How Simone Biles Practices Self-Love Today and Every Day

Few people can say that they learned to embrace their inner beauty firsthand from an Olympic gymnast—but you could count Simone Biles as one of the lucky ones. The gold medalist swept the 2016 Olympic games with her teammate Aly Raisman and picked up some key self-love lessons from her along the way.

"She taught everyone on the team to love our raw, authentic selves by encouraging us to focus on what's inside before worrying about what's on the outside," says Biles.

She has since taken Raisman's confidence-boosting tactics and passed them along to her friends. "When they're having a bad day, I go down the list of what they're good at to help them feel better," she says.

That strong, upbeat mental place is where Biles lives strategically, starting with tuning out any internet negativity with a strict don't-engage policy. Instead, she dedicates her free time to the people who are closest to her. "I'm happiest when I'm at home, chilling with my friends and family, no makeup, just having a good time," she says.

And when the busy athlete finds herself with a moment of solitude (say, after crushing tumbling tricks she hasn't done in a decade), the bath is her sanctuary. "I sit in the bath with some Epsom salts or bubbles (Buy It, $5, amazon.com) for an hour or so...and I do absolutely nothing," she says. "I love the chance to get away and just soak."

Aside from the mental getaways in the tub and reminding herself of Raisman's messages, Biles feels her most beautiful when sticking to a beauty routine: She schedules massages twice a week with the Olympic team's physical therapist and manicures every few weeks, and she has regular hair appointments.

For an everyday look, she adds a touch of color to her lips with a tinted balm, like ChapStick Total Hydration Moisture and Tint in Merlot (Buy It, $4, amazon.com). But before a competition, she gets in the zone while doing her (sweat-proof) makeup. "I find it therapeutic, and it takes my mind off everything," she says. "Plus, it's fun: The team loves to match our makeup to our leotards."