Why a Minimalist Skincare Routine Can Be Better for Your Skin

Are complicated skincare routines the answer to bouncy, healthy skin? Or does a minimalist approach get you more of a glow? A stripped-back skincare routine might sound underwhelming, but when it comes to protecting your skin barrier, less often really is more.

1. Skin feeling irritated? Simpler might be better

The occasional active-packed skin treatment, like an AHA or BHA chemical exfoliation, is unlikely to cause much harm. But layer that with a weekly mix of scrubs, serums, peels and masks? That's a lot. Skin can’t cope with an onslaught of harsh ingredients day after day. And that leads to red, blotchy, sensitive, irritated skin.

A simpler routine is not only gentler on over-worked skin, with fewer ingredients in the mix, you’re more likely to notice which ones are doing harm.

2. Too many actives can damage your skin barrier

A major reason for sensitivity? A compromised skin barrier. The lipid barrier is like your skin’s first line of defense, and too many harsh actives can break it down.

Try swapping layers of aggressive actives for barrier-friendly ingredients: soothing hydrators, emollients, niacinamide and fatty-acid rich oils. The result? Softer, stronger skin.

3. Fewer products, better results

Applying retinol every night but not seeing results? It might be more about what you’re pairing it with than retinol itself. Some skincare combinations don’t play well together. Pimple-buster benzoyl peroxide, for example, can deactivate retinol. The same goes for vitamin C and retinol, which need wildly different pH environments to be their most effective. 

A simplified routine reduces the chances of ingredients conflicting, so actives work more efficiently, and your skin gets a break.