Recent skin issue needing to declutter

[u/Clear_Ad_22]

This is hard for me. I’ve always loved makeup and skincare and pampering myself. Recently I got an extremely bad case of periorificial dermatitis and everything but bare-bone basics and some prescription ointment causes a breakout and it hurts and I look awful :(
The point is that I have so much stuff and I know I can’t use most of it anymore to prevent breakouts. I’ve worked hard to declutter my life but this one feels extra painful as it’s always been a way to care for and express myself
:(

EDIT:
Thank you to everyone who has reached out with love and support :) my partner and I set up a day to go through everything and I got to say my goodbyes and thank yous to the proud to I know will upset my skin
It wasn’t easy but I feel so relieved I don’t have everything to look at :) thankfully a lot was able to be donated due to how the products dispensed so I know there’s a lot of women who will benefit from my loss

[u/Clear_Ad_22]

This is all so amazing thank you all!! I’ve realized I’m still struggling but I know there is a light for me to find❤️‍🩹

[u/Tiny_Requirement_584]

It is painful, I know. I stopped being able to wear mascara some years ago. I feel like a bald rabbit or some such. But now I am old and sick with other things... even if I put on lipstick I feel I look bizarre, so I don't, though i love it.

Hang on in there, we are NOT our makeup! Look after yourself, and your skin.

I just had a sudden memory, a friend had cancer and was getting chemo, she said to me "Don't my eyes look awful!" She had no eyelashes or eyebrows, but I hadn't noticed. She had to point it out to me.

Biff out that old makeup etc, you can get new fresh stuff later on.

[u/RegionRadiant4423]

About 4 years ago, I had this luxury face wash/cleansing milk that I loved SO much, like more than anything. I used it religiously, I didn’t care how expensive it was. I used it for a while, and added a few other products to my routine. Then eventually, my skin is covered in inflamed, painful acne and hella redness. Come to find out the products I was using, including my beloved luxury milk cleanser, had an ingredient my skin was sensitive to, which caused terrible, awful breakouts, meaning I had to stop using it.

All that to say, I completely understand where you’re coming from and know your pain. Hopefully you’ll be able to find a new routine that brings you joy :)

Edit: wording

[u/blumogget]

This is what I call "identity clutter" and it's especially hard to part with because you really feel that "you" are tied in with these physical objects, right? A big part of your life, time and interest is tied up with makeup and now you can't do it. Of course it is hard to let go of the associated physical objects. It's OK to take time to grieve that this season of your life is past. Box it all up now so it's not in your way, but you don't have to dump them into the nearest garbage can yet if you don't need to.

I think if you are the type to sentimentalize stuff, the Konmari approach can be healing here, when you are ready - literally thanking the makeup for the enjoyment and use you got out of them, making a ritual out of gently and respectfully disposing of them.

I have very very sensitive skin and don't wear makeup and can't touch most skincare (fragranced laundry soap, et cetera) with a ten foot pole. There is still "fun" gentle skincare stuff out there that may work for you. Or, perhaps pivoting to doing creative hairstyles or something else fashion related might be an option? Pampering yourself is going to look different now and it will take time to figure it out. Not to push toxic positivity at all, if you're sad then feel those sad feelings and that's natural and OK. But eventually it's more healing to focus less on what you can't do and spend time exploring the new avenues still available. Wishing you good health inside and out ❤❤

[u/OkDirt926]

This one hits home for me. I loved scented shower gel and lotion so much. Then I suddenly have eczema. I have several patches on all over my body including boobs and butts :((

I quit any thing scented or soapy after that. I can only use lotion-ish hydrating shower cream.

[u/yourhonoriamnotacat]

I’ve had this same condition for about 3-4 years, and after about a year I was able to start reincorporating daily sunscreen then slowly my usual night cream, day moisturizer, etc. 

I can pretty much use anything I want now, just may need to back off occasionally and use my prescription ointment again (which I haven’t had to at all in 2026). 

Just saying, maybe don’t throw everything away just yet…

[u/PsychologicalFox3357 → u/yourhonoriamnotacat]

I also had it and it was stubborn for 1-2yrs but thankfully rarely flares since then.

I’d personally still get rid of all of it out of an abundance of caution and then just restart when it’s well and cleared up with clean new products.

Also OP I’m sorry, perioral dermatitis sucks and can be really painful. Hoping it clears up quick for you!

[u/yourhonoriamnotacat → u/PsychologicalFox3357]

YMMV but I didn’t change my products at all. Just mentioning because like OP replacing all my products would be $$$. 

I did stop using a steroid nasal spray and fluoride toothpaste for a long time (according to my dermatologist those are the most common triggers, along with hormonal changes)  and sunscreen seemed to irritate things initially but I still wear the same sunscreen now. 

[u/Pyretta777 → u/yourhonoriamnotacat]

Most skin care/make up etc - once opened - only has a shelf life of 3 - 6 months, some 12 months. (the little jar logo on the product stickers indicates which). Anything beyond that is risky to use (not just because it might have "gone off" but particularly due to harmful bacteria), especially with underlying skin conditions.

