How To Keep Up With Your Beauty Routine When You Have ADHD
Unlike nature, beauty isn't something you should leave to chance. Beauty might run in your family, but at the end of the day, your daily habits can make or break your appearance. Every day, your skin is exposed to countless pollutants, making it vulnerable to premature aging and photodamage. That's why a routine, albeit burdensome, is necessary to help your skin stay in good condition. "Beauty routines are an opportunity to notice changes within yourself," says skincare specialist Kristina Holey (via The New York Times).
An effective beauty routine necessitates not only discipline but also good memory. The number of steps in a person's beauty routine can range from three to 10 or more, depending on their skin condition. That's why many people find it challenging to remember and follow all the mundane steps on a daily basis. For those with ADHD, keeping up with an elaborate beauty routine is an even greater challenge. ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a common neurodevelopmental disorder starting in childhood, per the CDC. A person with ADHD tends to struggle with focusing and remembering things, which makes it understandably hard for them to follow a fixed personal care ritual. However, it doesn't mean that a consistent, effective beauty routine is out of reach for people with this condition. If you have ADHD, here's how you can successfully stick to your beauty routine.
Streamline your beauty routine
When it comes to skincare, the AAD recommends simplifying your routine and sticking to those that work well for you. Not only because using too many products in one day makes it hard for you to remember which comes before or after which, but it also irritates your skin and gives you breakouts. "Certain key ingredients don't play well together," dermatologist Dr. Craig Kraffert tells INSIDER. For instance, retinol is compromised when it mingles with vitamin C and AHAs. A beauty routine with fewer products of greater quality might as well be better for your skin, he adds.
Instead of jumping on the skincare bandwagon and putting just any celebrity-approved formula on your face, sort through the noise and focus on the essentials: a gentle cleanser, sunscreen, and moisturizer. All you need to remember is to wear sunscreen religiously before going out, keep your pores clean with a gentle cleanser, and moisturize your face to maintain the skin's moisture barrier and prevent dryness. If you have skin issues, get professional opinions from a dermatologist and add only what's prescribed to you to your skincare regimen.
List out the steps and keep your items organized
Once you've got all your items ready, make a list of the steps you need to follow during a routine, psychologist Meghan Marcum tells POPSUGAR. To make sure you're not lost in the steps, jot down the order in which you apply the products to your face using numbers or colors to make the information more memorable, and check each step off as you go. At the same time, use reminders and timers to help you get into the habit of maintaining your skincare routine. Marcum suggests you "Schedule 10-15 minutes of uninterrupted time to devote to the routine, and plan for times when you're less likely to be distracted,"
One important thing to keep in mind is to put all your beauty products where you can see them so they can serve as a visual reminder of your routine. To keep your routine manageable, keep your beauty products organized in one place. In case you habitually misplace things, get backups for your skincare items, says nurse practitioner Beth Maletz (via Refinery29), adding that "Keeping an extra tube of your favorite concealer in your purse means you don't have to remember to put the one from your bathroom cabinet in it each morning." Although this approach is pricey, it can help you keep to your schedule more consistently and relieve the stress of trying to remember things.