I certainly did not have a simplified skin care routine on my 2024 bingo card, simply because I really love curating a beauty regimen. I used to take the approach of squeezing in any serum, treatment, or ingredient that sounded good. And suddenly I had amassed a mini Sephora in my bathroom and a 22-step bedtime routine.
While this extensive ritual served me for a period—as both a radical act of self-care and a meaningful way to research loads of products simultaneously—the process became quite cumbersome. On a singular day, I might apply an exfoliating toner, oil-reducing clarifying serum, moisturizer for acne-prone skin, and retinol—all in an effort to prevent breakouts and alleviate my oiliness. Reactive is how I’d describe my skin’s state after all of this—more prone to blemishes, super oily, and honestly a little tender to touch.
It never really occurred to me that all the treatments I was giving my skin only exacerbated the very concerns I was hoping to treat. But one day, after hearing a skin expert wax on about the importance of skin-barrier repair for the umpteenth time, I had the aha moment that maybe I wasn’t giving my skin the protection and care it so deserved by using so many harsh ingredients. And so I sought to limit myself to only the essentials.
To pare my routine down, I revisited a nugget of advice a dermatologist once told me—your skin-care regimen only requires four things: a cleanser, a serum, a face cream, and SPF. I couldn’t help but add in a toner or essence, too, as a way to practice the K-beauty philosophy. The results were shocking. Within a week, my skin felt plumper, bouncier, and softer. Since practicing this streamlined routine, I rarely have blemishes and don’t get nearly as oily as I used to. But why? “By minimizing the use of potentially irritating or drying products, your skin may have balanced its natural oils, leading to improved hydration levels and a softer skin texture,” California-based board-certified dermatologist Divya Shokeen, MD, FAAD, explains. New York City–based board-certified dermatologist Brendan Camp, MD, agrees, emphasizing that “allowing skin sufficient time and space to receive products and recover from their impact” can lead to healthier skin.
One year after I began my pared back routine, my skin remains as healthy and glowing as ever. “I often remind my patients that more isn’t always better,” California-based board-certified dermatologist Dr. Azadeh Shirazi reminds me. “The optimal simplified skin-care routine is one that supports your skin’s natural barrier while addressing your core needs and nothing more. A truly effective minimal routine consists of only three steps: cleanse, treat, protect.”
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