When it comes to skincare, many have long been under the impression that more is more – the more active-packed serums you apply, the glowier your skin will be. However, just as living life to excess always backfires eventually, excessive skincare efforts can leave behind a trail of destruction too, in the form of a compromised skin barrier, redness, irritation, and in some cases acne.
Enter: #skinimalism, the angel to that extreme skincare devil on your shoulder, and a tonic for our times (and bank balances).
What is skinimalism? Well, according to Pinterest’s 2021 Trend Predictions Report, it describes the stripping back of our skincare (and make-up) routines in favour of a more minimalist approach; whether that means reducing the number of products and active ingredients in our routines, or simply wearing less foundation to allow our real skin to shine through. It’s about taking a few steps back, harnessing the power of multitasking products, and ultimately committing to a more sustainable (and often cheaper) beauty routine.
The constant barrage of information around new ingredients and formulas has left many consumers confused, and as a result overdoing it. “The most common thing I see with new clients is irritation, sometimes in the form of rashes, inflamed breakouts, redness and flare-ups of conditions like peri-oral dermatitis,” says facialist Debbie Thomas. “This is because using too many products, trying new formulas each day, layering incorrectly or combining too many actives overwhelms, overstimulates and confuses the skin.” Overwhelmed, the skin essentially gives up, and we never see the benefits of the actives we’re using.
So, how to transition from a slather-fest to a skinimalist regime? First, it helps to know the facts. A good formula does it all, there is no such thing as a product which is good for one part of your skin and not the other – all skin shares the same everyday needs. With this in mind, you can avoid buying two moisturisers – one for day and one for night, for example – and stick with one well-made formula. See? Easy and affordable.
Equally important to know is that a single multitasking product, when formulated well, can contain more than one active ingredient, and at the correct ratios for the skin. When we, as consumers, try and blend several one-ingredient serums to achieve the same result, it is almost impossible, some ingredients actively work against one another; others do a similar job; and then there are those that actively enhance each other. To truly understand all of these things takes the expertise of a good formulator, one with years of experience. Googling simply won’t cut it – one reason why so many are getting it wrong.
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