It’s time to simplify your beauty regimen.

2020 was the year of slowing down (whether you wanted to or not), and taking care of your own skin and hair. It became obvious that self care in general was essential to keep you sane, and to your overall well-being.

In 2021, LESS is the new MORE.

Less means a simpler beauty regimen, less makeup, fewer skincare products, less ingredients, less packaging, less waste. But it also means more self care time, more mindfulness, more focus on what’s important.

How does that work?

1/ Practice “slow beauty”. “Slow beauty" encourages you to return to slower, simpler beauty and self-care practices. It is also about finding the time to be fully present to your beauty rituals, like indulging in restorative baths, enhanced with therapeutic essential oils, and reconnecting with your own self.

2/ Make time for face yoga/gym.

There are tons of youtube videos to inspire and guide you. When selecting a technique, just keep in mind that any video that shows pulling on the skin should be avoided.

Facial exercises:

Release tension
Strengthen and tone facial muscles
Uplift features
Increase blood flow to the skin, giving it a glow
Diminish fine lines

3/ Use natural, multi-purpose tools like gua shas, which enhance the benefits of your face serums/oils (they can also be used on other parts of the body to relieve muscle tightness, knots etc…).

Regular use of gua sha tools:

Increase blood flow to the skin
Stimulate the lymphatic system
Help detox the skin
Help relax facial muscles
Decrease puffiness

You will also benefit from the energy of natural stones as they complement your face yoga.

4/ Use fewer products. Do you really need an eye serum AND a face serum? What if your face serum was so gentle that you could use it as an eye serum also? Go through your paraphernalia of skincare products and tools, and determine which ones are MUST haves, and which ones are unnecessary.

5/ Buy products with fewer ingredients. You will be less likely to purchase a product with “hidden ingredients”. If the list is full of words you cannot recognize, that’s a red flag to me. It probably means the ingredients are highly processed. Opt for an all-natural product with few, clean ingredients. Besides, if you are prone to allergies, it will be much easier to pinpoint the culprit.

6/ Invest in rest

Self care includes sleep care. Our skin will feel and show the effects of poor sleep almost instantly. Our daily stress requires that we fully recharge our batteries during the night. Diffuse calming essential oils or spritz your pillow with a calming refresher spray for a good night rest. Take extra magnesium before bedtime (I take magnesium glycinate 20 minutes before bedtime).

7/ Once a week, make time for skin TLC, like a mask. Exfoliation is the key to getting rid of dead skin cells, dull skin, and to revealing fresh, healthy skin. Once a week is all you need. Here again, a simple clay mask can do wonders for your skin. A clay mask with few, dry ingredients will keep for a long time without the need of any preservatives. You can add rose water to it (instead of plain water) for extra soothing benefits and a lovely scent. You can also use that same rose water as a toner. You can spritz it on your face before applying your favorite serum, or any time you want your skin to feel refreshed.

8/ Go outside! Reap the benefits of natural vitamin D from sunshine! It’s a great mood booster and skin beautifier (as long as you don’t overdo it). There is nothing more flattering than a natural, healthy glow. Skip the self tanners loaded with chemicals that smell really weird. When you breathe deeper, move your body… your skin, and mind, feel happy!

In addition to spending your beauty care time more wisely, less frequent intensive skincare routines, like exfoliation, means you won’t be overusing harsh products or tools that can be irritating to your skin.

So… Take the skinimalist approach, and watch your skin become truly radiant, naturally!