While the beauty industry is filled with buzzwords, ‘skinimalism’ and ‘skipcare’ are two that have really taken over, especially in the past few years. Characterised by minimal products and pared-back routines, this simplified approach is more than just a trend — it comes with several benefits for your complexion.
Whether you’re time-poor, have sensitive skin, or are simply looking to restore some balance after the pandemic-skincare boom, a simplified routine might be one of the best skin decisions you make this year. Keep reading for the intel.
Skinimalism Explained
It’s no secret we’re big on scientifically proven active ingredients, but you can have too much of a good thing. Incorrectly applying or overusing things like retinols and accelerating acids can disrupt your skin barrier, leading to redness, breakouts, bumpy texture and irritation.
Skipcare and skinimalism take the opposite approach, advocating for a streamlining of your routine, dialling back on the actives, and ditching any unnecessary steps. The idea originated in Korea – also the birthplace of elaborate, multi-step skin rituals – but the message is clear: healthy skin doesn’t always have to be complicated.
What Are The Benefits?
Practising skinimalism is an excellent strategy to combat issues like sensitivity and an impaired barrier (it’s also great if you’ve accidentally used too many products at once). Excessive use of certain ingredients can clog pores and trigger oil production, so this approach can be hugely beneficial for congested or acne-prone skin. Put simply, this approach gives the skin a chance to repair itself without the influence of too many products, which will improve its resilience and integrity.
Bonus: It’s also great for the lazy or time-poor among us! A win-win, as far as we’re concerned.
How To Streamline Your Routine
We’ve never been the ones for complex rituals, which is why our five-step system focuses only on essential steps: cleanse, exfoliate, correct, hydrate and protect. We’re also big fans of hard-working formulas with multiple benefits, so you can enjoy a simple skincare routine, but still see results.
Here are some top tips for trying out the skinimalism trend at home.
Strip it back
If you’re using more serums than you can count on one hand, stop immediately! Instead, choose one great formula that targets your skin’s specific concerns. Our pick is the Expert Reset Skin-Firming Peptide Serum, a light, milky serum that gently corrects signs of ageing via our Firma-Peptide Complex. It also contains anti-inflammatory Niacinamide, and Hyaluronic Acid to soothe, hydrate and repair.
Press pause on actives
If you are experiencing angry, sensitive skin, hold out on ingredients like Retinol and Glycolic Acid until things return to normal.
Reach for multitaskers
Another easy way to minimise your routine is with products that have multiple benefits. L-Lactic Cleanser, for example, removes sebum, makeup and skincare products while gently exfoliating and rehydrating. Lactic Acid is an Alpha-Hydroxy Acid that has a larger molecule size, so it doesn’t penetrate as deeply making it a good choice for sensitive or impaired skin, and it washes off, so there’s zero risk of accidentally over-exfoliating.
Focus on moisture
A good moisturiser is essential, even if you’re taking a minimalistic approach. Moisture Defence for Normal Skin is packed with antioxidants, Squalane (our skin’s natural moisturiser, which decreases with age) and Glycerin to improve hydration while softening the skin.
Never skip sunscreen
Fact: Skipcare doesn’t apply to sunscreen! Unprotected UV exposure can contribute to a weakened skin barrier (not to mention cancer and premature signs of ageing), so be sure to slather a broad-spectrum formula like Age Defence SPF50+ onto your face, neck and chest every day. Age Defence also boasts superior moisturising properties, so it can double as your daily moisturiser.
Embrace real texture
Remember that pores, texture, spots and marks are all very normal, and perfect skin is a bit of a myth – we believe you should embrace your skin, no matter its concerns.
And while the less-is-more approach can really help simplify things, skincare should be fun and effective and never a chore. So, if your detailed routine is working wonders, stick with it.
Need help finding a routine of your own? Check out our skin quiz where you’ll be asked a series of questions that will determine the ideal Skinstitut formulas for your face.
