You may have seen people on social media share their skin care routines, which often include serums, exfoliants, a roller and more. This is not practical for people who lack time to get ready in the morning or for those who come home late at night. A high-maintenance skin care routine is time-consuming and typically expensive.
Overusing products, causing skin irritation or destroying the skin barrier are common issues that some people might not share on social media. Prioritizing time, money, skin health, sustainability and natural beauty are all reasons why people are starting to practice skin minimalism.
WHAT IS SKIN MINIMALISM?
Skin minimalism involves using a limited number of products in your routine while still addressing the most critical areas of skin care to maintain a healthy skin barrier. The key to this idea lies in the growing trend of embracing natural beauty and opting for conscious shopping rather than overconsumption.
THE BENEFITS OF SKIN MINIMALISM
As natural beauty becomes more mainstream, not hiding your skin’s texture and pores is becoming more normalized. Plus, skin minimalism doesn’t clog your pores, allowing them to remain healthy. Makeup can be seen as a confidence booster, but under the skin minimalism trend, it’s more common to wear less makeup, which might inspire more confidence in your natural skin as well.
Skin minimalism is more sustainable and efficient than complicated skin care routines. Using fewer products requires finding ones with multiple uses to check all of your boxes. This is more sustainable because it requires less waste and saves money. It’s also more efficient because it takes less time to apply a small number of products.
Having a more minimal skin care routine usually makes it easier to maintain. Fewer steps require less effort during those early mornings when you didn’t get enough sleep or those late nights when all you want to do is go to bed. If your routine is simple, fast and easy, you might be more inspired to stick with it, creating long-lasting and noticeable results. People are already trying to reduce the cellular damage caused by the sun and other environmental issues to their skin. It’s important to be mindful of not causing more harm to your skin. Using multiple products for various purposes can damage your skin barrier and lead to irritation. Practicing skin minimalism reduces the risk of overuse and helps keep your skin healthier. It can also be a good method if you have sensitive or reactive skin.
YOUR GUIDE TO A LOW-MAINTENANCE ROUTINE
There is debate about whether a low-maintenance routine requires three or four essential steps. Your skin only needs three things to stay healthy, but an additional fourth one may be desirable.
- Cleanser
A cleanser is essential. It cleans out dirt and grime in your pores and any blemishes on your
skin. Cleansers provide a clean slate, whether you’ve had a long day or a sufficient night of rest. - Moisturizer
Skin can dry out quickly, especially in the winter. Moisturizer is essential because it replenishes
your skin and helps maintain its beautiful glow throughout the day. It also helps keep your skin
soft to the touch. - SPF
One thing many experts agree on is that SPF is essential in any skin care routine, even a
minimalist one, regardless of whether the sun is out. Cloudy days do not mean the sun can’t
harm your skin, so making sure you put SPF on before running your weekly errands or heading
off to work is crucial to maintaining healthy skin. - Optional Serum
Serum can be part of a low-maintenance skin care routine, but it is not required. People who
experience acne may add a serum like retinol to their routine to limit it. You only need to include
this step if you want to address a specific skin issue.
EMBRACE YOUR NATURAL BEAUTY
The overall goal of skin minimalism and a low-maintenance routine is to keep the process short
and consistent. You don’t want to hurt your skin by overdoing it, and you want to practice
sustainability by avoiding mass purchases and wasting money. Because skin minimalism
requires fewer steps, you’ll be more motivated to maintain a low-maintenance routine and
achieve long-lasting results for your skin.
