When it comes to your skin, there is no one-size-fits-all. Many brands and beauty gurus will tell you to follow their steps down to the letter for maximum results.
But they don’t know you or your skin. Only you do. That is why I have created this guide. To show you exactly how to create a minimalistic skincare routine that is tailored specifically for you and your skin type.
Factors that play a role in your skincare
There are many factors that you need to take into consideration when choosing a skincare routine that’s right for you.
Factors like your skin composition, whether you have naturally oily or dry skin, and your hormone balance are the most important.
Next will be your diet and hydration. Other things that also play a part is the water type in your area and the air quality. Your current and previous skincare routines are a part of this mix as well.
Once you have taken all those factors into consideration you can now begin to incorporate them into your new routine.
You will need to look at whether you drink enough water and get enough nutrients in your diet in order for your skin cells to function and regenerate properly.
Your hormones will also play a part in whether your skin is oily or dry.
If you have hard water and polluted air in your area you may need to find a way to minimise that. You can perhaps put house plants like the snake plant in your bedroom to purify the air.
And get a filter in your bathroom to remove harsh substances from your water.
What a minimalistic skincare routine is and why it’s better than modern routines
Once you know what you’re working with in terms of your environment and skin composition, you can now begin to compensate for it with your minimalistic skincare routine.
A minimalistic skincare routine, to me, means that you only use products and substances on your skin if it really needs it.
There is no strict routine to follow religiously twice a day and an entire bag of products that have to follow each other in a specific order.
What I have found with modern routines is that all the products are basically just used to combat each other.
The face wash strips your moisture and the moisturizer makes your face too oily. And so it goes until you just buy more and more products because your skin is just not getting what it needs.
It was like that for me, so I decided I wasn’t going to do that anymore. I stopped washing my face with a cleanser, I stopped using a toner.
And I am no longer buying any commercial skincare products. I don’t put anything on my face unless I’m absolutely sure it will benefit my skin and help it function properly.
But what works for me might not work for you. Everyone’s environment and skin composition is different.
You will need to go through a period of trial and error to find what works well for your skin and what helps it function optimally.
Nevertheless, I will share with you my skincare routine to serve as an example to show you how to create a minimalistic skincare routine.
My “routine”
I have since tweaked and changed my routine slightly. If you want to read that post as well and see you how it’s changed, click on the link to my updated minimalistic skincare routine
I say “routine” because it’s not exactly that. A routine is the same every day, but I don’t do the same thing every day. On a normal day, I start by taking a lukewarm shower in the morning.
In winter it’s a hot shower because I don’t like the cold. So, in winter my skin needs some more tlc because of the temperate of the water.
I only wash my face with water because any substance, even water, will disrupt the acid mantle on your skin. This is what forms your skin’s pH.
Because I have dry skin, water is the least disruptive for my skin. It gets rid of the excess oil and dirt from the previous day just fine.
The body is actually quite good at being self-cleaning. So, a shower is basically just washing off the dirt that stayed on the surface.
When I get out of the shower I do one of two things: either just spritz my face with Aqua Vitae from Nelum Botanics, a face mist that hydrates my skin without being too oily, or I put on the purifying oil treatment from Lulu & Marula.
In the winter I spritz the face mist on first and then apply the oil to make sure the oil reaches deeply into my skin.
It all depends on how dry my skin feels. Some days I don’t even put anything on because my skin is well-hydrated.
After this I just go about my day, eating lots of fruits and veggies, fibres and proteins, a balanced diet. I also make sure I drink plenty of water. This way I get a healthy glow naturally.
Once a week I exfoliate my skin if it feels like the dead skin cells are building up. I use scrubbing gloves that aren’t too harsh because I don’t want to strip too many layers of skin.
I don’t use scrubs because I feel they may leave small cuts in my skin that could cause inflammation. Also, if there are micro-plastics in the scrub they end up in the ocean and back into the food we eat.
And that’s it. That’s all I do.
Some other factors
I don’t have acne at the moment, but when I did it was caused by a big hormonal problem. I got it sorted out by going on the pill and had Skinoren prescribed to me. Now it’s all gone and Skinoren is no longer part of my skincare.
I don’t wear makeup though, and when I do I use coconut oil to take it off. I only use natural products on my skin as I feel commercial products have too many toxins in them.
Plus, natural substances can biodegrade whereas synthetics cannot.
My “routine” is specifically tailored for my skin and how it changes throughout the month and seasons. My skin has never looked or felt better.
What’s more, it’s zero-waste and good for the planet as the two products I use are in glass and natural. It’s also very flexible and I can chop and change it as my skin needs without breaking out or causing my skin to flare up.
Having a minimalistic skincare routine takes some getting used to. You really need to look and listen to what your skin needs.
It’s a holistic approach to skincare that isn’t just about what you put on your skin, but the rest of your lifestyle as well.
If you have oily skin your routine will look way different than mine. What I can suggest you do for oily skin is a clay mask once a week but I can’t speak from experience.
And that’s how you create a minimalistic skincare routine. Through lots of trial and error, good quality natural products and a healthy lifestyle.
I hope you found this post helpful and wish you the best of luck on your minimalist skincare journey. Remember, it takes time.
Comment below if you have tried the minimalistic approach and if it helped you.
Cheers for now,
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