there.’ So if you want to bring an Italian summer to your life, this is La Dolce Vita. It’s so well-priced and it fits great. I’m not normally into a shorter dress but this one is proportioned well.”

Heidi Merrick Ginger Dress in Dandelion Linen

“I’m obsessed with Heidi Merrick. She’s not only one of my great friends, but she is able to bridge this effortless California elegance with surf culture. And that’s my childhood as well. I have this dress in cream. I have this dress in black, but the marigold is such a great choice. Yellow is one of the colors of summer for me.”

Else Nano Underwired Bodysuit

“I started wearing bodysuits almost exclusively. This is my go-to body suit. I’m wearing it now under my T-shirt and jeans … or dresses. It also doubles as a swimsuit.”

“It’s the perfect jean. I mostly wear Khaite jeans across the board. It’s a great fit. They’re an investment. They last forever. It is so comfortable. I love the high waist. You can roll it up and wear it with sneakers, but it is more fun to put on with tall boots. You can wear it with heels. It’s the most comfortable, most flattering jean that I’ve tried this year.”

Maya Brenner x Abigail Spencer Retreat Necklace

Spencer says her Retreat necklace — from her collaboration with friend and jewelry designer Maya Brenner — “is my staple piece. It’s not just a piece of jewelry. It’s a way of being. How do you find retreat in your everyday life? What do you do to retreat back to the beginning? Sometimes we can’t get away. We can’t for whatever [reason], but how do we invite retreat into our everyday lives? Whether it’s through healing, happiness, flow, courage, protection. Each piece has a meaning. It’s such a great travel piece, too.”

“I return to this jean jacket again and again. I love it oversized. It’s light. All the various brands make a jean jacket, but, to me, this one is the perfect jean jacket.”

“I’m wearing them now. They continue to be the perfect day-to-day travel tennis shoe. I have them in cream. I have them in white. They are so comfortable. I love how they incorporate the suede, so there’s some texture. They’re my perfect everyday sneaker.”

Nike Air Max 90 Shoes

Use code SPORT for 20 percent off

“I’m an Air Max girl for workouts. My secret is I don’t like to tie my shoes. These slip in and out so well. I love the white with the pink. Like my [Clic Barbour] jacket, I’m loving a little pop of pink. I love these shoes for summer, and it gets me out of my black on black on black every day [look].”

Freda Salvador Jules Mary Jane Flat

“These shoes have been a surprise for me. My feet have to be comfortable for me to be a happy person. These did not give me blisters. [They] put this hidden layer in the sole that gives you a little bit of internal height. And I love the color. I’m loving an all black or a dark summer look but with a light shoe; so I like the raffia neutral. You pair it with a raffia bag like The Hunting Season basket [below]. I’ve been using that basket as my purse and it complements the Freda Salvador shoes.”

The Hunting Season Medium Basket

“This is my summer purse, I am obsessed with this. I have the all-white one with me. Especially during summer, you might want to have a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses or a bottle of Billiecart-Salmon and some to-go cups in your purse. You want to have flowers, but then I also want to put my wallet and a baseball cap in there.”

Minnetonka Women’s Two-Button Softsole Boot

“I feel like you need a summer boot. [This one is] going back going back to my roots. I’ve been a pretty religious Minnetonka wearer for a long time. Maybe it’s the Ojai in me too. I always need some sort of moccasin-type boot for summer. I like pairing it with a white summer dress. But don’t sleep on Minnetonka. It’s coming back. I use them as set shoes, too. Usually the set shoe is an UGG-type boot, but in the summer, when it’s hot, like when I was just in Georgia, I was wearing my Minnetonka boots as my set shoes.”

Tory Burch Kira Sport Sandal

“I don’t get blisters from [these Tory Burch sandals], I’ve been walking everywhere in them. I like them in the leopard and I have them in black as well. They go with everything. They’re flattering on the leg. They give that little bit of height, but they bend in the sole, so they move with your foot instead of being overly flat, which is what I’m always looking for.”

Autry Medalist Low Sneaker in White and Platinum Leather

“I’m new on the scene [to Autry sneakers]. They’re everywhere in Europe, but they’re pretty new to the States. It’s just another option [I wanted to share] because a lot of the ones that I’ve said are for more arched feet like mine. This is great for a more flat foot.”

Karl Lagerfeld x Amber Valletta Tote Bag

“This is a good [alternative to the bag above]. This is just a bigger [version]. This is your summer Mary Poppins bag. I would go to Paris or Costa Rica with this bag.”

“These are my second favorite [style],” says Spencer, explaining they discontinued her original favorite style, the Webster Nylon. “Since you cannot get the all black Webster, you can still get these. These are a great shape. Krewe does not sell in Europe yet. A friend of mine who lives in France flipped for these glasses. She [said], ‘I cannot get these anywhere. These are the perfect glasses,’ and I said, ‘Take them.’ Sometimes I give them out to people who can’t get them because they’re so great.”

SunBody Hat Oak Tear Drop 4” Brim

“During summer, you have to have something with a tie on your neck for wind — if you’re on a boat, if you’re traveling. This hat is from a small Houston-based cowboy hat company. You could ride horses in it, you could go to the beach, or you could be in Paris. It’s a low price point and it’s perfectly made. It is [a] real-deal cowboy [hat]. I’ve had mine for almost 10 years and the leather is still [good].”

Amanu Style 22 The Kigali

Of stylist Anita Patrickson’s made-to-measure sandals from her brand, Amanu, Spencer says, “They’re beautiful. They are a work of art on your feet. I tend to wear a lot of black, so what I love about these is that pop [of color] at the toe. As you know, for my Maya Brenner Retreat [necklace] collection, I love incorporating any kind of stone. So I thought this was a beautiful way to dress simply [but with] a little personality on the foot.”

Roseark Wire Spiral Wire Ring

“I always say, ‘The way that I dress is like at any moment a dance party could start.’ This ring is the embodiment of that. It moves like a second skin. It moves with my finger, It’s so cool in the light, too. It gleams.”

“Roseark is a local L.A. company. I love investing in companies that are L.A.-born and bred and female-founded. Roseark is for the eclectic taste. All their pieces are left of center. I like a cuff. This also feels like a little bit of a shield. As a mother, you’re in warrior mode. So, it’s like a warrior cuff, but isn’t too heavy, and it’s just beautiful.”

Ecksand Conch Jacket Earring with Hoop Studs

“Ecksand is a female-founded brand that I learned about in 2020. She’s out of Montréal, Canada. I’ve always wanted to wear an ear cuff, but my ears are tiny and sensitive,” Spencer says, explaining the designer recommended this style to her because it’s made for delicate ears. “She was right. … It’s very chic, very understated, and it’s all ethically grown. It’s a cool second piece if you have sensitive ears and want to wear a cuff, but normally can’t.”