Cindy Crawford, Julianne Hough and Halle Berry are among the celebrities who are turning up the heat in their wellness routines amid the rising trend of infrared and traditional sauna use.
Over the past few years, an increasing number of stars have spoken out about the health and beauty benefits that they have experienced from frequent sauna sessions.
As the New Year dawns, here’s a look at the stars who are using Hollywood’s hottest self-care hack.
Julianne Hough has previously shared steamy glimpses of herself in saunas on Instagram. In early December, the 37-year-old “Dancing with the Stars” co-host uploaded a photo on her Instagram Story in which she was seen wearing a mustard yellow string bikini while relaxing in a sauna. Hough added a yellow heart emoji to the snap that she shared with her fans.
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In June 2024, Hough posted a video with the caption “Six Senses Sizzling Sauna Stretches” that was taken during a vacation at Ibiza’s Six Senses Resort in Spain. In the clip shared on Instagram, she displayed her fit physique in a brown string bikini while showing off a series of stretching and Pilates moves.
Following her sauna session, Hough shared a video of herself in a cold plunge bath, also known as an ice bath. In the caption, she explained how contrast therapy has benefited her active lifestyle and recovery.
Contrast therapy treatment involves alternating between hot and cold temperatures to stimulate circulation and reduce inflammation. The rapid temperature changes are known to relax muscles, decrease soreness and promote overall physical and mental recovery.
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“I’ve been doing ice baths since 2015 when I was touring the country on stage for 2.5 hrs almost every night,” Hough wrote in the caption. “In 2014, I had the worst neck injury the whole tour that I just couldn’t fathom the pain and pure survival mode again verses being able to fully enjoy being on stage night after night. So I committed and never looked back!”
“The amount of recovery I have spent on my body in my later years of life would’ve been much less if I had known about the benefits of contrast therapy earlier,” she explained.
Hough concluded her post by sharing her best tips for those who want to try contrast therapy.
“If you feel the water is hurting your toes or fingers, you can wear booties/gloves or like I do, I hold my fingers out of the water,” she wrote.
“Another hint: pick a song that you LOVE that’s around the length that you want to stay in so you can groove to it. My go to songs are 6’s to 9’s and Calm Down.”
Cindy Crawford owns her own infrared sauna and has previously spoken out about how regular sessions are essential to her wellness routine.
In 2015, the 59-year-old supermodel told Byrdie, “I try to go into an infrared sauna for 20 minutes at least once a week. Before I invested in my own, I just went to a local tanning salon that also had an infrared sauna — my homeopathic doctor suggested I get one because it’s good for detoxing.”
“It’s not like a normal sauna, which can be harsh,” Crawford added. “Instead, infrared is a super gentle, soothing, and therapeutic heat that helps me relax and improves my sleep (and we all know how much I value sleep). It also works somewhat like a Japanese hot spring in that it stimulates collagen production to reduce wrinkles, improve overall skin tone, and improve circulation.
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“Another added benefit? Twenty minutes of uninterrupted time to read!”
In August, Crawford shared a glimpse at one of her favorite pastimes, posting a photo in which she was seen topless and makeup free while reading a book in a sauna.
“Sauna time and a good book = perfect morning,” she wrote in the caption.
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In 2023, the Vogue cover star uploaded an Instagram video of herself playing with short strands of hair around her forehead while sweating it out in a sauna.
“Baby hairs in the sauna,” she wrote in the caption.
Kim Kardashian celebrated her love for saunas as she posted photos of herself enjoying a session in 2023.
The 45-year-old reality star shared images of herself rocking a black string bikini as she posed with a friend in a sauna. Kardashian also included a solo selfie in which she puckered her lips at the camera.
“It’s not always rainbows and butterflies…sometimes it’s rainbows and saunas,” she captioned her post, adding emojis of a rainbow and a fire.
Gwyneth Paltrow is a longtime sauna for infrared saunas, which she previously said she uses every day.
In 2020, the 53-year-old actress told W magazine, “For me, wellness has always been about a lot of sleep, hydration, exercise, sweating (I sit in an infrared sauna daily), walking and eating nutrient-dense foods.”
In a post on her Goop blog, Paltrow wrote about enjoying the Clearlight Infrared Sauna that she had installed in her Montecito house.
“We’ll take an infrared heat fix anywhere we can get it,” Paltrow wrote. “But having a sauna right at home is the real dream.”
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“I do an infrared sauna as often as I can,” she added. “I walk out feeling so much more relaxed, and glowy, too.”
In a Vogue 2021 interview, Paltrow noted the benefits of daily sauna sessions, including detoxification, relaxation and skin health. She also shared that she uses an infrared sauna blanket when she is traveling.
“I love sauna-ing,” Paltrow said. “And if I’m on the go, there’s this infrared sauna blanket by HigherDose that is a 10 out of 10.”
“You just get in it, and you sweat,” she added. You can be on your phone, or you can put your arms underneath, which is what you’re really supposed to do, and just chill, meditate, or listen to a podcast.
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Paltrow showed off her home sauna on Instagram in 2019, posting a photo in which she was seen topless with a pair of black bikini bottoms while lying on a wooden bench under red lights.
