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How to streamline and simplify your beauty routine and build a basic skincare routine that works – in the morning and evening!
If 2020 was the year of 10-step skincare routine and new ingredients, 2021 is going to be the year of streamlined and simple routines – as coined by the new term skinimalism.
We’ve all been there, especially in lockdown, dedicating long stretches of time to diligently applying a multitude of skincare products. It’s something we probably wouldn’t have time to do if we weren’t locked up in our houses, but it’s a morning ritual that I’m sure we’ve all come to love.
As we come into the new year and start to see the world slowly easing back to normal, the time we have to do our skincare routine is going to dramatically diminish.
Over the past year I think everyone has generally become a lot more knowledgable about skincare – we have social media like TikTok to thank for that.
There’s also been a surge in popularity of single-ingredient focused brands like The Ordinary and The Inkey List that has helped us all to understand more about the ingredients that go into our skincare products – and what ingredients work well with our skin.
Now that we know what we’re doing and understand our skin a bit more, it’s time to strip back our routines from all the unnecessary products and take a more streamlined approach to skincare. Skinimalism is a huge trend for 2021, so if you start now you’re going to be way ahead of the curve.
What is skinimalism?
Skinimalism is the trend that we’ll be seeing a lot of in 2021 and involves stripping back your beauty routine to the necessities. It’s all about natural beauty and simple skincare routines that are quick but effective.
Lazy girls like me can rejoice as it will now be trendy to have minimal routines that take only a couple of minutes in the morning.
How to embrace skinimalism?
If you want to simplify your skincare routine and embrace the trend of skinimalism, you want to focus on using a limited amount of products that all work together to give you better, healthy skin.
If you’re thinking about simplifying your skincare routine, you need to first think about what you actually want out of your skincare routine.
What is your skincare routine’s focus?
Do you want to get rid of acne? Hydrate? Brighten the skin?
For me, my goal is to brighten my complexion and clear up my acne scars.
When you have your goal in mind, you want to cut back on all of the products that aren’t necessary and that don’t help you towards your skincare goal.
What products do you have in your routine, what do they do?
You also want to take a look at your skincare products and see whether they’re actually effective. If your current routine isn’t actually helping you with your goal it might be time to start looking for some alternatives.
If you have a particular issue that you want to solve, it’s worth doing some research into what ingredients are targeted towards this concern – and then make sure that you incorporate these into your skincare routine.
VOLUMES OF BEAUTY TIP: For example, if you want to brighten your skin make sure you have some Vitamin C in your routine, or if you have acne try and look for products with salicylic acid.
My basic skincare routines for acne scars and dry skin
This year I’m definitely embracing skinimalism with a simple and basic skincare routine, both in the morning and the evening.
I’ve narrowed it down to 5 products for each routine, all these products are extremely effective and really have been helping to clear up my acne scars and brighten up my complexion.
Keep reading to hear about why these products made the final cut!
Simple morning routine skincare steps
Cleanse
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser
This cleanser is one of my all-time favourites, it’s beautifully hydrating and doesn’t leave my skin feeling stripped at all.
It’s super affordable and is available on most online beauty websites so I always make sure that I’m stocked up.
Niacinamide Serum
The Ordinary Niacinamide and Zinc
This is the first serum that I used that made me fall in love with Niacinamide.
It’s a seriously powerful serum that gives me visible results instantly, clearly getting rid of redness and helping to clear my acne scars.
Vitamin C Serum
Garden of Wisdom 23% Serum & Ferulic Acid
If you’ve been wanting to get into Vitamin C, please by this product.
This is by far the best Vitamin C that I’ve used, you don’t even need to bother with anything else. The best thing about this is that it only costs £10.
Moisturiser
Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre
Because my skin is dry I like a thicker moisturiser and this one is perfect. It leaves my skin smooth and hydrated, while creating the perfect base to my makeup on top of.
SPF
Heimish Artless Glow Base
The most important step of any morning skincare routine, SPF. You should all know to wear your SPF every single day, it’s super important.
My favourite is this SPF from Heimish as it offers super high sun protection but also has a really glowy finish that makes my skin look amazing.
Simple evening routine skincare steps
First Cleanse
Banila Co. Clean it Zero Balm
The first step of your skincare routine should be an oil or balm cleanser to help break up your makeup, SPF and dirt that’s been on your skin during the day.
My favourite is the Banila Co Cleansing Balm, this is a great Korean cleanser as it makes light work of even waterproof makeup and doesn’t make too much of a mess when you remove it.
Second Cleanse
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser
After a cleansing balm you want to use a cleanser that is water-based that get really get into your pores and clean them out – also ensuring that there’s no oil/balm leftover that could clog your pores.
I love the CeraVe SA cleanser which contains Salicylic Acid, a great ingredient for fighting acne.
Treatment Serum
Good Molecules Discoloration Correcting Serum
It’s taken me a while but I finally have found a treatment serum that has really helped my acne scarring.
