How do you manage skin care when you have ADHD?
December 7, 2018 7:42 PM Subscribe
I am a woman with a lot of skincare products who never manages to put them on consistently for more than a week, if that. How do you do it when you have ADHD?
I'm having trouble finding answers via Google, and I'm too embarrassed to ask my friends. While appearances aren't super important at my job, I don't want to look sloppy.
I've long converted to Paula's Choice and have many of their products, and also use Cerave because it offers some cheaper alternatives. The problem is that I can't even manage a week of, say, washing my face twice a day every day. I have problems with brushing twice a day as well, as humiliating as it is to share here, so I can't just peg one to the other. The only way I can manage the evening routine is if I shower and put on toner, moisturizer, and things like serums and Vitamin C and so on pretty much immediately after I get home, or else I'm just going to fall into an internet sinkhole until I doze off. There's also this thing where I feel like I can't put all that stuff on without showering first, which makes the routine feel like it's 2 hours long.
I'm lucky that I have okay skin thanks to genetics, but I always feel that I look better when I can actually follow a skincare routine and use the stuff I've spent money on and time researching. Unlike tooth-brushing, though, there isn't even some professional who's eventually going to scold me for my negligence, and the consequences feel really nebulous. It's hard to motivate myself to take care of my skin routinely since it's not like things are going to go straight to hell if I slack off for a week.
I've gotten to the point where I at least make sure I have sunscreen on my face in the morning. Forget a consistent full-face makeup and hairstyle though. I'm managing mineral foundation, blush, and a single shade of eyeshadow about half the week and brushed hair and that's it.
I might put lipstick on in the morning, but even though I carry it with me/lose it in my bag I never remember to reapply it.
So, Mefites, how do you do it? Is everyone actually doing this stuff right when they get home from work? Is it something I have to aim for doing in the early evening since I have ADHD? Or have you managed to get a routine going at "normal" hours (I'm thinking just before going to sleep in the evening, and starting right when you wake up?)
I'm having trouble finding answers via Google, and I'm too embarrassed to ask my friends. While appearances aren't super important at my job, I don't want to look sloppy.
I've long converted to Paula's Choice and have many of their products, and also use Cerave because it offers some cheaper alternatives. The problem is that I can't even manage a week of, say, washing my face twice a day every day. I have problems with brushing twice a day as well, as humiliating as it is to share here, so I can't just peg one to the other. The only way I can manage the evening routine is if I shower and put on toner, moisturizer, and things like serums and Vitamin C and so on pretty much immediately after I get home, or else I'm just going to fall into an internet sinkhole until I doze off. There's also this thing where I feel like I can't put all that stuff on without showering first, which makes the routine feel like it's 2 hours long.
I'm lucky that I have okay skin thanks to genetics, but I always feel that I look better when I can actually follow a skincare routine and use the stuff I've spent money on and time researching. Unlike tooth-brushing, though, there isn't even some professional who's eventually going to scold me for my negligence, and the consequences feel really nebulous. It's hard to motivate myself to take care of my skin routinely since it's not like things are going to go straight to hell if I slack off for a week.
I've gotten to the point where I at least make sure I have sunscreen on my face in the morning. Forget a consistent full-face makeup and hairstyle though. I'm managing mineral foundation, blush, and a single shade of eyeshadow about half the week and brushed hair and that's it.
I might put lipstick on in the morning, but even though I carry it with me/lose it in my bag I never remember to reapply it.
So, Mefites, how do you do it? Is everyone actually doing this stuff right when they get home from work? Is it something I have to aim for doing in the early evening since I have ADHD? Or have you managed to get a routine going at "normal" hours (I'm thinking just before going to sleep in the evening, and starting right when you wake up?)
I just want to offer a data point. I am a woman who is really hard on myself, holds myself to painfully high standards, and finds a lot of things to criticize myself for. My skincare routine is to do the oil cleansing method, and to wear a tinted SPF moisturizer, mascara, and tinted lip balm ever day. That's it. Recently I've been feeling fancy and trying some Paula's Choice products, and to tell you the truth I'm a month in and not noticing a significant difference. So, I guess I just want to offer that, especially with your gift of decent skin, maybe you could consider taking skin care off your list of things to worry about? If things aren't going straight to hell, what if you just commit to one or two things - say, sunscreen and lipstick, if lipstick makes a big difference in how you feel - and celebrate those as a daily victory?
posted by TrixieRamble at 7:55 PM on December 7, 2018 [16 favorites]
posted by TrixieRamble at 7:55 PM on December 7, 2018 [16 favorites]
Don't try & get in the routine of doing it all at once.
