The Depressed Skincare Guide

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You’re in a funk. But not just any funk- that special kind of funk that takes you out of the game of life for a long time. You’re depressed. You barely have the energy to get up in the morning, let alone wash your face (or hell, even get dressed). So what do you do? More often than not… nothing.

I know that feeling- my skincare routine comes to a screeching halt whenever my brain cycles into a depression circuit. I have been known to not even shower while this is going on. The energy is just not. there. But have no fear. I’ve been mulling this subject over in my mind to finally come up with a solution.

As with any skincare routine, the order of operations is often: cleanser, chemical exfoliant, serum/treatment, and lastly, moisturizer (and sunscreen for the morning routine). First and foremost, you need to consider what your skin’s needs are. Do you have acne you need to keep at bay? Excessive dryness? Rosacea? Eczema? When you consider your skin’s needs, you’ll be able to pinpoint the absolute musts in your routine.

You’ll need to get the grime of the day off, so one must is a cleanser. Personally, I find foaming cleansers to be just too tiring when I’m depressed. All I want to do is smear something on and rinse- no muss, no fuss. The best option for this are cleansing oils and cleansing balms. I’m a huge fan of the Banila Co. Cleansing Balm. It’s fabulously creamy, easy to use, and does the job incredibly well. Check my cleansing product suggestion post to see other options for cleansing balms/oils. What you want is the absolute least effort option that appeals to you.

If you find these to be too tiring, another option is a cleansing wipe. These will never clean as well as a dedicated cleansing product. But we’re not here to talk about best, we’re here to get through this funk with as little skincare slip as possible. You can soak a soft cotton pad (shiseido makes the best cotton pads ever) with some micellar water and remove grime or you can use a cleansing wipe that comes in those packages that look like baby wipes (lie to me and tell me they don’t look like portable baby wipes). Simple Cleansing Wipes are an effective and gentle option.

Next you’ll need a treatment specific to your needs. I have acne problems and I use PocketDerm, so my musts are neem oil (in the morning if I’m staying home) and my PocketDerm cream at night. If you use other prescriptions, this would be the place for them. If you have chronic dryness, this would be the place for a cream (or vaseline). If your skin functions better with a chemical exfoliant, this is where you would put it. Essentially this is where the key in your routine will go.

And that’s it. When you’re prone to mental funkiness, you need to consider what are the absolute musts in your routine. Don’t focus on things like vitamin c serums or products to help hyperpigmentation. Focus on what will keep your skin from falling apart until you’re out of the woods.

As an example, here’s my routine when I’m depressed:

AM Cleanser Spot Treatment (neem oil or tea tree oil) Sunscreen (which I apply while carpooling to my destination)

PM Cleanser BHA solution PocketDerm (which I typically apply in bed)

Depression is total crap and it can be a real ball ache when all your hard work with your skincare routine is flushed down the toilet over something you can’t control. The best you can do during these instances is forgive yourself and work on your mental health. If you happen to be suffering extremely, please do not hesitate to call the national suicide support hotline: 1-800-273-8255. If you’re reading this from outside the US, find your country here and call the listed support hotline. You don’t need to suffer in silence. You’re important and you do matter. Stay safe Hoojoo-ians. ❤

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