Skinimalism: The Natural Beauty Exposed

The beginning of the pandemic and closure of beauty salons changed our perception of beauty and self-care. In the pre-COVID era, makeup products dominated our cosmetic shelves, but once we went to lockdowns and started putting masks, the makeup became a hassle for many.

With fewer social interactions, working remotely, we started paying more attention to skincare. It was a time to remove the makeup and give a break to our skin. Some of us even bought cosmetic fridges and started filling them with cleansers, exfoliants, creams and serums. We started piling up retinol, vitamin C, Niacinamide and other single active cosmetics.

For a consumer with fairly broad knowledge about cosmetics and ingredients, this was a time to shine. Unfortunately, for many of us, the skincare routine became too complex, and in some cases, did more harm than good (example: mixing retinol with AHAs causes irritation and dry skin). But is it necessary to use dozens of products at once to achieve perfect skin? One of the biggest trends in skincare says no.

According to Pinterest's Pinterest Predicts 2021 report, Skinimalism, statement brows, and Indie makeup are what tomorrow brings. The bare minimum beauty trend continues with a new name and definition of skin minimalism, aka skinimalism.

 What is Skinimalism?

Skinimalism can be defined in a few bullet points:

• Simplicity is followed by the three key routine elements: cleansing, treating and protecting
• Quality of cosmetics over quantity as less is more
• Avoiding complex skincare routines with the minimum number of products possible for the maximum benefit to your skin
• A glowing, dewy complexion promoting the natural look of skin

The simplicity of a skincare routine based on three key elements gives a structure to our skin needs. For example, one skinimalist routine for acne-prone skin might involve cleansing with AHAs to remove dead skin, treating acne and blackheads with salicylic acid toner, and applying moisturizer with SPF as skin protection. Choose cosmetics that serve more than one purpose instead of buying multiple single-ingredient products. "Less is more" for your skin and your wallet.

Complicated regimens, especially when they include the wrong products, can damage the skin and disrupt its pH balance. Keep your skincare simple, or if your skin requires more complex treatment, consult your concerns with a dermatologist or esthetician.

What are Benefits of Making Skinimalism your Habit?

Switching to a skinimalist routine can be beneficial to your skin. The goal of the trend is to promote glowy, dewy and healthy skin without a complex skincare regimen that can put your goals at risk. The benefits do not end here, and we listed them below:

• Results-Oriented

Skinimalism aims for a fresh, natural look with minimum effort and maximum results. If you target select skin problems, follow three routine products for cleansing, treating, and protecting. The same rule can be applied to other routines. For example, use shampoo to cleanse your hair, and conditioner to treat and protect them.  If you would like to condition eyelashes, ADOREYES Plus Lashes serum will enhance the appearance of lashes and protect them from damage. 

• Cost-effective

Adding up multiple acids, serums, or moisturizers that concentrate on one ingredient can be expensive. Instead, opt for products that merge all desired ingredients in one formula. Buying multipurpose products doesn't mean that there are less effective. For example, in Canada, a serum containing retinol and its esters cannot go above-permitted concentration ( 1.0% retinol equivalents; 1.15% w/w retinyl acetate; 1.83% w/w retinyl palmitate). It means that no matter what price tag you're willing to pay, it might be better to buy multipurpose cosmetics with the same concentration as a single concentrated ingredient cosmetic. Plus, cosmetic brands know which ingredients can be mixed with retinol, which takes a guess out of your complex skincare regimen (for example benzoyl peroxide and retinol cancel each other).

• Sustainable

As we established that multi-targeted skincare products could be as effective as a single active ingredient product, it's time to talk about sustainability. Skin minimalism is followed by a rule of less is more which also applies to the number of products used during your skincare regimen. We could narrow down the routine to three products in the previously highlighted sample routine because less is more for your skin and your wallet. Using hybrid products such as moisturizer with sunscreen or sunscreen with tint will declutter your shelves, save you money, and reduce packaging waste.

• Natural Concept Beauty

Let's be honest. We're growing tired of an illusion of perfect skin pushed by unrealistic beauty standards perpetuated by filters, photo-editing apps, and airbrushed beauty brand campaigns. We all have pores, spots, or scars, which makes us, and its part of us. Accepting yourself and your natural beauty is what skinminimalism promotes. Self-acceptance serves you and other generations without putting unhealthy expectations that are not realistic to achieve. It's important to remember that others might consider our flaws as our most redeeming quality – so let those freckles and imperfections shine through.

What Skinminimalism Says About Makeup

The Skinimalism puts an end to the caked-on makeup look but does not necessarily exclude naturally looking makeup. According to Pinterest Predicts 2021, "natural everyday makeup" is one of the most searched terms; however, the idea of a full face of makeup is falling out of fashion. Cut down on the contents of your makeup bag, and strip it to the bare minimum to let your skin texture shine through.