If you’re having health concerns of any kind, we urge you to speak to a healthcare professional.
As a neurodivergent and mentally ill beauty content creator, being in the beauty space can be hell.
The ableism in the industry and lack of consideration given to disabled people during beauty discourse are astounding.
Masego Morulane / Getty Images
It’s become clear no one but disabled people are thinking about us and our very real difficulties.
In my experience, depressive episodes can eliminate my ability to perform any task.
Lily Njoroge, a New York licensed esthetician, suffers from long Covid.
The inability to carry out some tasks for months means beauty products expire and are rendered useless and unsafe.
To me, this philosophy seems contradictory.
This is true for a lot of people, myself included.
This is why careless discourse surrounding this topic must be eradicated.
Many of us who have disabilities wish we couldjustdo our beauty routines, but we can’t.
The online space must be kinder and more understanding of how various conditions may affect ability.
For example: In the morning, I cleanse, rinse with water, and apply SPF.
In the evening, I cleanse and moisturize.
If I have to treat acne or hyperpigmentation, I’ll add in serum when I can.
This way, I can skip the serum step.
Hair Care
Because of my ADHD and breathing difficulties, hair care is difficult.
“Be realistic when purchasing products,” Njoroge notes.
“[Ask yourself,]Do they demand extra steps or time?
Are they multifunctional?”
It makes all the difference.
