The Low-Effort Beauty Practices That Help Me Feel Better On My Worst Mental Health Days

Bad anxiety, great hair.

I’m going to give it to you straight: It’s been a rough few weeks over here.

I’ve been dealing with some of the most intense anxiety I’ve ever experienced—which is hard to admit, especially considering how well I’ve hidden it from almost everyone in my life. My Instagram has been full of bliss: wedding photos (which truly was the happiest day of my life), exciting updates about the two badass companies I’m building (yes, I hired an assistant!), and the fun beauty editor events I get to go to. But behind the scenes? Full-blown, sobbing panic attacks.

From the outside, everything looks pretty damn perfect. On the inside, not so much. And if you’ve ever struggled with your mental health, you know exactly what that feels like.

As heavy as things have felt lately, I’ve done everything in my power not to let them crush me. And surprisingly—but not really—my beauty routine has been one of the few things holding me together.

There have been so many days recently where I’ve had to literally pick myself up off the floor, wash the snot and tears off my face, and get ready for a meeting/breakfast/dinner/event. The time I spend curling my hair and putting on lipstick is what helps me transform from the sad girl crying on the bathroom floor to the editor/wife/friend who somehow still has her shit together. It’s become my reset button. And somehow, when I’m done, I do feel like a different person.

Obviously, shiny hair and dewy skin aren’t going to cure my anxiety—I’m seeing multiple professionals and on two different medications for that. But on a day-to-day basis, caring for myself—even when it feels impossibly hard—reminds me that I’m worthy. And that’s especially important when the shame spiral says otherwise.

Getting ready helps me fake it on the days I’m not sure I’ll make it (… I’ve cancelled a lot of plans recently). So this week on Laugh Lines, we’re talking about the beauty rituals that help us feel our best when we’re at our absolute fucking worst.

Hydrotherapy

Lately, my nervous system has felt like it’s been run through a blender. In my search for something—anything—to help, ChatGPT casually dropped the concept of “contrast therapy,” aka alternating between hot and cold water, as a way to restore balance.

So now, every morning, you’ll find me in the Equinox locker room hopping between the steam room and an ice-cold shower (truly the only thing stopping me from canceling the membership I absolutely cannot afford).

The best part? This practice is incredibly simple, and you don’t need a $300-a-month gym to feel the effects. All you need is a shower and a few spare minutes. Start with cold water to stimulate your vagus nerve, which plays a key role in regulating your mood and nervous system. Then switch to warm water, which activates your parasympathetic nervous system—moving your body out of fight-or-flight mode and into “rest and digest.”

The back-and-forth effect can help lower cortisol (your stress hormone), slow your heart rate and breathing, and make it easier to relax, recover, and feel like yourself again.

Giving myself a blowout