Sydney Sweeney Has Never Tried Coffee Or Peloton

In Chill Chat, Bustle sits down with stars to chat about all things wellness, from their ultimate workout playlists to their most reliable self-care hacks. Here, Sydney Sweeney reveals what fuels her and how she controls her dreams.

Good luck finding a show featuring cool young people that Sydney Sweeney isn’t starring in. Most recently, the 24-year-old actor brought her understated, wry charisma to Euphoria, The Voyeurs, and White Lotus, which chronicles the ultimate rich-people vacation gone wrong.

While her character in White Lotus might turn to ketamine, hearty bong rips, and sleeping in for self-care, Sweeney’s IRL wellness routine is decidedly more low-key: The star, who’s partnered with BIC, maker of her razor blade of choice, starts her day with her skincare routine. She doesn’t even drink coffee, she tells Bustle, via Zoom from her living room, where Tank, her pit-mix pup, is curled in a cozy bed behind her. Rather, she counts on her natural energy, noting that she "can't not work" and got very "stir crazy" while filming for various projects was paused during lockdown. The actor, fresh-faced in a 2021 wardrobe mullet — presentable sweater on top, loose sweatpants on the bottom — takes advantage of opportunities to pamper herself when she can. Under-eye gels before breakfast? Ice roll on the way to work? Yes and yes, please.

Here, Sweeney tells Bustle about the self-care show she’s currently 16 seasons deep in, her foolproof multi-step skin care routine, and how she survives without caffeine.

How do you start your day?

I wake up and brush my teeth first, because, stinky breath. Then, I shower. I’m the kind of person who needs to wash my hair every day or it feels oily, so I’ll use Olaplex shampoo and conditioner — I have to dye my hair for Euphoria and I’m trying to grow it out. Then I wash my face with a Caudalie exfoliator and an Aveeno cleanser. I always shave using BIC Soleil Sensitive Advanced. I’ve used BIC razors since I was 12, because they’re the only ones I don’t need to use shave gel with, which is key because I have such sensitive skin and am allergic to all shave gels.

Then when I get out of the shower, I put on ​​SkinCeuticals Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier and C E Ferulic, and then I put on this French cream, Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentré, and then EltaMD Sunscreen. If I’m going to work, I’ll pop on eye gels, and use a giant ice roller all over my face before getting into hair and makeup. Then I’ll get dressed for the day. I like to get up and out.

What’s for breakfast?

It changes, but I like to start the day with berries. Right now, I’m really into this croissant toast that I eat with cinnamon sugar and honey butter.

Coffee or tea?

I have never even tried coffee. I only drink water — for whatever reason, when I was like, 12, I decided I would only drink water and I just stuck with it. I love water, it’s my thing.

Wait, only water? How do you function?

Don't get me wrong — I eat sugar, so it balances out. Instead of coffee, I'll have some Swedish Fish or anything gummy if I'm tired. I’ve had a Shirley Temple to celebrate, but I feel totally fine with just water.

What do you do to chill out after a long day or sugar high?

I’ll have a bath night. I put on a face mask, a lip mask, add some bubbles, play classical music, light some candles, and just try to relax. I also love reading.

What’s your exercise game like?

I try to take my dog on a walk twice a day. We’ll do a 2-mile walk in the morning and again at night if I can. If I’m feeling really motivated, I’ll run. If I have an hour, I’ll do a workout video at home, like a DOGPOUND one. Sometimes it’s hard if I’m missing equipment, but it’s doable.

Is there a fitness trend you’ve been meaning to try?

I’ve never tried the Peloton, but I've heard so much about it.

What do you do to unwind?

It’s hard for me. People suggest meditation to me because my mind is always racing, but I'm not into it. I can’t get myself to be that calm yet.

Do you have trouble falling asleep?

I have a hard time trying to turn off my brain before bed. When I was younger, I had really bad nightmares. My parents told me I could control my dreams, and so I just started making my own movies in my dreams, and had this playlist of them — sort of like Netflix before there was Netflix — where I would pick what to dream each night. It's a goal of mine to build a house one day so I'd pick the dream where I did that a lot.

Speaking of TV, do you have a self-care show?

I’m the kind of person who needs to watch one show at a time. So right now I'm on Season 16 of Law & Order: SVU. I've been watching it since April. So every night that I watch TV, that’s what I'm watching until I finish it.

Any last pieces of wellness advice to share?

Regarding makeup, less is more. And wear sunscreen, every day.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

This story was updated from its original version on Oct. 12 to clarify which BIC products Sweeney uses.