Rylee Arnold Just Dropped A Zero-Sugar Pink Lemonade With Swoon

Rylee Arnold loves a sweet drink. When the Dancing with the Stars pro was first diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 15, her options were limited — sugary drinks would spike her blood sugar, and she didn’t care for diet sodas.

Then Swoon — a line of naturally sweet teas and lemonades with zero sugars — started sending her their cans. (One of the co-founders also has Type 1 diabetes.) “I was like, ‘Wait, these are really good. They’re not affecting my blood sugar. That’s so rare — a yummy drink that’s fruity, sweet, and works for my life,” she says.

Now, in her first major brand collab, the 19-year-old is launching a custom Pink Lemonade Swoon — a flavor she hand-selected. “I’m obsessed with pink. I have a pink, bright pink car, so I was like, ‘We have to do a pink lemonade,’” says Arnold, who describes the taste as “that perfect sweet and lemon balance.”

The Utah native also served as art director, incorporating her personality into the limited-edition can with vibrant colors and mirror balls to represent DWTS. While she wants customers to find the collab fun, she also hopes it’ll inspire others. “When I was diagnosed, I was always like, ‘I want to get through this disease and I want to accomplish all my goals so I can affect a little girl who’s in the hospital next, who is like, My life is going to be over,’” she says. “I want to be that person that people can look at and be like, ‘Oh, it’s OK.’”

Her custom Swoon will be available in stores and online starting June 2, perfectly timed to summer — and some much-needed downtime. “I went straight from the [DWTS] season straight into tour, which was so fun,” she says. “But it’s really nice to get this break to breathe, enjoy life, and reflect on the past six months.”

Below, Arnold shares her self-care go-tos, sleep tricks, and the wellness trend TikTok influenced her to try.

Elite Daily: Tell me about your morning routine on the day of a performance.

Rylee Arnold: After I wake up, I’ll try to do some form of a workout, whether that’s Pilates or stretching to get ready for the day, because show days are pretty taxing on the body. Then I eat breakfast, I’ll head to the studio to get ready for the show, doing hair and makeup, getting tan, and rehearsing. But most importantly, I’m hydrating throughout the day and taking time for myself.

If I can have that alone time, I’ll sit and reflect on my day because I don’t want to miss a beat. Especially during my first DWTS season, I’ll never have those firsts ever again. I don’t want to look back and be like, “Oh, dang it, I wish I had enjoyed that more.” This will become old news to me, so I need to enjoy it now.

I also eat really well. I try to have a balanced meal that won’t affect my blood sugar, either, so I don’t have to worry about that on a show day. And then, it’s showtime.

ED: I love that you take time to reflect. What’s your morning routine like when you’re not performing?

RA: After I wake up, I’ll go to one or two workouts, depending on how I’m feeling that day. I’ll do a HIGH Fit class or a cycle class. I also love Reformer Pilates — it’s a good stretch and it’s so good for dancers. And then I come home, I’ll do brand stuff, I’ll hop on meetings, I’ll film videos, and I’ll get ready for my day. I love to spend time with my family, too. I’ll go over to my sister’s house and play with the kids.

If you can get through a cold plunge, you’re like, ‘Whoa, I’m so strong.’

ED: What about self-care rituals? Any go-tos?

RA: I take an hour each for my morning and nighttime skin care routines. I don’t know what it is, but it calms me. In the morning, I take a shower — I absolutely have to take a morning shower, or else I cannot start my day. Then I do my full skin care. I love Epicutis. They have this lipid serum that’s transformed my skin, and they also have lipid recovery masks. Anytime I’m traveling or I’ve done something crazy for the past week, I’ll always do one of those and it revives my skin. I love putting on makeup, feeling beautiful, and feeling ready for the day. That’s one of my favorite parts of the day.

When I start getting ready for bed, I’ll shower, do skin care, and do a face, eye, or hand mask — anything I can sit in while I work or think. I go to bed pretty early because I love to get my beauty rest. And I’ll sleep in — I don’t wake up early. I’m not a morning person.

ED: What are your tricks for getting a good night’s sleep?

RA: I love Lemme Sleep Gummies. Those are really good. And then I sleep on a silk pillowcase because it’s good for your hair and skin. I had a whole Accutane journey, and I had to eliminate a lot of things in my life that were causing acne on my skin. Two years ago, I discovered that a silk pillowcase was one of the big things that helped me. And then I sleep with a huge Minky blanket. If I don’t have my Minky, I will not get a good night’s rest.

ED: Wow, you sound like a sleep pro.

RA: Literally. I love my sleep.

Rylee’s Self-Care Must-Haves

ED: Have you picked up any self-care tips from any DWTS co-stars?

RA: Some of them are strict with their self-care. When we’re on tour, my co-star Britt [Stewart] prioritizes her self-care, and I look up to that. Every single morning and night on tour, she would do a mask, she’d put on meditation music, she’d light a candle, and she’d prioritize that time for herself. She’s so happy, vibrant, and zen all the time. After watching her do these relaxing things, I was like, “I need to be you.”

ED: Have you picked up any wellness habits from your boyfriend, Walker?

RA: We love to work out. I’m in his hometown right now, and we just worked out together. He doesn’t have as much of a wellness routine as I do, but I’ve started incorporating my skin care routine on him.

ED: I do the same thing with my husband!

RA: I’m like, “I’m helping you, I promise.”

ED: He’ll thank you later! Are there any TikTok wellness trends you’ve been influenced to try?

RA: I went down a big rabbit hole on gua sha. I wanted to see if it worked. I did it for a solid week, and it transformed my face. That’s one of those things where you’re like, “Do I believe this? It’s literally just a rock that you’re gliding across your skin.” But I tried it and it moved all the swelling out of my face. You never know what to believe online, so it was fun when I figured that out.

You bring something that nobody else can bring. Don’t try to be anybody else.

ED: What about cold plunging? Are you into it?

RA: Yeah! I love cold plunges and saunas for recovery. During a Dancing with the Stars season, I’m going to the sauna and cold plunge one or two times a week. That’s the only way I feel like I could recover my body. I know some people say it doesn’t work for them, but for me, it reduces swelling and inflammation. It’s mental, too. If you can get through a cold plunge, you’re like, “Whoa, I’m so strong.” There’s also that aspect to it that I love so much.

On tour, we cold plunge after every single show. We put our bodies through so much every day, so we need something to calm our bodies down.

ED: You’ve been dancing since such a young age. How do you stay confident as you walk out on stage?

RA: Something my parents and my sisters always told me growing up that I always keep in mind is that you are the only Rylee on this earth. You bring something that nobody else can. Don’t try to be anybody else. Don’t try to compare yourself to anybody else. When you go out on that stage, you are the only Rylee performing. You are the only person performing with your skills and your personality, so own who you are. It doesn’t matter if somebody doesn’t like it. There are judges on a panel, and they have certain opinions about dancing, but it doesn’t matter what they think. It matters how you feel when you dance, and if you can express yourself and have fun with it, because it’s not that serious. Go out there and embrace who you are — it will get you even farther than you thought possible.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.