How To Be An Extreme Skincare Minimalist

 

Let’s talk about minimalism, and how you can apply it in order to minimize your skincare routine. It’s a topic that I find so fascinating, and so satisfying to learn about. Especially the extreme stories. I mean, how could someone live with almost nothing? 

It’s easy right, just start with minimizing one area of your life, um NO!. For today’s topic, we are going to talk about what it looks like to cut back on the number of items you have in your skincare routine, and then I will give you a Minimalist Skincare routine for both Am & PM. 

First I must address one thing! 

What “Minimalism” means to one person, is NOT the same for another!

If you think that by watching videos of people who own less than 50 items, means they are the only ones who get to call themselves minimalists, you are wrong. A minimalist is someone who is intentional about cutting back on the amount of things they own, but not giving up the things they love. 

I remember watching a Marie Kondo talk once, and she was taking questions. The person asked her “Is there a limit to how many pens I can have in my office?” Marie said, “No. If you love having blue pens' in your office and they spark joy and happiness. Then you can have 100 blue pens”. It’s about keeping what we love or brings us joy, by letting go of the useless items that cause us stress or clutter. With that said let’s talk about skincare. 

“Skincare Minimalist, Probably Never” 

I hate to admit it, this is probably one area of my life that I won’t be looking to minimize. I absolutely love my skincare routine, and I find it so comforting, and soothing. It’s my own personal form of self care. So if you are like me, keep do’in what you're do’in!

On the flip side of that coin, since I am a cosmetic skincare formulator, and I sell my own skincare line of products (SunLux Skincare), I continually have customers that want to know. “What is the minimum number of products I can use”, they say. These are some of my favorite customers, because they know exactly what they want, the bare minimum! 

Here is my answer: “You can get away with 2-3 products in total, everyday for a good skincare routine. But hear me when I say this, you will most likely NOT be Anti-aging or Exfoliating your skin. You are leaving out products that are usually meant for those specific purposes, and if we are limiting the number of products, those two things will most likely not happen”. Their response is usually, “Okay that’s fine, or wait, tell me what I need to use to get one of those things”. 

“The Trick To Cutting Back on The Number

of Skincare Products You Use Daily” 

Look for products that are “Multi-functional”! Multi-functional products are amazing products to invest in. They get 1, 2, or even 3 jobs done, all in one product. For example, you can buy a multi-functional face wash that not only cleanses your face, but has some Salicylic acid in it, helping to keep away acne, keep your pores clean, and help slightly shed the dead skin off your face. Talk about Multi-functional, that’s it! 

In every product you buy, this is what you are looking for if you really want to cut back on the number of products you use daily and become a skincare minimalist. 

“Extreme Skincare Minimalist AM & PM - Morning Routine” 

1. Multi-functional Face Wash with Salicylic Acid, or Willow Bark Extract in it. 
2. Moisturizer with Essential Fatty Acids, Hyaluronic Acid & SPF in it.

In this routine, we are going extreme, or also known as “ A man’s skincare routine”. 

I’m kidding! Most men don’t even have a routine. I’m kidding again! 

In this 2 step routine, as long as you intentionally shop for multi-functional products, you will be doing a great job! The best part about this routine, is you are not only using a gentle acid (in the face wash) helping to exfoliate your skin. But by using Sunscreen Daily (in your moisturizer), you are getting the anti-aging benefits from UV protection. 

“Most important Trick to This Routine”

There is one trick to this skincare routine that I need to tell you . If you have been following me or my YouTube channel for any length of time, you know I can not stress enough the importance of misting, spraying or patting your face with water after you have washed it. 

This is because we want to keep the skin hydrated, and although the Hyaluronic Acid in your moisturizer is going to do that. You must have a small amount of water on your face for that hyaluronic acid to bind to. If you do not do this step, the hyaluronic acid will pull the moisture from your skin and make you feel dry. Doing the opposite of what we are trying to do. 

So your “Sub” step after washing your face, is to pat it with some of your water (not a lot) you don’t want to be dripping. Then put on your moisturizer. We want to keep the skin hydrated and plump! 

And that’s it! You now have a very simple, 2 step Skincare Minimalist routine, giving you the well deserved title of “Extreme Skincare Minimalist”! 

For all of my minimalists out there, I hope this advice helps for when you go buy your next face wash and moisturizer. Make sure they are “Multi-functional”!

Come back in a few weeks and I’ll share what a “Maximalist Skincare Routine” looks like.

If you would like to support my beauty brand SunLux Skincare, you can visit my shop and follow me on social media! 

Sources:

*Marie Kondo Book: The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing 

Author,

Robin Wayman

Founder/Cosmetic Formulator

All Rights Reserved © 2020-2022 SunLux Skincare

*Disclaimer: I am a trained Cosmetic Skincare Formulator and this article is intended for educational purposes only. SunLux never claims to heal or cure any skin conditions. If you need additional help we always recommend our customers & readers go see their local Dermatologist.