Are you still slaving away over a complicated skincare routine? How many products do you use, how many steps does it take to complete? A few years ago, the Korean skincare routine was all the rage. People all over the world were convinced that you needed (a minimum of) 10 different products–and the time and patience to apply them in a specific order–to have healthy, glowing skin.
You can throw that philosophy out the window now.
Seriously. Let’s face it: the Korean skincare routine has worn out its welcome. Sure, it’s thorough. But is it still something you can say you have the time or energy for?
Nowadays, less is more. You can still have healthy, glowing skin without piling products on your face–as long as they’re the right ones. Simplify your life and pare your routine down to these 4 (yes, just 4!) products:
Cleanser
You’ll want every product on this list to do its job effectively, but none more so than the cleanser. This is especially if your goal is to minimize the time and effort you spend on skincare.
A good cleanser will give you a clean slate to work with, minus all the fuss. Look for a product, then, that can efficiently strip the skin of makeup and residue. This eliminates the need to double-cleanse, thus freeing up your time for other valuable pursuits.
The Tolérance Extremely Gentle Cleanser from Avène is a great buy for the consummate minimalist. It’s a cleansing gel that doesn’t strip the skin of its natural oils. The best part is that you don’t even have to rinse it off. Fragrance-free and safe even for sensitive skin, you can find it on Beauty Sense, along with other excellent offerings.
Moisturizer
If you’re used to the Korean skincare routine, skipping directly to moisturizer after cleansing can take some getting used to. If you choose the right moisturizer, though, you won’t need a toner, essence, and all the other products in between.
A powerful moisturizer can take the place of 3, up to 5 products as long as it contains the right ingredients. Try Avene’s Tolérance CONTROL Restorative Soothing Recovery Cream. It contains Avène thermal spring water and D-sensinose. These key ingredients help calm irritation and provide 24 hours of continuous hydration to the skin.
Alternatively, you may want to consider the brand’s Hydrance RICH Hydrating Cream. It, too, provides 24-hour moisture to the skin, but is more suited to those with sensitive, dry, or dehydrated skin.
Serum
People flocked to serums when they first hit the scene. Miraculous results out of a single bottle, and a myriad of options for every skin need? Everyone signed up.
It can be difficult to let go of your carefully curated collection of serums, but you really only need one or two. Since the minimalist skincare routine is all about efficiency, the best serum is one that does multiple things at once–or does it all, if such a product exists for you.
When narrowing down your choices, it’s a good idea to keep what you need in mind. Do you suffer from dry skin? Go for a hydrating serum. Aging skin would benefit from a serum that contains retinols, while those with uneven skin should look for one with vitamin C.
Sunscreen
The final product and step in your minimalist skincare routine is arguably the most important one. Everyone knows that investing in skincare products is useless if you don’t protect your skin from the sun.
Damage from the sun instantly ages your skin, leading to wrinkles, pigmentation, and roughness–and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Because the damage happens at a cellular level, the effects can be difficult, if not impossible, to reverse.
Here’s what you need to know about sunscreen: it needs to be SPF 30 or higher, and it needs to protect you from both UVA and UVB rays. Any product that covers these basics should do–just pick the one you like best.
For more information on the best skincare products, check out Canada’s Beauty Store, Beauty Sense.
