Skinimalism: How To Streamline Your Skincare Routine

Doesn’t it feel like everywhere you turn, there’s a new skincare product to buy? In 2023, the industry was valued at $172 billion, up from $164 billion in 2022 — and that growth shows no signs of slowing.

“You know that feeling when you’ve layered on an essence and a retinoid and a serum and then your moisturizer doesn’t sink in as quickly as it should?”

The numbers don’t lie, but an Internet trend we’ve been keeping our eye on is telling a different story. Just when it feels like we’ve reached peak skincare product saturation, skinimalism or skin streaming is gaining momentum in the beauty world.

You know that feeling when you’ve layered on an essence and a retinoid and a serum and then your moisturizer doesn’t sink in as quickly as it should? To me, that’s a telltale sign of a routine that’s too long. Certain unnecessary products and ingredients can even do some harm. Contact dermatitis, a skin rash commonly caused by certain sensitivities, can happen from super common ingredients like essential oils, vitamin E, and propylene glycol. Oftentimes, extensive skincare routines are not helping, and even potentially harming your skin.

Enter skin streaming. The trend has garnered millions of views on TikTok, but it’s dermatologist-sanctioned, too. Basically, it’s paring down your skincare routine to just the essentials. But, how do you know what those essentials are?

“Basically, it’s paring down your skincare routine to just the essentials. But, how do you know what those essentials are?”

We get it — skincare is confusing, and that only benefits the industry. The less consumers know about what they really need, the more likely they are to overconsume. That’s why we tapped a couple of skin experts to get their thoughts on skin streaming, along with which ingredients they think it’s best to skip.

What is skin streaming?

Ok, so we know that skin streaming, a.k.a. skinimalism, involves cutting back on your products. What else does it entail?

“Generally speaking, it can be very beneficial to keep one’s skincare simple and follow a basic routine,” says Dr. Whitney Tolpinrud, MD, a dermatologist and the medical director at Agency. This basic routine, she says, should look like a cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF in the morning; and a cleanser, a treatment (if you want), and a moisturizer at night.

“Generally speaking, it can be very beneficial to keep one’s skincare simple and follow a basic routine.”

– Dr. Whitney Tolpinrud, MD

For you, streamlining your skincare routine might look like removing less essential steps from your routine, like toners, serums, and face masks.

Or, it could look like multitasking. Sometimes you don’t need a toner for hyaluronic acid, a serum for niacinamide, and a moisturizer for ceramides. Some moisturizers contain all three ingredients, and then some.

Some folks swear by double cleansing with an oil-based cleanser and then a water-based one. But many cleansers can get the job done with just one product. (More on that below in our product recs, especially multi-tasking ones.)

What are the benefits?

Investing in and using products that your skin doesn’t actually need is simply time and money down the drain.

“We see so many different trends,” says Hannah Zaborowski, an advanced esthetician at Face Foundrie, “but trends don’t work for every single person.” And all those extra products that you bought but never finished can clog up your bathroom shelves. (I’m extremely guilty of this one.)

“Certain products and ingredients, besides not really providing any benefit, can actively harm your skin, too.”

But certain products and ingredients, besides not really providing any benefit, can actively harm your skin, too. Layering three or four products on top of each other, one after the other, can become a one-way ticket to skin problems, especially when these products have fragrances or other potential irritants. And ingredients that are fine in small qualities can create issues in large ones.

Skin streaming “minimizes the usage of products that may lead to irritation or damage the skin barrier,” says Dr. Tolpinrud. And the simpler your routine is, the easier it is to stay consistent.

How to streamline your skincare routine

If you struggle with any sort of skin concern, like acne, dryness, sensitivity, rosacea, or oiliness, it might be worth it to strip down your routine to just the essentials. Consider using a cleanser, a moisturizer, and SPF in the morning for a few weeks, then slowly add in one additional product at a time, for a few weeks each, to figure out what’s actually working and what’s not. (Note that unless you’re experiencing irritation, you should test new products for a month or more before you decide whether or not you like them.)

“It might be worth it to strip down your routine to just the essentials — a cleanser, a moisturizer, and SPF in the morning — for a few weeks.”

Maybe you’ve been told you need extra hydration. So, do you skip that hydrating toner step in the name of skin streaming? At the end of the day, this is a completely personal experience — so try it with, try it without, and see what works best for you.

