When it comes to skin health and maintaining a radiant, even complexion, many have long been under the impression that more is more – i.e. the more active-packed serums and concoctions you apply to your skin, the quicker you will see results and the better they will be. However, this approach can very quickly leave behind a trail of destruction in the form of a compromised skin barrier, redness, irritation, and in some cases even acne.

Cue minimalist skincare, or ‘skinmalism’ a skincare trend that has been surfacing over the last few years, seeing people ditch their 10-step routines for a much simpler approach to skincare. Minimalist skincare pares back routines to the bare essentials and avoids endless layers of product. It’s about doing things better and less for a more effective result.

Stripping it back

The overwhelming barrage of information around ingredients and formulas has left many people confused about what products they should be using and overdoing it as a result. I see many patients with irritation, inflammation, and redness because they are using too many products, layering incorrectly, or combining too many active ingredients. The skin doesn’t perform efficiently when it’s being overloaded, and you likely won’t achieve the skin of your dreams by doing so. Over-complicated regimes leave the skin irritated, dry and compromised, and we will need to strip it back to the bare basics to heal the skin barrier and determine what ingredients are causing issues.

Strategic multi-tasking 

There are a lot of excellent multi-tasking products on the market, and I’m a big fan of using strategic skincare regimes that target the underlying issues without overwhelming the skin. Streamlining is the way forward. When formulated well, a product can contain more than one active ingredient and at the correct ratios for the skin. Often, we are tempted to try and blend several products together to achieve the same result, but some ingredients work against each other, some do a similar job, and then there are those that actively enhance each other. To truly understand what is right for you takes the expertise of an expert practitioner. Googling simply won’t cut it – one reason why so many get it wrong.

Keeping your regime simple and easy to follow means less faff and more action. We can then add in new products when required or change them depending on the season. The first step is to nurse skin barriers that have been through the wars back to life and then ensure that healthy barriers stay balanced and intact.

The essentials 

If you’d like to get started with an effective skincare regime, there are a few things that I believe everyone should be using.

  • Cleanser: You can get some great products for a very reasonable price when it comes to cleansers. I love the SkinCeuticals range, but Cerave also has some excellent budget-friendly options.
  • An antioxidant to help protect your skin from free radical damage.
  • A product to help exfoliate your skin. This may be a form of peel pads or a tonic containing AHAs.
  • A moisturising SPF
  • A retinol for boosting collagen production and aiding in cell turnover

This regime will be effective for almost all skin types, but if you have a particular skin concern such as acne, rosacea, dryness or pigmentation, we can then add in some strategic skincare products to help target them more effectively.

To reap the most benefits from your skincare regime, consulting with a practitioner can be extremely helpful as it enables you to receive expert advice and a skincare regime tailored to you. Click here to find out more or to book a consultation.