Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the 10 step Korean skincare regime and wished for a simpler skincare routine? Move over skincare junkies, as we detox our skincare routine, and embrace the new trend of Skinimalism.

Skinimalism is a portmanteau combining the two words ‘skin’ & ‘minimalism’. Essentially it is the trend of simplifying your skincare routine, using less make-up and embracing your skin’s natural glow.

As we settle into the new normal of living with COVID, wearing face masks and working from home, many are embracing a more purposeful and pared-down beauty routine. Adopting the ‘less is more’ skincare approach means each product applied on our skin has to make a difference. But with so many skincare actives available in the market, how do we pick that one product that will triumph all?

Firstly, keep yourself informed and do your skincare research. A good formulation does wonders and keeps skincare routines easy and affordable. It is important to understand your individual skin type and needs as not all products are suitable for everyone. For example, anti-aging skincare containing retinol may not be suitable for sensitive skin types, as it may cause redness and irritation.

Secondly, rather than piling on multiple layers of skincare actives, consider using a single multitasking product. Certain skincare actives don’t mix well together. Either because they are difficult to keep stable in a formula, or they increase the risk of irritation when mixed together. Well formulated multitasking products can contain more than one active ingredient while maintaining the stability of all ingredients. This not only saves us a few skincare steps and time, but is also more cost effective and sustainable.   

For example, instead of using a pigmentation serum followed by anti-aging cream, a multitasking product like EOAS Aqua Lucent, which contains Methylene blue and Asiatic marine and botanical extracts, is able to brighten the skin tone and improve wrinkles all in one product.

Lastly, using products from the same brand further simplifies your skincare routine. The ingredients in all IDS skincare products work synergistically with one another to achieve optimal results for your skin. When you mix many different products from different brands, there is a possibility that the ingredients may not be as compatible and this potentially limit results.

In this new year, let’s embrace healthy skin, and flaunt our natural skin glow!

Written by Dr Michelle Wong