Back to basics: Skinimalism is the new glam

By Eleonora Zorzenone

Lockdown had a huge impact on our lives. It definitely changed our perspective on many things. As a consequence, our beauty routines and the way we take care of our skin have inevitably changed as well. If 2019 was the year of glamour, heavy contour and 10-step-skincare routine, now we are looking for something simpler, something minimal.

Minimalism means using less products while still achieving a great result. This trend emphasizes the importance of keeping our beauty routines as simple as possible. It teaches that there is no need to spend so much money on multiple products or to pile layers and layers of 10 different serums to have beautiful skin.

Louis, 28, ‘Skinimalist™’ on Instagram, is an advocate for skinimalism. In 2018 he trademarked the word ‘Skinimalist’ as he wanted to create his own skincare line. In the same year he opened his Instagram page where he shares his recommendations, reviews and passion for the world of creams, serums and cleansers.

“As someone who has done a lot of research into creating a skincare line, I realised how much skincare is marketing and frankly you only need the basics,” he said.

Skinimalism first became a trend in 2020 due to a new lifestyle that was adopted because of lockdown. According to Pinterest business, there was an 180% increase in searches for natural everyday makeup and basic skincare routine in 2020. The trend hasn’t stopped there though. Skinimalism has been forecasted as a trend that will also dominate the beauty industry in 2021.

Was it a sudden thing? Most certainly not. “I think wearing masks has encouraged skincare minimalism but it is a trend that has been growing for a while,” said Louis.

In the past few years people were already starting to get tired of the huge number of new products coming out every month: “I think consumers are exhausted with the amount of trends and products. It has become really invasive in my opinion. All we want is just something that works,” said Louis.

Brands will now need to respond to the trend and adapt to it. Coming out with different products every two weeks won’t be the smartest marketing choice as people are expecting brands to slow down on new releases to focus on a few basic products. Skinimalism is reshaping our beauty routines: few products but more effective.

Louis completely agrees with this: “All you really need is a cleanser, moisturiser, SPF, and vitamin A product.”