Megan Rapinoe's Relaxation Hack Is Super Dreamy

In Chill Chat, Bustle sits down with stars to chat about all things wellness, from their favorite skin care products to their hacks for getting a good night’s sleep. Here, Megan Rapinoe shares her go-to lip balm and her trick for relaxing after a soccer game.

You know Megan Rapinoe because of her Olympic gold medal-winning soccer skills. While she is a two-time World Cup champion, the athlete is also a major activist — for LGBTQ+ rights and equal pay, to name just a couple of examples. To honor her activism, Rapinoe was recently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden. (Casual.)

The soccer star accomplishes big things both on and off the field in style, too. And that’s one of the reasons why Rapinoe was on board to share a curation of breathable, versatile cotton pieces — like cozy bralettes and boy short sets — as a VS Collective member with Victoria’s Secret.

With her selection, Rapinoe hopes to blur the lines between fashion and life as a busy athlete. “I always have an eye on that,” the 37-year-old tells Bustle. “I asked myself, ‘How can I curate something that brings out a sense of confidence?’ That’s really the ultimate goal.” That’s why you’ll see pieces like The T-Shirt wireless bra, Logo Cotton High Waist Shortie Panty, and the Cotton Tank Modal Legging Set in her edit — all of which are easy to move in and incredibly comfortable.

Here, Rapinoe chats about her morning routine, her fave workout, and the sunscreen she uses every day.

What does a typical morning routine look like?

It's pretty simple. I just get up, brush my teeth and splash some water on my face, get myself awake, and head straight to the coffee.

At our home in Seattle [that Rapinoe shares with fiancée Sue Bird], we have a little outdoor deck area that has beautiful views of the sound. If I have time, I love to spend my mornings out there talking, journaling, or looking through emails.

How do you take your coffee?

I like an Americano with a little bit of almond milk or oat milk.

What's your go-to breakfast before training?

Either an egg sandwich or an avocado toast with fried eggs on top. Sometimes I'll do a protein smoothie and then I'll have a bagel. It’s usually something with bread and eggs — those are the main staples.

Are there beauty products you swear by?

I've actually used Shiseido sunscreen for 10 years or longer. Even in Seattle, where the sun doesn’t come out for months on end, I’ll still use sunscreen every single day. I also always have Aquaphor with me, because being on planes naturally dries you out.

Besides soccer, what’s your favorite form of exercise?

Weight training is really big for me. Obviously, I run a lot playing soccer, but I also make sure that I strength train and pay attention to how everything’s working in my body, especially as I get older. I love Pilates, which is amazing for that. I feel like it strengthens you from the inside out.

Rest is also really important. It’s how I get the maximum out of my workouts and how I make sure my body's recovering.

What’s your go-to way to relax after a long day?

Definitely an Epsom salt bath. My twin sister [Rachael Rapinoe] has a company called Mendi CBD Company in Portland, Oregon. They do a really nice CBD salt bath in lavender, so that's a must for me. Sometimes I’ll take an Epsom salt bath before a game, just to loosen everything up. But it’s also a nice self-care nighttime routine that calms everything down and allows me to relax a little bit before I go to bed.

Sometimes a walk is nice to clear my head. I’ll sit on the balcony, too, and chill, assess the day, and kind of let it all go. And sometimes I’ll do a little bit of stretching, even if it's just 10 minutes to move my body and stretch my back. A hot shower before bed is really nice, too. It actually changes your core body temp so when you get into bed, you're in a better place to basically hibernate for the night.

What would you say is your overall approach to wellness?

It’s about figuring out what I need from a mental, emotional, and physical standpoint, and allowing it to change over time. Sometimes I feel like doing more yoga, or I feel like taking more baths or taking more walks. Instead of approaching it as, "Oh, I have to do this for my health and wellness,” I’ll think, "Oh, I'm actually feeding my body and this is really all just for me." It frames it in a different way and allows me space to change and move with the different seasons as I get older.

I'm also in therapy and it’s amazing. It’s probably the best thing you can do for yourself, and I think everyone should try it. My job is so busy, and at times it’s a lot emotionally and mentally, so it’s nice to take that time for myself, work on myself, and better understand myself as I continue to change.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.