You don't need to do all the things every night either. Seriously I'm a crazed skin care junky, I love adding potions & lotions to my skin care regime, but probably more nights than not I barely manage to wash my face, slap on a serum and moisturizer. Hell most nights I mix everything up in the palm of my hand & just slather it on as I can't be assed waiting between steps and my skin looks significantly better now than it did a year ago even though I'm not being perfect in how I do it.
Skin care with active ingredients takes about 3 months to show any significant change due to cell turnover it's a long haul process so don't stress if you miss a night or don't do it perfectly a night or 2 doesn't matter.
If you want motivation, let me explain to you the joys of sun damage. I had UV damage so bad to my eyelids so bad that they drooped down so low my eyelashes were curling under the pressure of my lids, I had puckering along the skin next to my eyes & so bad I couldn't hide it under make up. A year to 18 months (depending on the product) of using most likely the same products you are using, my eyelashes are straight again as my eyelids are tightening & less crepy & I can hide worst of the sun damage under make up as the texture has smoothed out. I at no time applied anything perfectly, I just did my best every night and I started with washing my face every night & putting on moisturizer just before I got into bed, heading to the bathroom for my pre bedtime pee was the cue I tied it to.
My husband has an alarm that goes off the same time everynight to remind him to clean his teeth would that work with you and your skincare?
Add in products slowly as you get into the routine, if you fancy it on the weekend go hog wild & put everything on properly. If it makes you feel better I"m 50, still don't clean my teeth everyday either.
posted by wwax at 8:11 PM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]
You don't need to do all the things every night either. Seriously I'm a crazed skin care junky, I love adding potions & lotions to my skin care regime, but probably more nights than not I barely manage to wash my face, slap on a serum and moisturizer. Hell most nights I mix everything up in the palm of my hand & just slather it on as I can't be assed waiting between steps and my skin looks significantly better now than it did a year ago even though I'm not being perfect in how I do it.
Skin care with active ingredients takes about 3 months to show any significant change due to cell turnover it's a long haul process so don't stress if you miss a night or don't do it perfectly a night or 2 doesn't matter.
If you want motivation, let me explain to you the joys of sun damage. I had UV damage so bad to my eyelids so bad that they drooped down so low my eyelashes were curling under the pressure of my lids, I had puckering along the skin next to my eyes & so bad I couldn't hide it under make up. A year to 18 months (depending on the product) of using most likely the same products you are using, my eyelashes are straight again as my eyelids are tightening & less crepy & I can hide worst of the sun damage under make up as the texture has smoothed out. I at no time applied anything perfectly, I just did my best every night and I started with washing my face every night & putting on moisturizer just before I got into bed, heading to the bathroom for my pre bedtime pee was the cue I tied it to.
My husband has an alarm that goes off the same time everynight to remind him to clean his teeth would that work with you and your skincare?
Add in products slowly as you get into the routine, if you fancy it on the weekend go hog wild & put everything on properly. If it makes you feel better I"m 50, still don't clean my teeth everyday either.
posted by wwax at 8:11 PM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]
(a) Lately, because I've been sleeping extra badly, I've been trying to get away from the screen at least one half hour before bedtime. The easiest way to do that is to set an alarm to go off on the computer at the appropriate hour. Then start off with toothbrushing etc., then taking some notes on the day and/or reading a real paper book before turning off the light. It feels nice and cozy and it's also largely automatic (except for the falling asleep part, anyway).
(b) Simplify. There are some skin-care products that actually have at least some science behind them, but there isn't room for using a lot of them at once unless you have a really thick hide and/or a long time to wait between applications for absorption. Really, in each day, there's a retinol slot and an AHA/BHA or vitamin C product slot. The rest is just moisturizing or marketing. The active products all have medium- to long-term effects, so if you can't even follow a routine for a week straight, I'm not quite sure how you could have a good idea which specific products work at all, and you certainly can't know that consistently slathering on multiple products at once won't dry you to hell and back (or cancel out the effects of one or the other because the pHs for best effect are too different). So you're unlikely to lose effects by cutting back to moisturizing + one a night. Maybe that will help it feel like less of a gigantic undertaking.
