When you're battling depression, worrying about your appearance can feel like the least important thing in the world. Getting out of bed is already a victory. So why would anyone suggest a skincare routine?
Because, according to one therapist, those tiny everyday acts of self-care can quietly become part of the path back to yourself.
American therapist Amanda Stuckey Dodson designed a short, gentle beauty routine specifically for people struggling with depression. She believes it can be genuinely useful in managing the illness. Depression often disrupts even the most basic hygiene habits — the person feels so drained and unmotivated that even simple tasks stop mattering.
Her advice to those going through it: even if you lower the bar from your old routine, don't give up on daily face and body care entirely. A routine, she explains, is a kind of loving conversation with yourself. And that self-care — that quiet act of loving yourself — is exactly what helps you climb out of a dark place.
She's realistic about priorities. Compared with the things depression makes impossible — working, eating properly — skincare isn't at the top of the list. But that doesn't mean it's worthless. Performing a routine, no matter how simple, matters. Going through the motions lets you act like your former, healthier self, and that helps you gradually become active again.
It's not about looking good for anyone else
Dodson stresses that the goal is not to change how you look or to please other people. The point is the act itself — showing up for yourself, consistently.
That's why she kept the routine deliberately simple. People with depression are exhausted, and taking on too much only leads to a sense of failure. There's just one rule: do the steps every single day.
Here are the parts of the daily routine:
Brushing your teeth and showering
If you manage just these two things, you've already succeeded. One motivator, the therapist suggests, is imagining the hefty dental bills you're setting yourself up for by skipping brushing. Two minutes of brushing feels doable if you pick a song that length and simply listen while you do it.
For the shower, use a scent you love — it lifts your mood. To keep things effortless, reach for an in-shower body lotion you can just rinse off. If being alone with your thoughts feels unbearable, even under the water, put on music, an audiobook, or a podcast. You can also combine tasks, like brushing your teeth while you shower.
Minimal skincare
Focus on just three goals: cleanse, hydrate, protect.
Washing your face once a day is a must. It refreshes you and lifts your mood. Depression often comes with a lot of crying, and washing your face wipes away the traces of tears, too. Use a moisturizer with SPF and massage it into the skin — the massage soothes tired eyelids and helps ease a headache.
Applying that cream gives you the feeling of having completed a full skincare ritual, even though it's really just one step. Finish with a lip balm. And if you don't have the energy for even that, at least use a cleansing wipe or spritz your face with a refreshing facial mist now and then — it still gives you that cared-for feeling.
If you want to go a little further on your better days, it helps to understand the correct order to apply your skincare products.
Hair care
Neglecting your hair for days or weeks can cause real problems. The therapist says it's absolutely worth considering a shorter cut during these periods — it's easier to maintain, and it'll grow back anyway.
If you have long hair, get yourself a dry shampoo so you can wash less often. Brushing can't be avoided completely, but braiding is a great solution: it stops the hair from tangling further, so it stays manageable for a long time.
Plus one step: reaching for your favorite products
According to Dodson, sticking to the first three steps is already a huge achievement. But if you have the energy, you can add this final one. Look through your collection of beauty products and pick just one that you think might bring you a little joy — a perfume, or your favorite lipstick.
Her last piece of advice is to reflect on how the routine makes you feel: which step feels the most helpful, which one feels hard. And to remind yourself that these steps aren't about being acceptable to the world. They're about taking the first steps down the road to recovery.
Why does a skincare routine help with depression?
According to the therapist, a simple routine acts as a loving conversation with yourself. Repeating small, familiar steps helps you behave like your healthier self and gradually become active again.
What if I have almost no energy at all?
Start with the absolute basics — brushing your teeth and showering already count as a success. If even the skincare feels like too much, a cleansing wipe or a spritz of facial mist can still give you that cared-for feeling.
Is the goal to look better for other people?
No. Dodson emphasizes that the point isn't changing your appearance or pleasing others. The real goal is the act of showing up for yourself and caring for yourself, consistently.
How often should I do the routine?
There's only one rule: do the steps every single day, no matter how simple they are. Consistency matters more than doing everything perfectly.
