TheRootedMomEdit

Skinmalism is a beauty philosophy built on streamlining your routine to just 3-5 essential products. In a nutshell: the goal of skinmalism is to strengthen your skin’s barrier. When your skin barrier is compromised, you are more likely to experience irritation, dryness, acne, dullness, and all the other undesirable things.

I initiated havoc on my own skin barrier just this last week. After traveling, my skin was extra dull and dry, so I decided to add more products to my skin in hopes to re-hydrate my barrier. All it did was the exact opposite. Rather than following my routine that has been working for me, I added things to it that my skin wasn’t used to. I had a little reaction- whether allergic or just irritation (still unsure), but my skin was definitely not happy. I had another “oops I did it again” moment. I don’t know why I don’t follow my own advice when it comes to skincare! That’s a work in progress…

But, after this mishap, I wanted to get serious about actually protecting my skin barrier, long-term. That is when I took a deep dive into skinmalism, what it is, what it means for me, & how to achieve it.

Skinmalism and how I am applying it to my own routine…

I am currently working towards more of a minimalistic lifestyle in my daily life & skincare most definitely isn’t excluded.

To adopt the skinmalism trend, I have chosen my core products to stick to — long-term. The more our skin gets accustomed to whatever ingredients we are applying, the better our skin responds. Because I love trying new things- my skin can never FULLY adjust to whatever routine I am following, therefore not really giving me the results I know my skin can attain. Yours can too.

To adopt skinmalism into my life, I have stripped my routine down to a vitamin c serum, a retinal serum, peptide serum (because I just want to on my retinal off nights), & moisturizers that support a healthy skin barrier. This naturally stripped down my routine to only using core products that actually move the needle. Skinmalism most definitely follows the “less is more” approach & focuses on skin longevity.

What is skin longevity and how can I attain it?

According to the National Institutes of Health, “skin longevity is a proactive wellness and dermatological concept focused on optimizing cellular function, barrier strength, and the biological “healthspan” of your skin over decades.”

So, rather than focusing solely on wrinkle reducing products or buying skincare products that are trendy, shifting the focus to long-term skin health has major benefits.

The skincare ingredients that promise skin longevity are most definitely vitamin C & retinol. Obviously there are thousands of products to choose from, but the pure form of vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid) and retinoids have the most research behind them as being effective products for both anti-aging AND long-term skin health.

Retinoids support long-term skin health because they “structurally alter the skin at a cellular level”. Vitamin C supports skin health long-term because it protects the skin from UV and pollution, therefore preserving our skin’s natural collagen.

My vitamin C serum of choice right now uses a vitamin C derivative, which still protects my skin from damage, but if you can tolerate pure l-ascorbic acid, I would go for that. I will eventually move on to it as well, but for now I am sticking to this serum because I love how it feels and I already have it. It is the Remedy Vitamin C Serum. It’s affordable, feels very nice on the skin, & I can pick it up at my local Target.

I am slowly introducing the Prequel Retinaldehyde Gel 0.1% into my routine. This is a retinoid product that’s one step below prescription strength retinoids. Retinaldehyde is only one conversion step away from converting to active retinoic acid when it hits the skin. It is much more gentle than prescription strength, but stronger than your retinol (with ‘ol’ at the end). I plan to incorporate this into my routine 2 nights a week to start. Definitely start slow if you are new to retinoids! You can also find this at your local Target.

These two key skincare products support both skin longevity and anti-aging. It’s a win win.

To round out my minimal routine, I started incorporating two new moisturizers when I was trying to heal the irritation I caused my skin. Your moisturizer doesn’t have to be anything crazy, but you should be using one that helps support your skin barrier. The ingredients in your moisturizer matter. I think I have found the hydrating, barrier-supporting ingredients I’ve been missing! My skin came back to life within a few days after incorporating these moisturizers into my routine day and night. I obviously don’t need both, but I kinda expected to not like the am/pm one (talked about below), but ended up really liking it.

The one I am using in the morning is the Prequel Multi-Quench Gel Cream. It has a gel consistency & includes polyglutamic acid, glycerin, minerals, and osmolytes to provide deep hydration. I haven’t used a moisturizer with those specific hydrating ingredients before and my skin feels healthier already (and no this isn’t sponsored!!). At night I use the Prequel AM/PM Modern Moisturizer because it has a thicker consistency. You can totally use this in the am though! It comes out thick, but it applies like butter. It actually leaves more of a matte finish than a glowy finish, so I believe this would work for all skin types. You can shop these at Target too!

I love the brand Prequel because the one goal with all their products is to support the skin barrier. The brand also focuses on the less is more approach, as they don’t offer too many “extras” when it comes to skincare; they offer the basics you need for a complete, results-driven routine.

And that’s it. Rather than using all sorts of skincare products, which don’t get me wrong, I love to do (!!!), the goal is to strip your routine to the basics that pack a punch. I still have several products I absolutely love & will most definitely dabble in again, but for now, my experiment is to consistently follow the “skinmalism” trend & see how my skin changes. Updates to follow! Of course, don’t forget your SPF in the am!!!

With anything, consistency is key. No matter what products you are using, if you are consistent, you will see changes. My problem is always lack of consistency, but hey, because I am the way I am, I have the knowledge base for friends to ask questions! 😉 If you’re curious about a skincare product, chances are I’ve probably tried it, or at the very least something similar.

Thanks for being here! If you have any questions, you can reach out via email at therootedmomedit@gmail.com or drop a comment below.