How to Build a Calming Beauty Routine for ADHD Mornings

Everyone knows those 15-step beauty routines that have you plastered in serums and essences from morning till noon. Fortunately, those are just for social media engagement, since no one with a job or hobbies can keep following them in the long term.

But the truth is that if you want healthy-looking skin well into your later years, you need a consistent morning and evening skincare routine. A three-step routine featuring a cleanser, serum, and hydrating cream is the bare minimum, and it takes less than three minutes.

Easy, right? Well, not exactly. When you’re the proud owner of an ADHD brain, following even the simplest of routines can be daunting. Still, there’s hope. In today’s article, we’ll show you how to build a routine that works for you and your hyper-focused brain. 

Why Can’t I Follow a Simple Beauty Routine?

You know by now that what’s simple for neurotypicals can be a mountain for an ADHD brain. In this case, your brain can make a three-step beauty routine (cleanser, serum, hydrating cream) look like a science project.

That’s because routine-following relies heavily on several cognitive capabilities that are impaired in ADHD. For instance, it can take significant cognitive control to initiate a low-reward (no novelty or high-dopamine rush) task like applying a hyaluronic acid serum in the morning and a rejuvenating mask at night.

You might also have periods of hyperfixation and intense focus, where you’re all in for two weeks (buying an 8-step routine, researching ingredients, and executing it flawlessly) only to drop everything once the novelty wears off.

Tips to Make It Work for Your ADHD Brain

So, if you can’t even convince your brain to get things started or be consistent with a 3-minute routine, there’s no way you’ll be able to develop a full-body routine that keeps your skin glowing from head to toe, right?

Not exactly. There are ways to make your brain cooperate, at least for the simple routines. Once you discover what works for your particular flavor of ADHD, you can build from there. 

Here are a few tips to try:

Start With a 2-Step Routine

Multi-step sequences trigger task paralysis, which is why a 6-step routine will shock your brain. You need to dip your toes into this habit slowly, so start with two steps: cleanser and moisturizer in the morning/evening. 

Extra tip: Treat additional products (toners, serums) as treats for those days when executive bandwidth is high.

Implement Visual Cues

The “out of sight, out of mind” saying is full-blown reality for many individuals with ADHD. This means that items stored inside drawers or medicine cabinets cease to exist for your brain.

In this case, everything needs to be in the line of sight. Store the items you want to use on the counter in clear, transparent acrylic organizers or lined up sequentially from left to right. Once you use an item, move it from the left side of the sink to the right. This will be your visual indicator of progress.

Practice Habit Stacking

The ADHD brain struggles to initiate tasks out of nowhere, so it helps to link a new habit to an existing one. For instance, you can link the beauty routine with brushing your teeth. You brush your teeth in the morning and evening, so it’s the ideal way to introduce skincare into the mix. 

Adjust as Needed

Just because your brain is spicy doesn’t mean you’re doomed to looking like an old leather bag in your 50s. Find the tricks and tips that work for your particular flavor of ADHD and design your own beauty routines.