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Chelsea Handler isn’t just one of the most legendary comedians of all time, a bestselling author, and a badass on screen—she’s also really, really good at skiing—and often in little to no clothing. The self-proclaimed ‘world-famous bikini skier,’ who recently partnered with Gold Bond to attempt a Guinness World Record for the largest swimsuit ski run, didn’t exactly set out to become a skiing pro. In fact, her expertise in the snow sport came about... well, sort of by accident.
“I was left on a ski slope in Sundance on a first date with a guy because he was skiing with the Kennedys. They went down a double black diamond, and I had to take my skis off and climb back up to the top of the mountain,” she told The Daily Beast. “The minute that happened, I was like, ‘The next break I have, I’m gonna pay someone to teach me how to ski.’ So I spent the next winter, 60 days in a row, skiing with a professional, and now I know how to ski.” Now, skiing is more than just a seasonal hobby for Handler—it’s an essential part of her wellness routine.
“The best thing about skiing is that you have to be present,” she says. “You can’t really be thinking about anything else. You can’t be thinking about work. You can’t be thinking about other things. You have to be present because you’re trying not to kill yourself, right?” With a busy 2025 already underway after the launch of her sixth book, I’ll Have What She’s Having (which already became a New York Times bestseller), Handler still manages to find time to hit the slopes—both for fun and for work.
In February, Handler celebrated her 50th birthday with a bikini ski run at Soldier Mountain in Idaho’s Sawtooth Range. On March 15, she was back at it, this time at Palisades Tahoe, leading over 700 ski-and-snowboard-clad participants down the mountain in nothing but a metallic gold Versace one-piece and a generous layer of Gold Bond creams. While the Guinness World record didn’t quite materialize, Handler’s glowy, hydrated skin was the real winner—all thanks to Gold Bond’s trusty formulas.
Partnering with Gold Bond made perfect sense for Handler, who swears by the brand’s hydrating lotions and creams to prep her skin (face and body) before hitting the slopes.
In addition to her daily skin season exercise routine, which emphasizes strength training and lower-body/core work to prevent injury, Handler ensures her skin is adequately prepped for long ski days with these hydration-packed products. “I use the Healing Hydration Lotion for my whole body,” she told The Daily Beast. “I use it right when I wake up, before I do my stretches and everything. I put my socks on afterward to lock in the moisture, then I stretch and work out with the Gold Bond on so it really sinks into my body.”
To protect her face from the cold, dry air, Handler again focuses on the essentials: hydration and sun protection. She’s a fan of Gold Bond’s Healing Sensitive Daily Body & Face Lotion, which she applies to her face before adding SPF. “That’s pretty much all my prep,” she says. Handler also applies extra product to the “tricky areas,” such as the bottom of her feet, knees, and elbows, as a preventative treatment the night before a big ski day.
Apparently, her commitment to hydrating her skin is paying off. During our interview, Handler asked me to feel her arm to demonstrate how well the products work. And I can confirm: her skin was butter soft.
Despite having the supple skin of a teenager at age 50, Handler’s approach to skincare is refreshingly effortless, just like her overall disposition. “I just want my skin hydrated. I mean, to me, dry skin is an ick,” she says. And honestly, her baby-soft skin proves that you don’t need a complicated routine to keep your skin nourished and protected.
Of course, as with anything, whether it be honing your skiing skills or your skincare routine, consistency is everything. Even when she’s not skiing, Handler keeps Gold Bond’s creams and lotions on deck—especially when flying. “Flying has one of the most deleterious impacts on you. And I spend, like, a third of my life on planes,” she admits. And when it comes to hydration, she’s not exactly a fan of water. “I’ve never been into it,” she laughs. “You’re not going to sell me on water. So, I hydrate in other ways.”
So, no water, but plenty of Gold Bond. I’ll have what she’s having. Scroll below to check out Handler’s go-to ski-day essentials.