Don’t expect results overnight, but after consistent use you’ll see your acne scars slowly start to fade after a few weeks. This serum is a lifesaver.
Hydrating Serum
Beauty Pie Japanfusion Deep Treatment Serum
After my treatment serum I like to follow something that’s really going to hydrate and nourish my skin, like this serum from Beauty Pie.
It feels super moisturising on the skin and also has added Vitamin C which also helps to brighten my skin while I’m sleeping.
Facial oil or moisturiser
Indeed labs Squalane Facial Oil
To finish my routine I will rotate between a thick moisturiser and a facial oil to add extra hydration and lock all of my other skincare products in.
At the moment I’m loving the Indeed Labs Squalane as it is light and isn’t greasy so makes my skin feel amazing.
Skincare routine infographic
If you need help with your routine, and also suffer with acne scars and dry skin, I made this infographic to help you create your own skincare routine.
These are products and ingredients that I swear by – and I hope they work out for you too. Let me know if you try this routine out for yourself!
Your routine sounds great! I love having a minimalistic approach towards skincare!
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
So much food for thought in this post. I have always enjoyed having a minimal, yet effective, skincare routine. To me it is a much better strategy that layering 10 serums one by one. I am glad skinimalism is trending at the moment; it is nice to stick with tried-and-true products xx
Naya
http://www.nayatilly.com
I absolutely love the idea behind skinimalism, I often find that simple is best when it comes to my skin too. Thanks for sharing your routine, great inspo! 🙂
Anika | chaptersofmay.com
I love the play on words here! I think that some people go overboard with skincare and it loses the effect of the products. Our skin isn’t designer to later on product after product. I like my skin best after 1-3 and 3-5 steps products of natural and clean brands. Thx for the deets!
xx Sara
https://thecliqueblog.com
It’s so true! 2020 was definitely the year I stepped up my skincare routine! Love these products.
Shauna
http://www.lipglossandlace.net
Very interesting post! Thanks for sharing.
Infinitely Posh
Thanks for sharing your paired down routines! I need to do this.
https:://www.kathrineeldridge.com
I think lockdown has actually been good for skincare and trying out new products as sometimes I can have reactions to products so I never want to try them out normally. But during lockdown I’ve found myself carefully adding in new products into my routine xx
http://www.iridescentplaces.com
I’ve stripped back my skincare routine as well! Love these picks. x
Zoey | http://www.zoeyolivia.com
Oh wow, your skin routine is lovely! Thank you for laying it all out. I never know how to use things haha. I’m saving these for the future xx
http://www.lynnmumbingmejia.com
Love that skinimalism is taking off! There are so many products featured here I really love! Indeed, Good Molecules, Beautypie and Embryolisse are all amazing xx
Violethollow.com
Niacinamide is one of my favourite ingredients! I can see that many people will sway towards skinimalism, but I don’t know if I’ll ever really commit because I love my elaborate routines, unless I’m feeling really ill and lacking in almost all energy, but I’m a total skincare junkie! x
I definitely upped my skincare routine in 2020. But as things get back to normal and I’m busier I’ll probably need to pare my routine down too. Thanks for sharing yours!
Jill – Doused in Pink
Skinimalism is such a great trend! Thank you so much for sharing. As a big K-beauty fan, I typically use the 10 step Korean routine, but when I was getting into skincare I had no idea what any of the products were doing my skin. I complete agree with knowing what each of your products is doing for your skin instead of aimlessly using products. I love that Banila co clean it zero balm too!
Jill
https://jilliancecilia.com./
I’m really trying to hone down my skincare routine, so thank you so much for all the recommendations! As it can be a little bit daunting to know where to start!
Katie | katieemmabeauty.com
I loved reading this post as I’m getting more and more into skinimalism lately! Thank you so much for sharing.
xoxo Simone | https://beautymone.com
I have cut my skincare back so much and I feel like my skin is thanking me for it!
Danielle | thereluctantblogger.co.uk
I love this and didn’t realize that skinimalism was a thing! I def don’t think it’s necessary to have an excessive skincare routine. You layed out all the steps perefectly!
Tracy
https://www.findyourdazzle.com
Yes it is good to be a minimalist in all areas of ones life, even beauty. I am trying to get better at this. Great advice here.
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com
Love your skincare picks! The niacinamide and discoloration correcting serum are faves! xx
Danielle’s Beauty BlogÂ
Aww I love this, is a little lazy girl guide. Come and checkout my routine too 🙂
Ana, http://www.adreamersland.com
http://www.facebook.com/adreamersland
http://www.instagram.com/anaccsa
I’ve definitely noticed that I naturally had started to shorten my skincare routine and only give it what it needs. I’m much pleased with it and for sure see the results better!
http://www.rdsobsessions.com
I love the sound of a minimal skincare routine, but I love all my products and I feel like they’re all essential haha! Milli X – http://millidavison.co.uk/