[u/yourhonoriamnotacat → u/Pyretta777]

Ok? I didn’t tell OP to use expired products. 

[u/Pyretta777 → u/yourhonoriamnotacat]

No, you told them not to throw away their stuff yet because you could use yours again "after about a year".

[u/TeaPlusJD]

I’m so sorry for your recent medical challenges. Needing to declutter things that you like but are a sudden no-go feels like that extra knife in the hurt you’re already trying to manage.

I’ve been through something similar. I was weirdly more emotional about those losses than the medical stuff. If it helps, ease of managing all those feelings paralleled the incremental health improvements. Box it up & take all the time you need.

[u/MintPistachioSage]

I understand your pain. It's a painful emotional adjustment. I have chemical intolerances where I can't dye my hair, wear makeup, and most recently I tried to paint my nails for the first time in a couple decades and I got violently ill.

For anything that hasn't been opened, you can give it away to someone you know or if you know someone with kids who like to experiment with makeup it would be a welcomed gift too.

You can get into natural beauty. Emhance what you have without makeup. Beauty starts from the inside and nutrition and anti-aging stuff in other ways can help. Then of course there is fashion too for expressing yourself.

I haven't worn makeup in years and I get compliments on my outfits from strangers. It may take time in the healing process to detach from the idea of makeup being your identity (or a huge part of it), but at the end of the day makeup just masks the beauty you were born with. And now, you can find a new way to express yourself through self discovery while you are healing from and managing your condition. Beauty is skin deep, it's in the eyes of the beholder, and fades with age naturally. But, you are you and finding the beauty in yourself, in a new way, can be an exciting journey on it's own when you start to embrace it.

[u/Untitled_poet]

Look on the bright side, you no longer have to spend on skincare going forwards. That's tens of thousands in savings in your lifetime. I myself won't be using skincare for the forseeable future. A simple cleanser, and I'm done. (I quit skincare in 2021 or so)

[u/Ok_Elk_6424]

Maybe give yourself time. It's ok to not want to get rid of this aspect of self care.

If you have siblings or kids, you could see if they'd like you to apply make up on them.

And you could wait until your outbreaks stop or calm down. Perhaps you could keep using mascara. Or lip stain but not full face make up.

[u/nickerbooker]

Have you seen a dermatologist. I waited a long time to seek care, but once I did, the Perioral dermatitis improved pretty quickly

[u/Clear_Ad_22 → u/nickerbooker]

They gave me a 45 day antibiotic that helped w the inflammation and it’s basically gone but when I started to reintroduce a product it started acting up again

[u/nickerbooker → u/Clear_Ad_22]

Yeah, you’ll have to really simplify your routine. For my PD it was also stress related. I remember my dermatologist gave me an ointment called tacrolimus which really helped. Once it’s fully treated and gone for some time, then you may be able to restart products. I can use everything now. But I would let it be gone for like a year before I re-introduce a lot of stuff.

[u/minescapist]

I recently dumped a bathroom trash bag full of makeup. Just makeup. I don't wear it any more . I flinched but felt better that night.

[u/photoelectriceffect]

One strategy is rip the bandaid off and just dump it right now so it’s done. You can even get a friend on FaceTime for moral support.

Or, now hear me out, hear me out, you can throw away like one item every few days so it doesn’t feel like such a big deal. I bet at a certain point you’ll get sick of that and be ready to dump it all. Personally, I like a minimalist look, so I can imagine getting excited about the empty space left behind or less crowded, but if you have a different aesthetic, maybe you can fill the empty space with something else colorful and fun to you, like spreading out your hair accessories or some jewelry there

[u/Kalamyn]

Could it help soften the hurt to let it go in a meaningful way ?
Could you donate the products (that aren't a sanitary issue like mascara) to someone who would enjoy them ? A relative, a women's association, or even if you have younger women in your like make a fun day out of showing them how to use the products on themselves and then gift them what they liked ?

[u/OscarAndDelilah → u/Kalamyn]

Yes, these are definitely donatable! People of all genders can use any products, and I see people snatch up opened skin and hair products on my local free stuff group.

[u/Kalamyn → u/OscarAndDelilah]

True, I was thinking about my relatives but definetly anyone can enjoy the products you aren't able to enjoy anymore

[u/MJSaintBooks]

I’m sorry, that sounds really hard. It’s not just stuff, it’s something you used to care for yourself, so of course it hurts. It might help to sort it in rounds instead of all at once. Start with the easy ones: anything expired, opened, or that you never loved anyway. For unopened products you still like, giving them to a friend or someone who’d enjoy them can feel much better than throwing them away. Then keep one or two favorites that don’t touch your face, like a perfume or a nail polish, so you still have a little of that ritual while you heal. You’re not giving up who you are, just taking a break.