Busy Philipps Has Tried Every Wellness Trend Out There

In Chill Chat, Bustle sits down with stars to chat about all things wellness, from their favorite workout to their hacks for getting a good night’s sleep. Here, Busy Philipps shares her morning routine, her recipe for Bulletproof coffee, and what makes a perfect bath.

The name of Busy Philipps’ podcast basically sums up the actor’s balanced approach to wellness: Busy Philipps Doing Her Best. The key factor in her overall well-being? Making time for self-care — something she admittedly didn’t always do.

“For a long time, I operated from a space of, ‘When I get to this next place, that’s when I’ll take a moment for myself,’” says Philipps, 42, who recently partnered with Oui by Yoplait and Essie nail polish for International Self-Care Day. “The pandemic forced me to slow down, which gave me room to recognize what didn’t feel right and required attention.”

Now, the former late-night talk show host is unapologetic about taking more time for herself — and follows an important rule in her wellness practice. “It boils down to being fully present and doing nothing to service someone else,” she tells Bustle over Zoom. For Philipps, engaging in self-care means baking bread, DIY manicures, and drinking celery juice. The most important, however, is regular exercise. “Working out every day is important for my mental health,” she says. “I can always tell if I haven’t been hitting my workouts because otherwise I get a little sharper.”

Here, Philipps shares her favorite workout class (hint: it involves trampolines), why she refuses to choose between baths and showers, and the cool wellness gadget her BFF Michelle Williams gave her during quarantine.

What’s your morning routine like?

My schedule fluctuates, but I try to meditate in the morning. That doesn’t always happen, but if it does, I feel really good about it. I wake up before anyone else in my house just to be alone with myself for a little bit. I take the dog outside, I make my own coffee, I listen to music, I look at my emails, and then the kids get up.

What’s in your coffee recipe?

I grind my beans, I do a pour-over situation, and then I basically make Bulletproof coffee with ghee, protein powder, and MCT [medium-chain triglycerides] oil. It’s a process.

What kind of workout are you loving these days?

For years, I’ve been doing this mini trampoline workout called LEKFit. It’s low impact, but you sweat so much. Lauren Kleban, who started it, has a great online program that she kicked up during the pandemic. She also has great taste in music, so it’s always really fun and high energy.

As far as wellness goes, is there a trend that you’ve always wanted to try?

I feel like I’ve tried them all — I’m not even kidding.

Can you talk about one of the most memorable?

I did this seven-day Ayurvedic cleanse that involves steaming your vagina, colonics, pouring oil over your head, and vigorous scrubs. It’s definitely something that Gwyneth Paltrow has done before.

OK, that definitely sounds like it takes the cake. Are you team baths or team showers?

Why do we have to pick one? I love nightly baths, but that’s not to clean my body — it’s part of my self-care ritual. Showers, to me, are just perfunctory. They just have to be fast enough to get you clean. That’s it.

What do you need for your perfect bath setup?

I’m very into Epsom salts and I always have a giant cup of water next to me. I listen to music. Sometimes I add crystals if I’m feeling particularly L.A. at that moment. I light a few candles and then I turn the overhead lights down.

After a hectic day, what do you need to have a good night’s sleep?

I’m not a great sleeper, so I use a white noise machine like a baby. My dad bought me one when I was in seventh or eighth grade, and I’ve used it ever since.

Also, during the pandemic, my friend Michelle Williams gifted me one of those infrared mats from HealthyLine. It’s very soothing.

Is there a piece of wellness advice that really resonates with you?

When you make anything a hard-and-fast rule and if you feel as though you’re depriving yourself, it’s not going to work.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.