WHY SKINIMALISM IS STILL TRENDING
Hey guys, I think that we need to be real for a minute. Some, if not most beauty trends out there nowadays aren’t always for everyone, just thinking about the Korean 10 step skincare routine confuses my brain. Which is why within the last few years, a larger emphasis has been to focus on making it all simpler, as in all honesty, less is very much indeed more.
Think back to the COVID pandemic (scary to think about it, I know), but during this time, makeup wasn’t really a necessity. Being at home meant you weren’t going out to meet people, and wearing our facemasks all the time would help develop the horrifying ‘maskne’, which was caused by a build-up of sweat leading to breakouts underneath the mask.
Ever since then, a minimalist style has been the talk of the town, with celebrities like Hailey Bieber adopting the no make-up make-up look. But why should you consider giving this a go? It’s simple really (just like the routine!)
Within the last few years, nearly 1 in 3 women have decided to reduce the number of products that they use in their regular skincare routines, and young millennials in particular, around 54% of 20-29 year olds are most likely to simplify their skincare routines. Multistep routines are slowly being faded out, with nearly 28% of women, according to the Mintel Press Office, choosing to only use one product to cleanse their face, and the proportion of women using four or more products is only 18% of the population.
Minimalism is becoming more popular because it focuses on just providing the essentials, we’re not layering our skin with a ton of products that may not ultimately do much, and using a minimalist routine with only the best products imaginable means that your skin is getting all the nutritious ingredients it needs at a fraction of the cost, time, and the amount of storage needed to house everything.
All a minimalist approach needs is just three key products: a cleanser, a moisturiser and to finish it off with a bit of sunscreen.
If you want to get the most out of a minimalist routine, the safest bet is to stick to the three products I mentioned, and try to avoid any others. For instance, toners would not be necessary for a minimalist skincare routine. While yes, they are good at cleaning the skin, as long as you wash your face correctly, they can pretty much be avoided. It may also be best to keep yourself away from pH-adjusting toners as even though they are designed to adjust the balance of the pH levels on your skin during your routine, they can sometimes lower the pH levels of your skin too much, which could cause skin irritation.
But we’re not the only ones praising a minimalist spin to your daily routine, Dermatologists are giving it the two thumbs up. They propose that when you take a minimalist approach, “it gives your skin the chance to repair itself. Going back to the basics gives your skin a break from the mix of active ingredients it receives” says Dr Shamban in an interview with The Shape.
And it’s not just your skin that gets a break, so does your mind. Minimalism, in not just skincare but in all aspects of life, can help declutter your mind and help to ease your sense of self, as too many products can lead to clutter, which can lead itself to stress. In a 2020 study on the psychological benefits of minimalism, it was found that when people are surrounded by clutter, it can cause a cluttered mind, and the same thing rings true for the opposite way around. The excess skincare products you may have in your cupboard is essentially clutter, and slowly whittling it away can help destress the mind.
So if you ever feel like your skincare routine is getting the better of you, or may be causing you any kind of unnecessary stress, minimising may be the path for you. drop the ridiculous amount of products you use, and let yourself feel and be your best. Remember, there is indeed beauty in simplicity.
Love you guys, and keep it simple
Alex xoxo
https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/beauty-style/skinimalism-beauty-trend
https://www.healthline.com/health/maskne