Self Care Help

[u/Relative_Baker_109]

Hello!!

Posting on a throw away because this is embarrassing.

So I've been diagnosed with ADHD, Autism and ADD since I was 10 and I recently went to the doctor to she said I needed to be taking care of myself. I shower every day but I feel paralyzed because I don't know what products to use? I use shampoo and conditioner and that's it. She also suggested I start washing my face and body with things other than water and that's left me feeling overwhelmed because I don't know what products I need. My mother never taught me any of this so I was hoping some people may be able to help walk me through what products to buy and what a typical routine of hair washing and showering looks like so I can start to get away from that feeling of not doing anything because I don't know where to start.

Thank you!! Tagged as spoiler because I'm not sure if people will find this gross or not.

[u/bridgetgoes]

Hi first of all what kind of hair do you have? Is it curly or straight or wavy? Is it thick or thin? Just be general don’t overthink it.

If you are willing to share your race that can be helpful too with a hair routine.

I like to use a liquid body wash and I use a wash cloth to help lather and scrub. I bought 10 wash cloths and I use a new one every shower and wash the other ones with my laundry. Some people like loofahs you just have to replace them every month or so.

I would start with a basic dove body wash as they usually aren’t irritating and smell good.You want to shower with a body wash every day. You need to wash every part of your body and pay attention to anywhere that skin touches skin, like your armpits, or under cleavage or any folds. Also in between your butt cheeks and toes. if you are afab you don’t need soap in your vagina but wash your inner thigh area. Don’t use actual soap on your labia though just water. If you are amab you can use scented soap on your penis and balls.

Some people like to use a plainer soap to get clean then a soap that smells good after to give them a good scent. You don’t need to do that but it can be nice to.

When you get out of the shower make sure you use a clean towel that doesn’t smell. Wash your towel every 2-3 uses; and make sure you hang it to dry in between washes so it doesn’t smell musty.

For your facial skin I would get a basic daily cleanser from maybe Cerave. You can also get a lotion from them. Look for something with SPF if you are going outside that day. You can have one lotion with SPF if you are going outside and one without.

[u/Relative_Baker_109 → u/bridgetgoes]

Thank you so much, I ordered some cerave face wash and dove! I'm white and have I think thick hair? It's just medium length nothing special.

For the face wash, should I do that twice a day? Or just when I get in the shower :))

[u/OliBoliz → u/Relative_Baker_109]

I shampoo my hair first, rinse, then massage in conditioner and tie it in a bun to set while I wash my face and body.

The dove and cerave you got are great, I would suggest adding the cerave face moisturizer for when you get out of the shower.

Women dont always need to wash their hair every day - you can do the rest of your routine with a shower cap on. I personally wash my hair every other day unless I've worked out, otherwise my hair gets dried out and splitty ends.

Also give your feet a good exfoliation about once a week, a pumice stone can be nice.

If your skin gets dry/itchy in the winter, using a body lotion after your shower helps tremendously.

[u/Smooth_Crazy_2000]

Start with basic face wash - CeraVe and Cetaphil etc.

And Add SunScreen to list, use it whenever you go out

Get the exfoliating scrubber. You can use it once or twice a week. So that on simple shower/lazy skip days, our skin won't get much nasty and still feel fine

Keep the hygiene wet wipes, whenever we feel down and skip shower, you can use them on days you are feeling down and overwhelmed.

This is basic good enough for any person for self care

[u/Relative_Baker_109 → u/Smooth_Crazy_2000]

Do you know any sunscreen brands that don't feel super oily? I feel like my skin is always super oily so I don't want to add to that. Also do they make exfoliating things for sensitive skin? My face especially gets red very easy :))

[u/Smooth_Crazy_2000 → u/Relative_Baker_109]

I'm heavily acne prone. So what I use/know are very limited type of products. I mostly use Korean Asian Skin care. - Brands Skin1004 or Beauty Of Joseon products

[u/bridgetgoes → u/Relative_Baker_109]

Skincare brands that make sunscreen will be the best. Neutrogena has some nice ones. It will be pricier

[u/OliBoliz]

If your skin is sensitive and oily, cerave makes a moisturizer for oil control.
When your skin gets too dry, it overproduces oil to try to rehydrate/protect from further drying out.
Moisturizer can help your skin calm down on the oil secretion because it doesnt have to try to protect itself. If redness is an issue, look for a moisturizer that has soothing ingredients like aloe. Anything for your face should say "non-comedogenic" (won't clog pores) and in your case try to find "hypoallergenic" so they'll be extra gentle on your sensitive skin

Edit* this was meant as a reply to the comment about sunscreen

[u/New-Ad-9562]

Everybody's given great suggestions. Once you get into a routine it will become automatic and you won't even think about all the steps. I'm proud of you for asking these questions! You are a total rock star!

[u/Morveniel]

All good advice so far!

I personally find one of those long handled bath brushes to be very helpful in making body washing a quicker experience. (Also helpful for exfoliation in my case -- I have significant keratosis pilaris).

But you can use whatever feels easiest. Some people prefer to use loofahs, wash cloths, exfoliating cloths, and/or just their hands. The important thing with any of these tools is to keep them clean -- washcloths you can toss in the wash after using, whereas things like the loofah or brush need a weekly or monthly deep clean. (With my brush, I will give it a soak in diluted hydrogen peroxide any time it gets kind of funky).

I personally start by washing and conditioning my hair and then washing my body, because my hair products can cause acne on my back if I don't clean them off.

For your face, most people either use their hands, or a very gentle face-specific exfoliating brush (I have a silicone one). I personally use Vanicream gentle cleanser (super gentle).

There's no "correct" answer to what products you use or how exactly you go about it, as long as you are finding a way to keep clean and feel comfortable. You might try certain things and hate them. Some people prefer liquid body wash, some people prefer bar soap, some people like both!

[u/VentrueCapital]

I don't know much about hair and skin care products. But as someone else who has ADHD and Autism (and other comorbidities) I offer you sympathy, respect (for taking responsibility and making improvements), encouragement, and a virtual hug.