I know for me that showering, doing my hair and makeup, and pretty much anything related to getting ready to go out is physically difficult for me even on a "good" day. However, a bad day it makes it all about a million times more difficult and exhausting. For as long as I've been sick I've pretty much always had more bad days than "good" ones, but recently the bad days are even more frequent and the the "good" days are few and far between. As I'm sure you can imagine this all means that getting ready to go out has gotten increasingly harder for me, but looking good (or even just decent at this point) when I'm out and about is not something I'm willing to give up on. It's no secret that I'm a beauty aficionado so it's probably not a surprise that I've found a few products that help me to get ready quicker and make it a little bit easier for me.
Below I'm sharing the products that help me to streamline my routine and cut down on the time and energy used. While these are all amazing for people with chronic illness they're also great for healthier people who need to cut down on their routine (like Moms or college students) or who are feeling lazy when getting ready!
1. Dry Shampoo
I would have to say that dry shampoo is definitely the #1 beauty product you need if you're suffering from chronic illness. For me washing my hair is one of the most physically challenging things I have to do and dry shampoo helps me to go days between washes and makes my hair still look (and smell) good. Even on those days that I really need to wash my hair, but feel way too sick to do it this saves me from having greasy hair and leaves me feeling fresh! (Pro Tips: Apply at night before bed so that the product absorbs better and doesn't leave behind the look of residue in your hair. Also make sure to use it each night before a day that you won't be washing your hair.)
Styling my hair after it's been washed (blow drying, flat ironing, etc.) is also incredibly difficult for me. When I wash my hair and know that I don't have something coming up that I would want it "done" for (an event, blog photoshoot, etc.) I let it air dry, which in addition to being easier physically it's also so much healthier for my hair. In order to allow your hair to air dry, but still look good you need some product to style your hair, especially in the summer. I love an air dry cream like this or sea salt spray like this to give my hair a pretty, but super low maintenance, look.
3. Aquaphor
There are so many uses for Aquaphor that it can be used in the place of multiple products, which is a great time saver. You can use it as a lip balm, to moisturize your skin, to calm any skin irritations, to help with a cut, to remove makeup, to tame your eyebrows, and so much more. Having this multitasking product is a necessity for me and I make sure to keep it close in case I need it. If you would like a more natural alternative to Aquaphor though I absolutely love this from Farmacy.
4. Facial Spray
My Crohn's disease makes my skin really dry so I am constantly looking for ways to help soothe and moisturize it. This facial spray is a quick and simple way to add some hydration to my skin without the energy it takes to put on more lotion. It also calms down irritations, can be used as a toner (and since it's a spray it's easier than using a toner with a cotton ball), and feels great to use when you have a migraine or headache.
After dry shampoo micellar water the #2 beauty product you need if you're suffering from chronic illness. Micellar water uses molecules to remove dirt, oil, and makeup from the skin. It can be used to remove makeup or as an all in one cleanser/toner. You just apply some to a cotton ball or pad and swipe it over your face, you don't have to scrub at your skin or rinse it afterwards. I like to use this in the morning to wash my face; eliminating a traditional cleanser and using this in its place is physically much easier for me and it helps me to save energy.
6. Wet Brush
Wet Brushes have super flexible bristles that don't get caught in your hair. They make brushing your hair easier and help you to avoid tangles and pulling your hair. This is great because it takes less energy to brush your hair and prevents it from becoming painful. Since the bristles are so flexible they will also not pull out your hair, which is important if you're having issues with hair falling out (from illness, medication, etc.).
7. invisibobble
When I get a migraine I want my hair off my face, but using a traditional hair tie can make my headache worse. I picked up these a few months ago at Sephora and was instantly hooked. The shape of this unique "hair ring" was created so that it would not feel too tight or leave an indentation in hair. However, I love it because the shape of this also helps to avoid headaches from forming due to having your hair up and I've found that it doesn't further aggravate my migraines either. Additionally, I find these easier to use than a traditional hair tie and it doesn't feel like a wrestling match to put my hair up, which in turn uses less of my limited energy.
Many people with chronic illnesses take medication that makes their skin extra sensitive to the sun and in addition to taking several of those myself I have crazy fair skin. To be honest the sun makes me feel pretty sick, but I do like to get out in it from time to time. As you can imagine I always need to be careful when I'm in the sun and take the proper precautions. One thing that has always deterred me from heading out in the sun was having to lather up in sunscreen, but this year I've found a solution to my problem: powder sunscreen. This stuff is amazing you just dust it on and you're good to go sans that gross greasy feeling from traditional sunscreen and the loads of energy it takes to apply. Now I don't use this when I go to the beach or pool because it would be insanely expensive to use on my entire body, but it's perfect for when I head out and need to protect my face, chest, shoulders, etc. (which is anytime I do anything outside for more than ten minutes). It's been a major energy saver for me and has helped me to better protect my skin from the sun.
Above I mentioned that for me washing my hair is one of the most physically difficult things I have to do. Shampooing and conditioning my hair is so exhausting, however I've found a way to cut down on that and use just one product without sacrificing the health of my hair. dpHue ACV Hair Rinse can be used in place of both shampoo and conditioner to cleanse and condition your hair. You just wet your hair and squeeze out excess water, use the bottle tip to create a few small parts in your hair and gently squeeze the product onto your scalp, scrub your scalp, leave on for a few minutes, and rinse thoroughly. Using the ACV Rinse makes my hair super clean and soft and it also makes washing my hair so much easier for me.
This is handy for so many reasons and is a total game changer. First off if you can't bend over to tie your hair up in a traditional towel hair wrap then this is your solution to that problem and it's very easy (read: not labor intensive) to use. Next the microfiber material the towel is made of helps your hair to dry a lot faster which means if you want to blow dry your hair you'll have less work to do. Lastly these are more gentle on your hair then a traditional terry cloth towel and that is important if you're having issues with hair falling out. Since using this I've had less hair fall out and it also helps me to take better care of the hair I do have.
So I know that some people who have chronic illnesses are sensitive to scents, however if you are not one of those people this is a basic must have. I am really sensitive to floral scents so I make sure to get fresh and sweet scented lotions and perfumes and you can play with what scents work best for you. A scented cream is really important for days that you don't feel well enough to shower, instead apply scented lotion all over your body (use deodorant too!) and then put the dry shampoo in your hair and you'll smell like you've showered. Lotions are also very helpful to those of us who get dry skin from their illness and I love this rich, yet easily absorbed option from Bath and Body Works.
Whether you're chronically ill or not are there products that you use to speed up your beauty routine? If so share them in the comments below so I can check them out!
