Aly Raisman's beauty philosophy is simple: less is more, and self-care is the top priority [1]. She's been a firm believer in those two things since before competing as a gymnast in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, but they've become especially true since she officially retired two years ago.
For Raisman, her idea of beauty has evolved over the years into an act of self-care. "I would enjoy putting my makeup on before competition because it was therapeutic for me and relaxing," she tells POPSUGAR. But even still, a majority of the time, she wasn't wearing any. "I got very comfortable without having makeup on."
That forever changed her view on beauty and informs her approach to this day: "Over the years, I've learned what works and what doesn't work," she says. She's honed in on a self-care routine that helps her unwind, recharge, and, most importantly, prioritize her mental health [2]. Keep reading for more on how Raisman practices self-care with skin care [3] and transforms her nightly routine into a spa treatment.
Why Prioritizing Mental Health Is So Important to Aly Raisman
A lot of what Raisman does these days is fueled by her desire to take care of her mental health. "[It's] such an important part of my life," she says. That's why she didn't hesitate for a second to partner with Philosophy for its new Hope in a Jar collection, which benefits the Hope & Grace initiative [4], providing funding to community-based mental health organizations focused on empowering women.
"Whenever I hear that a brand is trying to make mental health a more comfortable conversation for people, I always want to support that and I want to be involved in that," she says.
Raisman acknowledges there's not one right way to take care of yourself — even for her, it changes daily, monthly, and especially seasonally. Like right now, during the cold winter months, she's making an effort to get outside as much as possible.
The only constant in her self-care routine is her nightly bath ritual. "That really helps me relax before I go to bed," she says. It starts with shutting off all electronics, like her phone and TV, a few hours before bed. She then puts on some calming music, dims the lights, and reaches for a book. (She often reads more than one at a time so she has options depending on her mood.) "I just like to pretend I'm in a spa all the time and just create a really serene and zen environment."
How Aly Raisman Uses a Nightly Bath Ritual to Unwind
With her less-is-more beauty philosophy, you won't catch Raisman doing an eight-step skin-care routine — she likes to keep it simple with just a few key products. Still, that's not to say she rushes through the process.
Her favorite way to use the Philosophy Hope in a Jar Smooth-Glow Multi-Tasking Moisturizer [5] ($39) is during a body scan and mini facial massage. "Like, paying attention to, am I feeling any tension in my forehead, in my jaw?" she says. Then, wherever she's holding the most stress, she uses the moisturizer for some slip to massage away that tension.