What is Skinimalism? Exploring the Newest Craze in Simple Beauty

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Honestly, I don’t know if I have ever been more hyped for a beauty trend than I am now for skinimalism.

Especially after so many years of laboring away at my makeup for impossibly symmetrical cat-eye wings, baking, contouring, overlining lips; the list goes on and on.

Don’t get me wrong, I totally participated but eventually I ended up feeling pressure to have a perfectly done-up face daily.

But now that skinimalism is becoming a thing, I am just pumped that we have reached the point where people are seeing the beauty in natural healthy skin with all of its imperfections and just letting it be!

So, What Actually is Skinimalism?

If you are wondering what skinimalism is, you should first have a slight understanding of minimalism, which is the concept it’s derived from.

Minimalism could be defined as a lifestyle of living with less.

Less everything including: less decor, less clutter, less products, less debt, you name it.

It is the act of simplifying your life in every sense.

Minimalism also tends to favor incorporating organic life, such as plants, into your home and living more naturally and environmentally friendly.

By the way, if you are interested in learning more about minimalism, be sure to check out my Minimalism Lifestyle post.

Much like minimalism supports ridding your life of clutter and embracing the organic and real, skinimalism strives to embrace your natural skin and simplify your skincare and makeup routines.

Some key points skinimalism is based around are:

Minimal skincare products and makeup products
Being deliberate with what products you use on your skin
Investing in a few good products instead of having a lot of products
Using products with naturally derived ingredients or products with less ingredients
Incorporating skincare techniques like facial massage/stimulation/jade rolling into your skincare routine

Why Should You Start Practicing Skinimalism?

Cost Effective

Well, for starters, it is cheaper.

While skinimalism could mean investing in a few good high quality products, in the long run you will end up spending less.

This is because you won’t constantly be trying to upgrade your skincare routine. Not to mention you will naturally just be buying less products overall.

Healthy For Your Skin

Skinimalism is also great for your overall skin health.

Using less makeup makeup products means your skin can actually breathe which is helpful in treating an array of skin disorders from eczema to acne.

This also holds true for using natural products with a short list of ingredients. I have eczema which is probably why I’m super stoked that skinimalism is becoming the new in thing!

A lot of the principles of skinimalism are the same principles I have learned to do to keep my skin happy. Check out my skincare routine for eczema which goes in depth on this!

Saves Time

Skinimalism is time-efficient.

There will be less steps in your skincare and makeup routine due to less products which undoubtedly means it should take less time to get ready.

No more spending 30 minutes doing your makeup every morning!

Enhances Your Natural Beauty

The ideas is that you will look more natural and with that, hopefully, start to love the skin you’re in.

This one is kind of a no-brainer. Sometimes over-done just isn’t it.

Nothing beats a good natural healthy glow.

And let’s face it, (no pun intended) who doesn’t want to look effortlessly beautiful?

How to Convert Your Skincare & Makeup to Skinimalism

Skinimalism & Skincare

The Purge

If you have a lot of skincare and/or makeup products already, you should start by doing an initial big purge.

This could mean devoting a couple of hours of your day to going through the entirety of your makeup and skincare collection.

A good rule of thumb is if it the product is over a year old and you haven’t used it up, you should probably pitch it.

There are some obvious exceptions like large makeup pallets, etc. But for the most part this holds true.

Be sure to dispose of of anything you know you don’t use, has expired, or is old/contaminated. If the product is new, in perfect condition and you don’t like it, you can always give to a family member or friend.

When going through your products, remember to be real with yourself and don’t hold onto something just because you spent money on it if you don’t actually use it. I used to do that all the time.

Going forward get in the habit of returning a product immediately if it doesn’t work for your skin. (Most stores have pretty flexible return policies on products so don’t feel weird doing it!)

Set Aside

After you have done the initial purge, take note of products you use on a regular basis and products you love. Keep those products.

For the products left that you notice you don’t usually gravitate towards, set them aside.

If after 1 month you haven’t started incorporating those products into your skin routine, it’s probably time to get rid of them.

Be Deliberate

Get to really know your skin type and what type of products are the best for you. This could mean seeking advice of a professional esthetician.

It’s important to know your skin type because skinimalism places an emphasis on skincare with intent.

For myself, I know that I have dry eczematic skin, so obviously I have no need for products for oily skin with ingredient like salicylic acid. This narrows down the range of products I will even consider purchasing.

Real & Less

When purchasing new products, opt for products that contain natural ingredients or have a ingredients list.

I have really been loving The Ordinary’s line of skincare products because they are 100% natural but also affordable. Not to mention how aesthetically pleasing (& minimalist) their packaging is.

Facial Massage

Just as minimalists incorporate real plants to add life to an otherwise cool or empty space, skinimalists incorporate jade rolling and facial massage to add an organic element.

Try to take your time with your skincare routine and start implementing facial yoga and massage when you can.

I love using my jade roller to soothe puffy under-eyes or to cool down inflammation from eczema. It’s like a mini spa experience on the nights I add this step into my routine!

Skinimalism & Makeup

The following products are all you need in order to apply the concept of skinimalism to your makeup routine.

Base Makeup

Use BB/CC creams or more sheer coverage foundations instead of cakey thick full coverage ones that take a whole lot of blending. For specific product recommendations definitely head over to my makeup for eczema post.

Eyes

Use eyeshadow in the rims in place of eyeliner to define your eyes in a more subtle way. Apply mascara to make your eyes appear more defined and feminine.

Blush

Use cream blush to give natural looking, sun-kissed cheeks.

Brows

Don’t draw on harsh, bold brows. Instead, try embracing your natural eyebrow shape. Only fill in sparse areas and comb up for the fluffy brow look.

Final Thoughts on Skinimalism

The idea with skinimalism is to keep it simple and accentuate what you already have.

Think: putting more effort into showing your skin than covering it up. I don’t know about you, but this is something I can totally get behind!

Have you heard of skinimalism and if so, what are your thoughts?

Is this a trend you could get on board with?

Let me know in the comment section!