Mental illness permeates all areas of life. It can suck away your motivation to pursue your passions, keep up with work, and maintain relationships. There’s another area that’s probably the most embarrassing and least talked about: personal hygiene.

Neglecting personal hygiene is common among people with depression; it’s really just a result of the combination of its symptoms. When I’m in a depressive episode, a complicated beauty routine with a cluttered mess of mismatched products can make taking care of myself even harder. Here’s how I made my beauty rituals something to look forward to every morning⁠—whether it’s a good or bad one.

Minimal

Brushing your teeth in the morning means doing the one thing you absolutely don’t want to when you’re down: getting out of bed. What makes it even more unappealing is opening your medicine cabinet to find a jarring neon-colored toothbrush and bright blue toothpaste. Using a simple toothbrush (the charcoal infused bristles provide a deeper clean) and a natural toothpaste (my favorite is Tom’s) makes me feel more put together and less overwhelmed.

Additionally, keeping your organization methods minimal can prevent the mess from digging to find products and inevitably leaving them strewn around as you rush out of the door in the morning. A clear makeup organizer (Amazon is a treasure trove) has given me the ease of being able to see where all of my products and making my routine methodical and easy to follow.

Pretty Packaging

These aesthetic preferences may seem unnecessary, but they make self-care more of a fun and visually appealing activity that you actually want to do when your motivation is low. 

I’ve made the switch from my highlighter orange chemical toner to alcohol-free witch hazel. Thayer’s is gentle on the skin, and even gentler on the eyes with its adorable vintage packaging. Looking for more than just a toner? You can make your entire skincare routine even simpler with matching sets like this one from Glossier. 

I’m a sucker for makeup with fun packaging, and my favorites are hands down from The Balm. Their Balm Beach blush is my go-to for a flushed summer glow, and the playful packaging makes me nostalgic for throwback beach days.

All Purpose

Buying products with different uses is a great way to reduce clutter, in turn keeping your mind at ease, too. One of the best examples is Lauren’s All Purpose Salve, which can be used from head to toe for all of your moisturization needs. Another great product is Supergoops’s Defense Refresh Setting Mist which is perfect for sneaking some SPF into your routine and for reapplying all day long without messing up your makeup.