posted by praemunire at 8:19 PM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
(b) Simplify. There are some skin-care products that actually have at least some science behind them, but there isn't room for using a lot of them at once unless you have a really thick hide and/or a long time to wait between applications for absorption. Really, in each day, there's a retinol slot and an AHA/BHA or vitamin C product slot. The rest is just moisturizing or marketing. The active products all have medium- to long-term effects, so if you can't even follow a routine for a week straight, I'm not quite sure how you could have a good idea which specific products work at all, and you certainly can't know that consistently slathering on multiple products at once won't dry you to hell and back (or cancel out the effects of one or the other because the pHs for best effect are too different). So you're unlikely to lose effects by cutting back to moisturizing + one a night. Maybe that will help it feel like less of a gigantic undertaking.
posted by praemunire at 8:19 PM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
I like wearing makeup and doing a skincare routine but I get really bored actually doing them. I started listening to interesting podcasts in the morning and evening while I do my routine and it makes it something I actually look forward to.
posted by notheotherone at 8:27 PM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by notheotherone at 8:27 PM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]
Just use one product in the pm (a retinoid would be a good pick) and your sunscreen in the am. Maybe you can find a sunscreen with vitamin C in it, the latter won’t work as well as it would at night, but it’ll do something. Wash makeup off with a single cleanser (I use a foaming one, strips things right down).
posted by cotton dress sock at 8:57 PM on December 7, 2018
posted by cotton dress sock at 8:57 PM on December 7, 2018
I've found a few ways to do this kind of thing: make it a habit or make a checklist.
As for the habit part: I get out of the shower and put lotion on my face. In the morning if I shower, it's SPF lotion; in the evening, a heavier night cream. I don't have to remember to do this because now I just do it. My lotion is on my dresser, where I'm about to put clothes on.
But if I weren't remembering, I'd write a checklist. I have one I keep on my dresser that includes all the things I need to pack in my bike bag when I ride my bike to work. I don't look at this list very often anymore, but I did for about my first two or three years of near-daily bike riding.
Checklists take a lot of the work out of things.
posted by bluedaisy at 9:05 PM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
As for the habit part: I get out of the shower and put lotion on my face. In the morning if I shower, it's SPF lotion; in the evening, a heavier night cream. I don't have to remember to do this because now I just do it. My lotion is on my dresser, where I'm about to put clothes on.
But if I weren't remembering, I'd write a checklist. I have one I keep on my dresser that includes all the things I need to pack in my bike bag when I ride my bike to work. I don't look at this list very often anymore, but I did for about my first two or three years of near-daily bike riding.
Checklists take a lot of the work out of things.
posted by bluedaisy at 9:05 PM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
Make a checklist! There is no shame in this. I am sure there is a phone app you can use. I use an app called Pillboxie to remember to take the various meds I take during the day, and I also added in a few things like "Give the dog his meds" at 7am and "turn on the heated mattress pad" at 9pm (in the winter). Seriously, outsource your brain. I am not diagnosed with ADHD but I am easily distracted, and sometimes I think I would get to bed faster if I had a written routine.
Also agree with bluedaisy that you can make things a habit. I used to be really bad about flossing my teeth. Then I made it my New Years Resolution one year, and I literally crossed off on a calendar every day that I brushed my teeth. After about a month it became totally routine.
posted by radioamy at 9:22 PM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]
Also agree with bluedaisy that you can make things a habit. I used to be really bad about flossing my teeth. Then I made it my New Years Resolution one year, and I literally crossed off on a calendar every day that I brushed my teeth. After about a month it became totally routine.
posted by radioamy at 9:22 PM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]
I know there are a lot of proponents in the world of skincare of putting things on in a specific order, at timed intervals. I do not do this.
AM = Sunscreen + One Serum. I don't wash my face specifically in the mornings beyond whatever cleaning happens in the shower.
PM = Wash with cleansing oil (30 seconds maybe?), alternate BHA and AHA, curology moisturizer (so tretinoin + an acid + clindamycin all in one) and a heavier lotion if I feel like I need it.
I just glop it all on there at once. I usually have to pee when I get home from work, so I quickly wash my face after I wash my hands and the rest of the routine takes maybe a minute. I figure it's better than nothing.
If I can't be bothered with anything other than washing my face in the evening then I just apply lotion.
posted by ZeroDivides at 11:16 PM on December 7, 2018
AM = Sunscreen + One Serum. I don't wash my face specifically in the mornings beyond whatever cleaning happens in the shower.
PM = Wash with cleansing oil (30 seconds maybe?), alternate BHA and AHA, curology moisturizer (so tretinoin + an acid + clindamycin all in one) and a heavier lotion if I feel like I need it.
I just glop it all on there at once. I usually have to pee when I get home from work, so I quickly wash my face after I wash my hands and the rest of the routine takes maybe a minute. I figure it's better than nothing.
