The Complex Reality Neurodivergent People Face With Makeup

For many people, makeup is a relationship. And neurodivergent people — or people with unique brain functions, like autism and ADHD — possess a diverse set of relationships with makeup. We're not a monolith; we imbue the beauty industry with a colorful palette of thought-provoking perspectives.

Neurodivergent people can feel more comfortable defying societal norms in makeup or simply enjoy it as an art form; others may turn to makeup to mask being different.

My ADHD has made it challenging to apply makeup: it's time-consuming and not dopamine-inducing. My energy depletes when I simply take a shower, and the unhealthy noise of life prevents me from having an interest in cosmetics when I have other responsibilities. However, many others use makeup to double down on their femininity.

Cheyenne Rae, a content creator with autism, is one of those people, although leaning into her femininity doesn't come without its challenges. "When most people think of an autistic person, it's someone who has frequent meltdowns, is minimally verbal/nonverbal, and is incapable of making eye contact," she says. "Because I'm an attractive young girl who dresses according to current trends, people think that when I miss something, it's because I'm dumb, not my disability."

There are misconceptions around how beauty co-exists with autism; often people discount a disabled woman's self-assurance in her womanhood, or that gender and sexuality are not "allowed" to be adopted by disabled people. This process of infantilization is harmful and strips people of their self-expression.

"What's interesting is that because I am so feminine [presenting], people do not believe I have autism, and therefore feel that it's OK to make fun of my autistic traits," Rae says.

Additionally, autistic people may also feel the need to over-emphasize gender traits and follow societal norms to fit in. This was the case for Gabriella Jagne, who felt pressured to wear makeup in school to be palatable to her peers. "In my teens, I used to copy everyone else's makeup to fit in," she says. "I absolutely hated foundation; it's never the right color, it always makes me feel clogged, and I don't actually need it. But I had a period where I'd use one that was clearly too light just to fit in with my class. Luckily, after school, that ended."

This pressure to mask any differences can be heightened because of loneliness, which autistic people commonly face. They're often ostracized from social settings because of their inability to interpret cues, which is incredibly difficult and affects mental health and well-being. The need to assimilate is an innate human quality, and desiring a sense of belonging stems from basic human psychology.

Autistic people can also experience sensory problems and become overstimulated — or overwhelmed by sensory input — when wearing makeup, which poses another challenge. The specifics can vary from person to person, and can include anything from how a product feels on the skin to its texture to its smell.

Nicole Powell of the Naturally Coley account on TikTok struggles to find base makeup that accommodates her sensory issues. "I am unable to wear foundation and all of that. I really dislike how it feels," she says. "I only use my eyebrow pencil, mascara, eyeshadow, eyeliner, and sometimes lipstick or lip gloss."

Again, each person's preferences are different, but these barriers can make it especially difficult to navigate societal pressures to wear makeup for work, social status, and relationships. Neurodivergent people deserve the ability to comfortably wear makeup or refrain from doing so, depending on their choosing, without worrying about the implications.

Aisha Malik is a copywriter and freelance writer. In addition to PS, she's written for Refinery29, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Prism Reports, and more.