Pro volleyball player Kelsey Robinson knows a thing or two about the importance of skincare. As an Olympic bronze medalist for the USA Women’s Volleyball Team, Kelsey has shown her skin its fair share of dirt, sweat, and stress. Luckily, she’s had cocokind by her side – through the ups and downs, the dives and serves!
We had the chance to talk with Kelsey about how she manages to find time during her insane schedule to show herself, and her skin, a little TLC. She walked us through her go-to self-care rituals, fav products, and inspiration… keep reading to find out how to take care of your skin like an Olympian!
Q: How do you find time for self-care in your hectic workout schedule?
A: Self-care is so important as an athlete. We put our bodies through so much physical stress that our bodies essentially are our job. Taking care of it is vital to performance and a long career. After morning practice I’ll wash my face and set aside time to have tea. I do a traditional tea ceremony with puerh tea from China. The benefits are enormous for the body and the skin and for me, its a form of meditation. In the night, I always do the same routine where I just take the time to care for my skin and my body using Cocokind Facial Repair Serum, some dry-brushing, and coconut butter on my skin. These are small ways out of my routine that help me to put myself first and to decompress from the day.
Q: What are your favorite ways to practice self-care?
A: Besides skin care, I absolutely love cooking. I cook almost every meal and bake treats, bars, and snacks. Cooking and baking are where my creativity comes out. Writing is also a form of self-care for me. My life revolves so much around athletics that when I get the chance to create or write, I’m in a different element that is so calming.
Q: How are skincare and athletics related?
A: For years I struggled with acne and breakouts because of all the sweat and dirt accumulated in practices. Most days we are training twice a day so your skin never really gets a chance to heal or breathe. On top of that, there can be stress or anxiety to perform at a high level in high pressure situations which can lead to breakouts. Since making my skincare a priority, I have found that I feel better both on and off the court. I’m able to handle long trainings or crazy travel schedules and it’s no longer a stress in my life which allows me to focus on the things that matter.
Q: How did you become interested in natural skincare?
A: When I started playing professionally, I was traveling to five or six different countries in a month. I was constantly exposed to different water conditions, different foods, and climates. Between stress, sweat and travel, I was breaking out a lot. I had really awful, deep acne on my chin and forehead. Not only was my skin a major sign that something was wrong, I began to have a lot of problems internally. Since health is a priority for me, I dove into face maps and the causes of my acne and stomach problems. I researched my diet heavily and completely changed my diet. I cut out everything from sugar to dairy to gluten. I decided to begin to make all the products I would use for the home, for my skin and more. In about three months, my deep acne cleared up and about seven months later, a lot of the internal problems were no longer there.
Q: You travel a lot for volleyball! What are your most important tips for taking care of your skin while traveling?
A: #1 Hydrating. This is so simple, but it impacts my skin in huge ways. I drink about 2-3 liters a day. Travel dehydrates you, especially on those long flights. I used to always land with a ton of breakouts. Now I make sure to always have my water bottle full the entire travel day.
#2 The flight attendants might think you’re crazy, but near the end of the flight I do a face mask. This helps me feel clean and alert when I land, even with a ton of jet lag. When I get to the hotel the first thing I do is shower and cleanse my face with the Facial Cleansing Oil and a jade roller. I always feel 1000 times better.
#3 Fueling your body with nutrients. While it might not seem like something for your skin, it totally is. If you’re indulging on chocolates or wine or anything they’ll serve you on long flights, your skin isn’t getting the nutrients it needs. I usually prepare my meals before the trips or I fast on long flights. Also, I steer clear of caffeine on travel days to help my body adjust.
Q: What’s your post-workout skincare routine?
A: Post-workout I always cleanse with the Facial Cleansing Oil and I use the Rosewater Facial Toner. I love the MYMATCHA Stick for a quick touch up!
Q: What’s one cocokind product you can’t live without?
A: The Eye Firming Oil and the Rosewater Facial Toner. I absolutely loveeee the toner and just the way it wakes me up in the morning or after a game in the locker room I use it and I just feel fresh! The Eye Firming Oil is my lifesaver for those early morning 5am practices and trainings.
Q: What’s the one skincare step you never skip?
A: My nighttime routine. Regardless of how busy my day might be or if I have a game or intense practice, this is when I really get to take care of my skin and clean away the day. In particular, I always make sure to cleanse my face. With all the sweat from the day, this is a must for me.
Q: Where do you get your skincare and how do you find out about new products?
A: I love following new trends or products on Instagram (especially cocokind) or different blogging websites. I get all of my skin care online just because I’m traveling so much. I enjoy checking out skincare products when I’m in a new country to see their trends or what’s popular! Japan might be one of my favorite countries to stock up on skincare goodies.