If I can't be bothered with anything other than washing my face in the evening then I just apply lotion.
posted by ZeroDivides at 11:16 PM on December 7, 2018
I don't manage it, except to wash my face with moisturising soap in the shower (which I always have one before going to work). Then I clean my teeth with an electric toothbrush that alerts me when 3 minutes is up. I mean to apply deodorant after that but sometimes I apply it twice (forgetting I already have) and sometimes I forget which is why I have deodorant at work. I no longer own any make-up. I don't know how much help this is, except you're not alone in your distraction.
posted by b33j at 12:24 AM on December 8, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by b33j at 12:24 AM on December 8, 2018 [3 favorites]
Don't be hard on yourself about this, of all things. Skincare is having a moment, or is this generation's fiddle-while-Rome-burns faux solution to the woes of capitalism. Whichever.
I'm 38, and I've never washed my face regularly in my entire life. (I'd probably have great skin if I wore sunblock regularly, though. I do put almond oil on my face after a shower.) What I do to keep my life in order is a habits checklist. I use Habits, an Android app formerly called Habit Loop, and I rarely check off more than half the things on my list every day.
Let me gently suggest that if your lack of a skincare routine is getting you this down, it's a proxy for something else in your life that isn't going right, but isn't so easy to neatly blame on yourself, or do.
posted by tapir-whorf at 1:16 AM on December 8, 2018 [4 favorites]
I'm 38, and I've never washed my face regularly in my entire life. (I'd probably have great skin if I wore sunblock regularly, though. I do put almond oil on my face after a shower.) What I do to keep my life in order is a habits checklist. I use Habits, an Android app formerly called Habit Loop, and I rarely check off more than half the things on my list every day.
Let me gently suggest that if your lack of a skincare routine is getting you this down, it's a proxy for something else in your life that isn't going right, but isn't so easy to neatly blame on yourself, or do.
posted by tapir-whorf at 1:16 AM on December 8, 2018 [4 favorites]
I am a women without ADHD. I do not put all that crap on my face because it would take way too long. And people consider me a focused person who gets things done quickly. Because that is a bunch of crap you do not need that takes too long. Maybe I have a few more visible wrinkles but whatever. I wash my fave at night and put on moisturizer (90 secs routine). In the morning I do the same and then put on cc cream with fancy ingredients that may actually d some good. Maybe concealer, eyeliner and mascara but that shit can take 2 minutes. I cannot follow the routine either, and I am your opposite. Maybe you just would rather be on the internet.
I would.
posted by Kalmya at 2:55 AM on December 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
I would.
posted by Kalmya at 2:55 AM on December 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
I leave skincare stuff in strategic locations around my house. (Using a very simplified regimen, of course.) Basically, I buy two or three packs of Cerave cleansing wipes and the same of Bag Balm tins, and put them next to my bed, my couch, and in the bathroom. That way, wherever my inattentive ass plants itself, I still (probably) have a clean and moisturized face.
When I remember it (maybe once or twice a week?) I’ll do a more in-depth regimen.
posted by functionequalsform at 3:45 AM on December 8, 2018
When I remember it (maybe once or twice a week?) I’ll do a more in-depth regimen.
posted by functionequalsform at 3:45 AM on December 8, 2018
I realise I am not the OP but just a very interested bystander. For everyone who has replied, could you possibly expand on your answer and include the brand of retinol or AHA/BHA you use? Skincare can be confusing and the more information the better, particularly if you are getting results that you can recommend!
posted by Jubey at 3:46 AM on December 8, 2018
posted by Jubey at 3:46 AM on December 8, 2018
As has been pointed out there are some active ingredients that do things and the rest is nice to have.
I just do the same thing every day, in the same order. So in the pm that is make up removal, cleansing, a serum, a retinoid, a moisturiser, in that order, always. In the am it‘s the same serum, an aha or bha, a moisturiser, all right out of the shower. Then I go and get dressed, then I apply sunscreen, then I brush my teeth. Then I apply whatever make up I want that day. The breaks for getting dressed and brushing teeth seem to allow the products to settle into the skin enough to apply the next layer without problems.
As others have said, many effects of active ingredients take a while to work. But you can make a noticeable difference with acids and moisturiser in a few days. These will just affect the top layer of the skin so won’t last if you stop. But smooth skin, without dry patches, can make a difference just in terms of appearance of the skin and to the way your skin surface feels. If I can’t be asked to use my morning acid for a few days my skin is less smooth and has dry patches that my foundation sticks to in unappealing ways.