Personally, I’ve cut way back on exfoliating in the past couple of years — certain exfoliants tend to dry me out more than they used to a few years ago. Now, I only use exfoliating products like an AHA or BHA when my skin feels rougher or the pores look more noticeable, which is only about once a week. As it turns out, the skin is pretty decent at exfoliating itself. You’re risking more harm than good when you exfoliate too often.

And don’t forget that healthy skin starts with the health of your body. Drinking enough water (about 72 to 100 ounces per day), sleeping enough (7 to 8 hours per night), and reducing stress (check out our guide on how to complete stress cycles) can go a long way in improving the look and feel of your skin — and your entire body. In other words, you’re already doing a lot!

Regular facials can lead to a more stripped-down skincare routine, too. Zaborowski says that facials with medical grade products, like the Face Foundrie Glow, “can help your skin over time — so you eventually can cut down on unnecessary products in your routine.”

Ingredients to look out for

Dr. Tolpinrud suggests checking your current regimen for ingredients that may contribute to clogged pores, and removing any products with those ingredients. And I’m going to let you in on one of my secret tools as a beauty writer — incidecoder.com. It tells you a product’s complete ingredient list along with what each ingredient does.

“While preferred ingredients will vary from person to person, Dr. Tolpinrud shouts out ceramides, fatty acids, niacinamide, vitamin C, and tretinoin.”

So, which ingredients should you choose? “Hyaluronic acid is a must in my routine to keep my skin plump and glowing,” says Zaborowski, and both skin experts stress the importance of a daily sunscreen with at least SPF 30.

While preferred ingredients will vary from person to person, Dr. Tolpinrud shouts out ceramides, fatty acids, niacinamide, vitamin C, and tretinoin. She also notes that personalized skin brands like Agency are great because they’ll give you specific ingredient recommendations straight from a dermatologist.

Some of our favorite skinimalist products

Read on for some suggestions on simple, multi-tasking products from brands we love. Note that I’ve personally tested and vouch for all of these! If you have questions, leave them in the comments.

Cleansers

La Roche Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser
A fantastic, super gentle, super cost-effective cleanser from a French pharmacy brand.

Motif Abundance Cleanser
This high-end cleanser is packed with skin-loving ingredients like ceramides and niacinamide, so I like to use it as a mask sometimes, too.

Serums

Follain Brightening Serum
This 5% vitamin C and niacinamide serum combines two antioxidants for a powerful brightening effect.

Cocokind Barrier Serum
Super affordable and packed with ceramides and lipids, this is a fantastic serum for any skin type. Just note that many of these ingredients can also be found in certain moisturizers! Read our review here.

Beautycounter Reflect Effect Peel
Combining AHAs and BHA, this powerful serum exfoliates both the skin’s surface and pores. I only need to use it max once a week. 

Moisturizers

Weleda Sensitive Care Facial Cream
With a simple ingredient list and no fragrance or synthetic preservatives, this is a great, affordable moisturizer to use day and night.

Cocokind Resurrection Polypeptide Cream
Great for dryer skin or nighttime use, this Cocokind option has everything you need and nothing you don’t.

Skin Tints

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint
You can use this superstar tint in place of a serum, moisturizer, skin tint, and SPF.

Daybird Tinted Skincare
Daybird’s tint does pretty much the same thing, too. Read our review here.

Finally, a couple of other brands to help you streamline: Prose will make you a custom cleanser, serum, and moisturizer after a quick test, and Agency gives you a custom clean formula prescribed by a dermatologist. These personalized recommendations help you to keep out any unnecessary and potentially irritating ingredients while doing the most for your skin.

The bottom line

Remember that the products above are just suggestions — the point here is that our skin doesn’t need all that much. Of course, certain skin conditions can require prescription products. But besides that, most products we’re marketed aren’t necessary for your skin health.

“Most products we’re marketed aren’t necessary for your skin health.”

“Not everyone can or wants to do a 10-step routine,” says Zaborowski, “while others find joy in it.” There’s nothing wrong with an extra product or two that isn’t causing you any problems — but if you’re feeling skincare routine fatigue, or you’re struggling to find products that aren’t irritating, unnecessary products might be causing more problems for you than you think.

If you’re curious, try sticking to your cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF for the next week or two and see what happens. Whatever your routine is, your skin could benefit from the breather!

Natalie Gale is a Boston-based freelance journalist. When she’s not writing about art, food, or sustainability, you can find her biking to the farmers’ market, baking, sewing, or planning her next Halloween costume. Say hi on Instagram!