Minimalism in Skincare has occasionally popped up throughout the last century. Featuring in the 1930’s when women believed that less was seen as more. They would use products such as olive oil and petroleum jelly to make their eyes look glossy. To add to the minimal look, eyelashes were dyed with henna rather than using mascara which would make them look too thick.
Further down the line, the 1970’s saw women revisit the idea of sporting the natural look in the form of a liberation movement. At the time, women wanted to put an end to sexist stereotypes that deemed women were only beautiful if they wore makeup. At the time, cosmetic brands started producing “invisible” makeup that could help the women achieve a glowing yet natural look.
What is it?
Skin Minimalism or “Skinimalism” has been named as one of the most popular skincare trends of 2021. We have seen a change in the ways we use skincare to enhance our look. Unlike many other beauty trends that have proven popular in recent years, Skin Minimalism focuses on the idea that less is more. It was often assumed that if you apply more serums and creams to your face, your skin will be better off. As well as this, heavy makeup would allow us to cover any imperfections that have such as blemishes or dark under eyes. We often find that the excessive application of skincare and makeup can mean that our skin ends up irritated, red and in some cases with breakouts.
One of the main purposes of taking part in this trend is about learning to love our skin and how we look. Understanding that it's not all about having skin that looks airbrushed and perfect, instead accepting that we are all human and it is fine to look different from others, and that we all have imperfections.
Many people have jumped on this trend, and it has become especially popular due to its emergence on TikTok. Since the app has gathered millions of users, we have seen skincare trends such vampire facials and faux freckles make their way onto our daily ‘For You Pages.’ Skin Minimalism seemed to have peaked last year throughout summertime as we experienced one of the hottest summers for a long time. Avoiding heavy makeup during the warmer months is something that many of us do as we want to avoid sweating it all off.
How Does it Benefit Us?
Using less makeup products on our skin will not only help us to showcase your natural beauty, but it can also;
- Help you save money! – As you are using less products on your skin, you may find that you are saving money in the long run due to not having to regularly buy new makeup and skincare items.
- Prevent breakouts - Having a stripped back makeup and skincare routine will reduce the potential of irritation on the skin. You will decrease the chances of your pores being blocked and as a result, breakouts may be prevented.
- Save time so you can enjoy other activities that boost your wellbeing - Time will be saved if you have a simple routine with only a couple of steps. Rather than spending hours applying a full face of makeup.
- Help save the planet- By being minimalist with your beauty routine, you will contribute towards being more environmentally friendly. Buying less products will mean you are dealing with less packaging (some of which won’t be recyclable) and could prevent waste.
- Encourage a sense of self-acceptance - Overall, I feel that you will become more confident in your own skin as it will be healthy and glowing.
How To Achieve the Minimalistic Look
Skin Minimalism can be achieved in a variety of different ways, depending on how far back you are willing to strip your skin care routine. If you are someone who opts for a full coverage makeup look, you may just swap out your heavy foundation for a BB Cream and a small amount of mascara. On the other hand, if you rely heavily on a thorough skincare routine, you may just want to cut this back to only a few steps such as a gentle cleanser/exfoliate and moisturiser.
Ensuring that the products that you are putting on your skin are helping it to look and feel healthy is the most important thing. Skin Minimalism will be different for everyone depending on preference of products and skin type however, we should aim to target your skin in at least the following three ways -
- Maintaining clean skin by using a gentle cleanser
- Keeping it Hydrated by using a moisturiser
- Protecting it from the sun by applying sun cream or cream containing SPF.
Why Do I Follow This Trend?
Throughout the year, you can find me with no makeup on most days however, if I am going out for a meal or to celebrate, I will apply full coverage makeup. As much as I have a passion for practicing makeup on myself, I find that one of the downsides is that it leaves my skin feeling dried out and dull.
During summer, I always find myself wearing less products both makeup and skincare as my freckles start to pop out! I have learnt to love my freckles over the years rather than being embarrassed by them like when I was younger.
From June to September, I like to cut back all my routine when applying makeup. I only tend to use serum, moisturiser, and sun cream (along with a small bit of mascara and blusher) to create a natural and lightweight look.
I have personally found that my skin feels and looks much healthier when I do this.
The times are continuously changing, and more and more individuals are paving the way for showing what realistic natural beauty standards are. Learning to love the body we have been given is about removing the so-called “norms” given to us by society and instead, shining the light on our true selves.