As to how to achieve consistency, for me it is largely automated at this point. I could imagine Post it’s on the mirror or such, or a reminder on your phone? Also, if evenings are easier get to the point where that is part of your routine. If you only want to get into one habit do whatever you have to do to apply spf every morning. That’s the single biggest long-term benefit you can give your skin. For me that would go something like shower, spf, deodorant, the spf right next to the deodorant on the bathroom shelf.
posted by koahiatamadl at 4:04 AM on December 8, 2018
I just do the same thing every day, in the same order. So in the pm that is make up removal, cleansing, a serum, a retinoid, a moisturiser, in that order, always. In the am it‘s the same serum, an aha or bha, a moisturiser, all right out of the shower. Then I go and get dressed, then I apply sunscreen, then I brush my teeth. Then I apply whatever make up I want that day. The breaks for getting dressed and brushing teeth seem to allow the products to settle into the skin enough to apply the next layer without problems.
As others have said, many effects of active ingredients take a while to work. But you can make a noticeable difference with acids and moisturiser in a few days. These will just affect the top layer of the skin so won’t last if you stop. But smooth skin, without dry patches, can make a difference just in terms of appearance of the skin and to the way your skin surface feels. If I can’t be asked to use my morning acid for a few days my skin is less smooth and has dry patches that my foundation sticks to in unappealing ways.
As to how to achieve consistency, for me it is largely automated at this point. I could imagine Post it’s on the mirror or such, or a reminder on your phone? Also, if evenings are easier get to the point where that is part of your routine. If you only want to get into one habit do whatever you have to do to apply spf every morning. That’s the single biggest long-term benefit you can give your skin. For me that would go something like shower, spf, deodorant, the spf right next to the deodorant on the bathroom shelf.
posted by koahiatamadl at 4:04 AM on December 8, 2018
I often find the whole face cleaning routine overwhelming, so I totally feel you on getting stuck on the sofa - sometimes I stay up later than I wanted to because I don't have the energy for the 'getting ready for bed' routine.
What I've done is simplify. Morning I just splash water on my face and put on moisturiser and sunscreen. I do this immediately when I get up, just after I pee. Helps me wake up too.
Evening I use a cleanser and a wash cloth, followed by a facial oil (substitute with retinol serum or whatever works for you) then moisturiser. On evenings I can't face the effort, I use some of those facial cleaning wipes, then moisturise. 'wipe face with wipe' is manageable enough I can do it whilst brushing my teeth or looking for my pyjamas or whatever. I do it as part of my going-to-bed routine.
My skin definitely breaks out more and looks more dull when I start skipping these basics, so that's my incentive I guess.
posted by stillnocturnal at 5:01 AM on December 8, 2018
What I've done is simplify. Morning I just splash water on my face and put on moisturiser and sunscreen. I do this immediately when I get up, just after I pee. Helps me wake up too.
Evening I use a cleanser and a wash cloth, followed by a facial oil (substitute with retinol serum or whatever works for you) then moisturiser. On evenings I can't face the effort, I use some of those facial cleaning wipes, then moisturise. 'wipe face with wipe' is manageable enough I can do it whilst brushing my teeth or looking for my pyjamas or whatever. I do it as part of my going-to-bed routine.
My skin definitely breaks out more and looks more dull when I start skipping these basics, so that's my incentive I guess.
posted by stillnocturnal at 5:01 AM on December 8, 2018
I am a woman with ADHD! A skincare routine is something that is important to me!
So I'm almost 40 and recently diagnosed. As in I was diagnosed last month and started medication last week. But I started changing my habits a few months ago and found a system that works for me. I thrive on lists. So the short story is that I made a checklist.
The longer story is that it took me a long time to make that list, and that's my key to success. I started with sketching out what I want my ideal weekday to look like. This helped give me clarity on what is most important to me in order to help with the whole I want to do all of the things so I am going to do none of the things ADHD problem.
Once I had that overview, I could zoom in to specific times. So I'm likely to stroll out of the house without brushing my hair in the morning, so that goes on my morning routine list.
Anyway, skincare! I switched my shower from the morning to after dinner because I will do the skincare routine after I shower but not otherwise. It's on the checklist to line up the products on the bathroom counter before I get into the shower so they are immediately visible when I get out. It's on the checklist to put them away when I am done! I laminated the checklist so I could use a dry erase marker and not ruin it with water. Checking off boxes is very satisfying for me and gives me a sense of order. Plus, you know, it helps me get shit done. And my skin is happier!
