Skinimalism: Slimming down your routine with Beauty Pillow
Skincare has really exploded in the last few years. With all the new products, celebrity skincare lines and collabs plus the excessive amounts of time spent looking at our face reflected in video calls, the proliferation of products coming onto the market makes sense. And yet… too many active ingredients doesn’t always mean better.
Increasing the number of active lotions and potions we apply to our face has a pretty high likelihood of increasing the rate of breakouts. Skin irritation, hyperpigmentation, breakouts, redness, dryness and flaking. It’s all too much! When we disturb the skin’s microbiome, we need to work hard to nourish and repair it. But what if we never let things get that bad?
Introducing a new approach to the new wave of skincare: Skinimalism.
No, we’re not stumbling on our words, we’re blending! The mix of skin (and by proxy, skincare) and minimalism, does seem contradictory to market trends. But maybe that’s where the charm really lies?
Skincare has evolved into a multi-step, multi-layer extravaganza. The rise of the 10 step Korean skincare routine has moved into popular culture and is becoming a thing of beauty-lore. But do we really need it? And, perhaps more importantly, do we need it every night?
Skinimalists say “No!”
The 10 step routine is a really great way to practice active self care. Taking the time to gently cleanse, exfoliate and nourish your skin with essences, serums and rich creams or masks is a wonderful meditative practice. Reflecting on your day as you appreciate your skin and it’s function is something we arguably should all be doing on the regular. But everyday? It’s expensive and more likely than not, will lead to irritation, especially for skincare newbies.
When we introduce too many products all at once we’re not giving our skin the room to breathe and acclimate. The tried and truest way to introduce anything new to your skin is to follow the example of the tortoise, not the hare.
Slowly integrating products into your existing routine over time will help you to understand what works, what doesn’t and how your skin reacts in either case. Imagine starting a whole new multi step routine, breaking out and not knowing which product was the root cause? Sounds crazy!
For Skinimalists, this shouldn’t be an issue.
The idea that we need a multi step routine is arguably more rooted in marketing than a genuine desire for clear, glassy skin. Reducing the number of products in your routine is likely to ease the reactions at a skin level and make your purse pretty happy too!
The agreed essentials for a skincare routine, according to skinimalists:
Cleanser: Removes make up, dirt and impurities and helps cut down the sebum and oil that can block pores and increase breakouts or acne flare ups
Basic serum: For daytime, we’d recommend a simple Vitamin C serum. Though many active serums on the market are a mix of various ingredients, a simple Vitamin C serum will help fight pigmentation, dark spots and help increase the efficacy of your sunscreen.
Moisturizer: It’s a common myth that oily skin types don’t need a moisturizer. This is just so wrong we don’t even know where to start! While oily skin types certainly don’t have the slather on the lotion, a moisturizer will help to maintain your skin’s natural moisture barrier. When the skin doesn’t have this protective layer, it tends to overproduce oil and sebum in response, leading to more frequent breakouts. On the opposite side of the spectrum, dry skin will tend to flake and crack when not adequately moisturized, finding the right solution for your skin should leave it feeling hydrated, plump and soft to the touch.
Sunscreen: So many people still think that sunscreen is only for when the sun’s out. We’re here to tell you that, while we fully agree with the sentiment: ‘Sun’s out, bun’s out! Sunscreen is an all round, all weather friend for your skin. Literally nothing else you do for your skin will matter if you don’t apply sunscreen everyday. UV Rays are a key source of environmental stressors called Free Radicals that damage your skin if left unchecked.
Free Radicals, (we agree, it’s an excellent pop punk band name!) are unbalanced molecules that work against your body. On the most extreme end of the spectrum, they can cause disease and illnesses like heart disease and cancer. When it comes to our skin, free radicals are responsible for the effects of aging. Naturally, our collagen production slows after about age 20, meaning our skin has less elasticity and plumpness. This is where we see increased lines, sagging and hyperpigmentation. Protecting your skin with sunscreen is essential to reduce the impact of environmental stressors on the skin.
And that’s it!
It’s a pretty pared down routine. Some might like to add in gentle exfoliation once or twice a month. Others might like the extra hydration of a heavier night cream to lock in moisture and harness the restorative power of sleep. Reducing the number of actives in your routine will help to let your skin breathe and reset. Making sure your skin is clean, but not stripped, hydrated but not drenched and protected from the effects of UV light exposure seems like a pretty great skin care regimen. No muss, no fuss!
Supporting your Skinimalist tendencies
They say “Beauty comes from within”. We know they’re talking about kindness and confidence, but we’d argue that when you look and feel your best you’re less likely to feel and act snappishly. Some of the best ways to support your beauty routine are tried and tested elements essential to a holistic health and wellness routine.
Say it with us: Diet, Exercise, Sleep!
Eating right is one of the best ways to feel good from the inside out. Eating a varied diet not only sounds delicious, it helps to keep your cravings in check and supports your immune system. Having a robust immune system is essential to feeling well year round. Now we’re entering into the seasons change of fall and winter in the northern hemisphere, we’re likely to spend more time indoors and in close quarters.
All sorts of germs and what not are ready and waiting for a viable host. Making sure you’re hydrated, getting your vitamins and boosting your body with a high intake of antioxidant rich food will go a long way to keeping you healthy and well.
Exercise is something we tend to push to the end of the day, only to feel too tired to get the routine in. Making time to exercise regularly will help you feel more energized, improve your sleep and boost your productivity and brain function. We often talk about skin care as an act of self care and frame exercise as a chore or a task to complete.
Reframing exercise as time spent appreciating your body and how it functions and what it’s capable of can go a long way to shifting your approach and your desire to exercise. Getting your body moving, even for just a little each day will help to increase your muscle tone, improve your bone density and release tension caused from stress or long periods sitting. Making an exercise date with yourself is a great way to start or end each day.
Starting your day with a walk or light job can help you set your goals and intentions for the day and give you the energy to achieve them. Taking the time at the end of the day can help you leave the stressors of the day behind. Clearing your mind and problem solving or checking out and taking the time for yourself will go a long way to helping you get into bed with a clear head, avoiding restless nights that can leave you feeling sluggish and tired well into the next day or even week.
Sleep! We love sleep! It’s your body’s chance to repair itself from the day’s activities. Without enough regular sleep we open our bodies up to heart disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders. Even without these severe issues developing, without a good night’s sleep we tend to look and feel pretty rough.
Boosting your sleep is where Beauty Pillow’s range of anti aging and support pillows can help elevate your skinimalist routine.
Elevation
When we sleep on traditional pillows we naturally push our body weight into the pillow. This weight tends to be around 5kg or 11lbs. That’s a lot of weight being pushed onto a small area. This compression is what causes deep set sleep wrinkles and lines. The Beauty Pillow is designed to reduce the impact of compression, for a deeper, more supported sleep.
Reducing facial compression is about more than just wrinkles. The Beauty Pillow’s design gently and comfortably elevates the head, promoting blood flow and increasing lymphatic drainage. When we push our faces into our standard pillows, the blood naturally pools and fluids build up. This build up leads to a boated, blotchy looking complexion. The Beauty Pillow is designed to prevent this, helping you wake up feeling and looking fresher every morning.
Supporting your skinimalist approach to skincare is easy with the Beauty Pillow!
Shop the range of support pillows, silks and active pillowcases like the revolutionary Skin+ today!