Have you heard of the term “skinimalism”? According to LeBotaniste Apothecary, skinimalism is in the top 20 of trends for 2024, but the term has been around for at least a couple of years. Some articles refer to it as a rebellion to the excess of skin care treatments people did during the COVID lockdowns.
We live in a culture of excess where, if something is good for us, we often think more is better. I feel like I’m always searching for the next best product for my skin, which leads to a jumbled bathroom cupboard, less money, and dashed expectations.
There are a few products that I generally stay consistent with including facial oils and rosewater. The common theme of my skincare regime is that I try to stick with ‘clean’ brands and products wherever possible. This is positive in the sense that I avoid synthetics and overly packaged products, but the downfall of my routine is that I spend way too much money and my skin pays the price in terms of irritation and stress.
What is “skinimalism”?
I find there’s a spectrum in how people interpret skinimalism. On one end, there are dermatologists who recommend nothing more than a gentle cleanser and a good sunscreen. Dr. Fayne Frey, author of The Skincare Hoax, argues that there is no proof that any of the products sold by the beauty industry have an effect on improving the texture or tone of our skin. Similarly, Skin Sobering, a book written by Dr. Erin Tjam and Dr. Ryuichi Utsugi, makes the case that our skin doesn’t need anything except gentle cleansing with water and protection from the sun (physical or, when that isn’t possible, with sunscreen). It’s an intriguing hypothesis that I haven’t yet tried!
Some dermatologists and beauty experts describe their minimalist routines as consisting of *only* cleanser, sunscreen, retinol, vitamin C, and more….this article is one example! This might be minimal when compared to a 12-step process, but it doesn’t seem like it saves a lot of time or money.
There is a lot of pressure to create and maintain a complex skin care routine for women of all ages. As we get older, it’s common to add in expensive serums and treatments to fight aging and, for the younger generations, social media is forever promoting new products. My daughter is always asking for something she’s seen on Tiktok, and – other than Treehut sugar scrubs – it’s usually expensive.
why create a more simple routine?
- it reduces the amount of chemicals that we are putting on our skin
- it’s better for the environment (less products, less purchases, less waste)
- it protects the skin microbiome, which is essential to the health of our skin
- it saves money
- it is easier to travel, without packing lots of extra products
and, I believe the most important reason….we resist buying into the idea that we always need to ‘fix’ our skin!
my hopes for skinimalism:
While I doubt I can give up products completely (I just love beauty so much), I do hope to implement a minimalist skin care routine through the end of summer and into the autumn. I will use less products and ONLY wash my face in the evening (rinsing with water in the morning). With the idea that less is more, my hope is that this will calm my stressed out skin and save me some time and money. I also help that I will get into a more consistent routine and resist the urge to buy the next best skin care product!
Stay tuned…
Resources
Frey Fayne L. The Skincare Hoax How You’re Being Tricked into Buying Lotions Potions & Wrinkle Cream. 2022.
Tjam Erin Yuet and Ryuichi Utsugi. Skin Sobering 99% of Products Age and Harm Your Skin. Houndstooth Press 2023.
https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/beauty-style/skinimalism-beauty-trend
Barre with Justine 
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