In general, my principal is make something as easy as possible for me to do and use lots of lists.
posted by Ruki at 6:09 AM on December 8, 2018 [7 favorites]
So I'm almost 40 and recently diagnosed. As in I was diagnosed last month and started medication last week. But I started changing my habits a few months ago and found a system that works for me. I thrive on lists. So the short story is that I made a checklist.
The longer story is that it took me a long time to make that list, and that's my key to success. I started with sketching out what I want my ideal weekday to look like. This helped give me clarity on what is most important to me in order to help with the whole I want to do all of the things so I am going to do none of the things ADHD problem.
Once I had that overview, I could zoom in to specific times. So I'm likely to stroll out of the house without brushing my hair in the morning, so that goes on my morning routine list.
Anyway, skincare! I switched my shower from the morning to after dinner because I will do the skincare routine after I shower but not otherwise. It's on the checklist to line up the products on the bathroom counter before I get into the shower so they are immediately visible when I get out. It's on the checklist to put them away when I am done! I laminated the checklist so I could use a dry erase marker and not ruin it with water. Checking off boxes is very satisfying for me and gives me a sense of order. Plus, you know, it helps me get shit done. And my skin is happier!
In general, my principal is make something as easy as possible for me to do and use lots of lists.
posted by Ruki at 6:09 AM on December 8, 2018 [7 favorites]
Are you following the whole "you have to let thing x sit on your skin for minutes before applying the next treatment" myth? I found that when I tried to leave a gap between vitamin c serum, Rx medication, moisturizer, it did feel like it took forever. So I just stopped waiting. Get out of the shower, start applying one after the other, and you're done in not much more time than it takes to just put on moisturizer. That made a huge difference for me in compliance with a slightly more complex skincare routine in the morning. As for the evenings, I just do it as part of my brushing teeth getting ready for bed, again, with no waiting between whatever I might be applying to my face. I also just use a disposable wipe for cleansing, which is much easier than any kind of other cleansing method, doesn't dry out my skin, and removes light makeup well enough and quickly.
posted by ch1x0r at 7:57 AM on December 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by ch1x0r at 7:57 AM on December 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'm a woman in her 40s with ADHD. For me, skincare is one of the things that I have decided to let go. I'm honestly not convinced that any of it actually makes a big difference in terms of how your skin looks. I think that skincare is a lot about how it makes women feel: women, especially those in their 30s-and-up, have a ton of demands on their time and attention, and skincare allows them to devote time and attention and resources to themselves. And since it would be a source of stress, not pleasure, for me, I don't do it. So that's an option. I have a ton of coping skills to deal with my ADHD, and one of them is trying to figure out what's not strictly necessary and giving myself permission to forgo some of the not-strictly-necessary stuff.
Otherwise, my basic strategy is to figure out what works and make it a routine. So if it works for you to do your skincare in the early evening, then do that every night. Make it a ritual. You get home, you take a shower, you do your skincare thing, and then you move on to the rest of your night. That's your ritual. That actually sounds like a pretty good ritual to me. There's nothing wrong with it if it works. I refuse to believe that there is anything magic about putting things on your face directly before you go to bed. Your face doesn't care if it's 7:00 or 10:00. Honestly, I bet that stressing out and losing sleep are worse for your skin than not doing any skincare, so your early-evening routine may be totally optimal for making your skin look as good as possible.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 8:08 AM on December 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
Otherwise, my basic strategy is to figure out what works and make it a routine. So if it works for you to do your skincare in the early evening, then do that every night. Make it a ritual. You get home, you take a shower, you do your skincare thing, and then you move on to the rest of your night. That's your ritual. That actually sounds like a pretty good ritual to me. There's nothing wrong with it if it works. I refuse to believe that there is anything magic about putting things on your face directly before you go to bed. Your face doesn't care if it's 7:00 or 10:00. Honestly, I bet that stressing out and losing sleep are worse for your skin than not doing any skincare, so your early-evening routine may be totally optimal for making your skin look as good as possible.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 8:08 AM on December 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
I wash my face in the morning in the shower with the same Dove bar I use on the rest of me. I put Maybelline BB cream on my face and some other drugstore sunscreen moisturizer on my neck. Some days I put on a lip gloss or stain.
In the evening I use a witch hazel pad to clean my face (like these, but now I use the container, put round cotton pads in it and soak them with witch hazel from the drugstore).
That’s it. My skin seems a lot happier when I don’t fuss around with it much. This routine predates my ADHD diagnosis - what changed is that now I don’t beat myself up over not being able to maintain an elaborate routine.
posted by Kriesa at 9:32 AM on December 8, 2018
In the evening I use a witch hazel pad to clean my face (like these, but now I use the container, put round cotton pads in it and soak them with witch hazel from the drugstore).