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“Getting my pre-Christmas schvitz on in a miraculous @clearlightsaunas100 #healwithheat. I love this thing,” she wrote in the caption.
In 2021, the wellness technology company Sun Home Saunas shared a photo of a bikini-clad Paltrow using one of their at-home saunas.
“The one and only @gwynethpaltrow enjoying her session in our Sanctuary Infrared Sauna!” the company wrote in their Instagram post.
Salma Hayek dared to bare while touting the benefits of saunas in a 2023 Instagram post.
The 59-year-old actress shared a photo in which she was seen lying naked in a dry sauna with two towels strategically placed over her chest and lower body.
“Embracing the healing power of the sauna and sweating out the stress this #WorldWellbeingWeek,” she wrote.
Nicole Scherzinger previously detailed how her health regimen includes sauna stretches, cold plunges and rigorous exercise sessions.
In 2023, the 47-year-old singer uploaded a carousel of images featuring herself in a white bikini with a twist tie top while at the spa.
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“Let discipline carry you when motivation won’t. 🤍💪🏽 Beast mode work out ☑️ Below 3 degree Celsius ice bath ☑️ Sauna stretch it out,” she captioned her post.
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Camila Alves, the 42-year-old model and wife of Matthew McConaughey, detailed how her health had been improved by contrast therapy. In 2021, Alves posted a video in which she showed off her sauna and ice bath while celebrating her record cold plunge time.
“10 minutes on 41 degrees Celsius cold plunge!” she wrote. “My body wanted to keep going today and I DID IT!” This things got to be done right and build up. Months ago, I started with 3 minutes, then 5 minutes twice sessions for awhile then today my body allowed me to push.”
“I am big on listen to your body! I DID NOT GO UNDER WATER JUST NECK DOWN! Then to the sauna to bring body temperature up!”
“I’ve been in a lot of pain with my neck and ever since started doing sauna and cold plunges, I have felt the difference less pain and more energy levels too…NOT FUN but I’m learning so much.”
Alves went on to thank sports commentator Gabby Reece for answering her “annoying” questions about contrast therapy as well as podcaster Joe Rogan for inspiring her to buy the Morozko Forge ice bath for McConaughey. “Now I’m using it but not at 35 degrees like you yet!,” she added.
The actress also expressed her gratitude to director Guy Richie and his wife Jacqui for recommending the “amazing” Iglucraft sauna that she and McConaughey have been using for “a long time.”
Alves concluded her post by insisting that there were no ad partnerships with any of the companies she listed but she was just “grateful for what they provide.”
Halle Berry previously enjoyed a relaxing day at the spa complete with a sauna session. In 2021, the 59-year-old actress shared photos of herself that were taken at a spa, including a snap of a sauna. And then …we spa!
“And then we spa! Taking care of my body. It’s the only place I have to live!” she said.
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In another Instagram post that year, Berry was seen exercising while wearing a sauna suit, which she said helped her intensify ab and heat training.
Justin Bieber revealed that he brings his sauna on the road with him while he is touring.
In the May 2021 issue of GQ, which was featured by “Entertainment Tonight,” the 31-year-old singer gave a tour of his lavish tour bus, which featured an infrared sauna.
“What’s so cool about this is when I’m on tour, I gotta make sure that I keep my body on optimal level because there’s so much that goes into touring, and it’s really hard on your body,” he said. “You’re doing like an hour and an hour and a half show a night, which is similar to a professional athlete.”
Zac Efron is another celebrity fan of contrast therapy.
The 38-year-old actor bought a ClearLight sauna for his home and posted a photo of himself enjoying a session in his sauna in 2019.
The “High School Musical” star has also shared photos of himself taking ice baths.
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Lady Gaga has shared that she shared that she uses infrared sauna sessions to soothe muscle spasms and pain caused by fibromyalgia.
The 39-year-old singer has been open about living with fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes widespread pain, fatigue, and increased sensitivity to touch due to how the nervous system processes pain signals.
In 2016, she shared some of her “personal remedies” for easing her symptoms that she said she had “acquired over the past five years.”
“When my body goes into a spasm one thing I find really helps is infrared sauna,” she captioned a post of herself in a sauna while wrapped in a silver emergency blanket.
“I’ve invested in one,” she continued. “They come in a large box form as well as a low coffin-like form and even some like electric blankets! You can also look around your community for a infrared sauna parlor or homeopathic center that has one.”
“I combine this treatment with marley silver emergency blankets (seen in the photo) that trap in the heat and are very cheap, reusable and effective for detox as well as weight loss!” Lady Gaga added. “In order to not overheat my system and cause more inflammation i follow this with either a VERY cold bath, ice bath (if u can stand it, it’s worth it) or the most environmentally savvy way is to keep many reusable cold packs in the freezer ( or frozen peas’ n carrots’!) and pack them around the body in all areas of pain.”
“Hope this helps some of you, it helps me to keep doing my passion, job and the things I love even on days when I feel like I can’t get out of bed.”
Lea Michele was one of the first celebrities to jump on the infrared sauna trend.
In 2015, the 39-year-old “Glee” star shared a photo of herself clad in a towel while holding a bottle of water and sweating it out in a sauna.
“Late night infrared sauna session..” she wrote in the caption.
