Hailee Steinfeld’s Favorite Self-Care Hack Is Surprising But Genius

When she’s not fighting off supervillains as Kate Bishop in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hailee Steinfeld is releasing chart-topping new music, like her new song “Coast” featuring Anderson Paak. It’s no easy feat to juggle both a successful acting and music career, but Steinfeld appears to do so with ease. The multi-hyphenate credits her work-life balance for helping her maintain a busy schedule. Even when she’s traveling, Steinfeld’s wellness and fitness tips remain consistent. She’s found a self-care routine that works for her and is ready to share it.

“I've realized more and more the importance of taking a step back and taking time for myself as I get older,” Steinfeld tells Elite Daily in an exclusive interview. On the heels of her new partnership with Core Hydration, it’s fitting that the 25-year-old is all about balance and drinking water right now. Her top self-care tip? “Staying hydrated is truly number one.”

Below, Steinfeld shares her morning routine, how she winds down at the end of the day, and what’s currently on her Spotify playlist. (Spoiler alert: she is just as anxious to hear Rihanna’s music as the rest of us.) You may even find one self-care hack you’ll want to cop from Steinfeld as well.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Elite Daily: What does your go-to self-care routine look like?

Hailee Steinfeld: For me, self-care depends on my work situation at the time. It's constantly evolving and adapting to whatever it is I’m in need of. I think a huge thing for me is staying hydrated.

Exercise is definitely number two. It's something that is not always what I want to do when I wake up first thing in the morning or after a long day of work, but there’s no way to describe how amazing I feel afterwards. I also love being outside, because being in nature is a huge thing for me. Spending time with my dog and my family, listening to music... My self-care routine is always changing.

ED: You said music. What's currently on your Spotify playlist?

HS: You know what, I'm gonna pull it up and tell you. OK — Beyoncé's album, obviously. I’m patiently — actually, that's a lie — impatiently awaiting for new Rihanna music, so I've been listening to the two songs that she has out on repeat. Tame Impala. The Beach Boys is always a go-to for me.

ED: That's great. What about habits? What are your favorite ways start the day?

HS: Not looking at my phone first thing. I drink a full glass of water, do my little morning skin routine, and get the day going. But one thing I've been doing a lot lately is taking my dogs out in the morning, and leaving my phone behind. I take that as a few minutes for myself to just start my day before I become consumed with work and everything going on in the world. Taking a few minutes outside in the fresh air with a few deep breaths, a couple affirmations, you know what I'm saying?

ED: That's so smart — leaving your phone behind.

HS: Ugh. It's crazy what it does — even for 10 minutes. And by the way, I still will go and reach for it, think that it's on me and it's like, it's been 10 minutes. So, I’m definitely making more of an effort to leave it behind when I can.

ED: I'm going to steal that hack. OK, what does your current nighttime routine look like?

HS: It's pretty simple. I always find that I'm most likely cleaning up a mess I made at some point in the day that has to be done before I go to sleep. Then, I take care of my dogs, I wrangle them, I get them to bed, and then I do my nightly skin routine, which is really simple. It consists of just a few steps.

I either will read or write for at least 20-25 minutes, and then I go to bed. I used to watch either YouTube videos, TV, or a movie and I've sort of found that it kept me awake. I can't start a movie and not finish it, so I can't wind down that way. I have to be completely present.

ED: I tend to watch movies and then I'm awake all night.

HS: Yeah, and then I'm laying in bed thinking about it. Then, I feel like I need to talk to somebody about it, depending on what it is.

ED: What do you do that really relaxes you and helps you wind down?

HS: I love taking a bath. It’s a great way to wind down and relax. Also, listening to music, some guided meditations, and I know I keep saying it, but it's true, putting my phone away. That kind of almost forces me to be with myself and my own thoughts, and really truly relax and make an effort to take some deep breaths and just disconnect.

ED: Now that you're in the MCU, how did your self-care or fitness routine change as you got ready to play Kate Bishop in Hawkeye?

HS: The fitness routine became more intense, so the self-care routine became a lot more specific. You could say that the amount of time that I would spend training, the recovery time was double that. I think the mindset that I got into was, I want to be able to get back in the gym tomorrow and feel great, so coming off of an intense workout meant taking that epsom salt bath, icing, and just doing all the therapies that made it easier to get back in there the next morning.

ED: How does your self-care routine change when you're traveling?

HS: I try and maintain my routine when I'm traveling. I think it's very easy to lose track depending on how intense the travel is. If we're talking different time zones, I try my best to maintain and sometimes even double down on the self-care routine, and really make sure that I'm taking care of myself, staying hydrated, and checking in.

ED: Your partnership with Core Hydration is all about stability, which can also apply to juggling your music and acting careers. What are some ways you ensure a work-life balance and set boundaries?

HS: First of all, I have an incredible team of people who help me do both my acting and my music, and everything in between simultaneously, because there is no denying that it's definitely challenging at times.

What I love so much about my partnership with Core Hydration is that it has truly served as the perfect reminder to myself that it is so important to make a conscious effort to stay balanced in all aspects of life. For me, things become so hectic and crazy that I forget that I haven't taken a moment for myself or taken any time off, and months can go by before I realize that that's the case. So, for me, it's just a matter of being completely aware within myself about how I'm feeling, because I'm the only one who knows that deep down. Taking time for myself and checking in with myself constantly.