That’s it. My skin seems a lot happier when I don’t fuss around with it much. This routine predates my ADHD diagnosis - what changed is that now I don’t beat myself up over not being able to maintain an elaborate routine.
posted by Kriesa at 9:32 AM on December 8, 2018
Definitely do your routine right when you get home! There's no law that it has to be immediately before bed.
I have finally managed to make an evening skin care routine work. There's a funny tweet that has made the rounds that says something like "Girls who take their makeup off when they're drunk after a night out could get away with murder" that made me aspire to be like that. Now one of the first things I do when I get home is take off my makeup. It gets to the point where it feels so good that it's not a chore. I had too much to drink Thursday night and literally don't remember washing my face, but apparently I did, which is kind of astounding considering a year ago I only managed to wash my face at night a couple times a week. I woke up yesterday thinking "oh gosh, i'm probably gonna look like hell" and looked in the mirror expecting smeared eyeliner and clumped up eyelashes, but my face was clean!
Setting an alarm is a good idea too, especially for the days when you get caught up in something at home and would otherwise forget. I use the "bedtime" feature in the default clock app on the iPhone, which sets up a bedtime and a morning alarm based on when you want to get up and how much sleep you want. It notifies you 30 minutes before your goal bedtime, which I use as my reminder to start my skincare routine if I haven't already.
My night routine is pretty simple: wash face (at sink, using a gentle washcloth; you could use wipes but personally i don't like them), 5% glycolic acid toner (Pixi Glow Tonic available at Target), serum, eye cream (for undereye wrinkles), nighttime moisturizer. It really doesn't take long at all, and the hardest part is just getting started. I get a skincare subscription box that I like because I always want to try all the different things in it, which is another incentive to do my routine.
posted by misskaz at 9:34 AM on December 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
I have finally managed to make an evening skin care routine work. There's a funny tweet that has made the rounds that says something like "Girls who take their makeup off when they're drunk after a night out could get away with murder" that made me aspire to be like that. Now one of the first things I do when I get home is take off my makeup. It gets to the point where it feels so good that it's not a chore. I had too much to drink Thursday night and literally don't remember washing my face, but apparently I did, which is kind of astounding considering a year ago I only managed to wash my face at night a couple times a week. I woke up yesterday thinking "oh gosh, i'm probably gonna look like hell" and looked in the mirror expecting smeared eyeliner and clumped up eyelashes, but my face was clean!
Setting an alarm is a good idea too, especially for the days when you get caught up in something at home and would otherwise forget. I use the "bedtime" feature in the default clock app on the iPhone, which sets up a bedtime and a morning alarm based on when you want to get up and how much sleep you want. It notifies you 30 minutes before your goal bedtime, which I use as my reminder to start my skincare routine if I haven't already.
My night routine is pretty simple: wash face (at sink, using a gentle washcloth; you could use wipes but personally i don't like them), 5% glycolic acid toner (Pixi Glow Tonic available at Target), serum, eye cream (for undereye wrinkles), nighttime moisturizer. It really doesn't take long at all, and the hardest part is just getting started. I get a skincare subscription box that I like because I always want to try all the different things in it, which is another incentive to do my routine.
posted by misskaz at 9:34 AM on December 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'm a woman with ADHD (also a fan of Paula's Choice and Cerave, hey!) and here's what I do.
Daytime skincare routine:
- Washing my face in the morning is easy because that's when I shower. I keep a bottle of Paula's Choice skin cleanser in the shower and that's how I wash my face in the AM.
- Right next to my shower is a large container of cotton face pads and a bottle of toner. As soon as I exit the shower, I pat my face dry and apply the toner. Discard cotton face pad into bathroom trash can directly to my right.
- I have a daytime moisturizer with SPF that I put on immediately and let it sink in while I dry my hair.
- My makeup routine is simple and I keep *everything* set out in the open in a single file line on a shelf above my vanity. You could also do this on a shelf right next to your bathroom mirror.
- The items in my makeup routine: foundation primer (I put this on after the moisturizer has absorbed and my hair is dry) which I let 'set' while I make sure I've taken all of my morning medications. Mineral foundation (do this before getting dressed; or, throw a towel over your top half like a 'bib' to protect your clothes while you apply it), eyeliner, mascara. Then I spritz my face with makeup setting spray (Urban Decay's is awesome). Done!
Evening skincare routine:
- It's too overwhelming sometimes to get out the bottle of face wash, put on a headband to hold back my hair, and mess with washing my face over the sink.
- Therefore, I use Cerave gentle skin-cleansing wipes. (These are helpful if I'm in an ADHD rush in the morning, too.) If I wore makeup that day then I make sure they're the make-up removing kind and I may use two if necessary.
- Buy a couple packs of these. Keep one by your besides, one by wherever you generally sit and chill at night (your couch?) and one in your bathroom/vanity area. This way, no matter where you are, they are RIGHT THERE and you can't say no to cleansing your face.
- Same goes for your evening moisturizer or any other serums/concoctions you use. Buy one for your vanity area and one for your bedside. Make sure that even if you forget to do it before you go to bed, that it's right NEXT to your bed to use if you really did forget.
For makeup reapplication/touch-ups:
- It's easy to forget stuff that you've thrown in your purse. Maybe keep a few items in a make-up type tray at your desk at work with a small mirror.
posted by nightrecordings at 1:38 PM on December 8, 2018 [3 favorites]
Daytime skincare routine:
- Washing my face in the morning is easy because that's when I shower. I keep a bottle of Paula's Choice skin cleanser in the shower and that's how I wash my face in the AM.
- Right next to my shower is a large container of cotton face pads and a bottle of toner. As soon as I exit the shower, I pat my face dry and apply the toner. Discard cotton face pad into bathroom trash can directly to my right.
- I have a daytime moisturizer with SPF that I put on immediately and let it sink in while I dry my hair.
- My makeup routine is simple and I keep *everything* set out in the open in a single file line on a shelf above my vanity. You could also do this on a shelf right next to your bathroom mirror.
- The items in my makeup routine: foundation primer (I put this on after the moisturizer has absorbed and my hair is dry) which I let 'set' while I make sure I've taken all of my morning medications. Mineral foundation (do this before getting dressed; or, throw a towel over your top half like a 'bib' to protect your clothes while you apply it), eyeliner, mascara. Then I spritz my face with makeup setting spray (Urban Decay's is awesome). Done!
Evening skincare routine:
- It's too overwhelming sometimes to get out the bottle of face wash, put on a headband to hold back my hair, and mess with washing my face over the sink.
- Therefore, I use Cerave gentle skin-cleansing wipes. (These are helpful if I'm in an ADHD rush in the morning, too.) If I wore makeup that day then I make sure they're the make-up removing kind and I may use two if necessary.
- Buy a couple packs of these. Keep one by your besides, one by wherever you generally sit and chill at night (your couch?) and one in your bathroom/vanity area. This way, no matter where you are, they are RIGHT THERE and you can't say no to cleansing your face.
- Same goes for your evening moisturizer or any other serums/concoctions you use. Buy one for your vanity area and one for your bedside. Make sure that even if you forget to do it before you go to bed, that it's right NEXT to your bed to use if you really did forget.
For makeup reapplication/touch-ups:
- It's easy to forget stuff that you've thrown in your purse. Maybe keep a few items in a make-up type tray at your desk at work with a small mirror.
posted by nightrecordings at 1:38 PM on December 8, 2018 [3 favorites]
You can write a To Do list on your bathroom mirror with Sharpie. It'll come off with rubbing alcohol, a glasses wipe, another Sharpie... it isn't really permanent.
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:42 AM on December 11, 2018
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:42 AM on December 11, 2018
Response by poster: @jubey: I use Paula's Choice retinols, AHAs and BHAs, and Alpha-brand AHAs (they used to be known as Alpha Hydrox). Alpha is relatively inexpensive. I get frustrated whenever I stray from PC, Alpha, Cerave, or Cetaphil; almost inevitably the cult beauty product is full of known irritants. I haven't had luck tracking down BHAs outside of PC.
Thanks to everyone else for their answers. It was hard picking a best answer. The best advice for me boiled down to: keep supplies in multiple places, use checklists, go ahead and start the evening routine right after work, put on multiple treatments at the same time.
And, yes, I do see the political implications of obsessing over skincare, especially in this historical moment. But my interest in skincare goes back to childhood; it's not something that emerged recently.
posted by ziggly at 8:41 PM on December 11, 2018
Thanks to everyone else for their answers. It was hard picking a best answer. The best advice for me boiled down to: keep supplies in multiple places, use checklists, go ahead and start the evening routine right after work, put on multiple treatments at the same time.
And, yes, I do see the political implications of obsessing over skincare, especially in this historical moment. But my interest in skincare goes back to childhood; it's not something that emerged recently.
posted by ziggly at 8:41 PM on December 11, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by matildaben at 7:54 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]