Minimalism vs. Layering

"Less is more" is the modern day motto that dictates all our decisions in life these days. As minimalism is influencing the norms of skincare science, it is time to take a dive in the world of minimalism vs. layering.

How Does Minimalism Functions in Skincare?

While the popular opinion sees the pandemic as the catalyst for the shift towards minimalism in skincare, the movement away from layering was already taking place among the enthusiasts before the onset of the global catastrophe. 10 to 11 step routines are deemed to be unsuitable for the busy age where time is valued in monetary terms.

The minimalist approach is famed for its hands-off policy which claims to give the skin more space to do its "own work" and only provides some "assistance". The pro-minimalists are conscious skin experts, themselves, who recognize the needs of their own skin and are simply supporting the argument that their bodies already know what to do and skincare can only nudge it in the right direction at an accelerated pace.

The industry shift is also noted in the packaging as it has gradually become more text-based and muted in colours to give it a "minimalist" look and feel. Brand transparency and honesty is aiding the ethical buying choices of conscious customers while the minimalist trend is securing its roots firmly in the skincare industry.

Minimalism in skincare aims to reduce over-consumption, excessive spending and confusion of the customer to a certain degree. It demands extensive research from the customers to identify their own skin problems and requirements to treat those concerns. The challenge is even bigger with finding the right brand and product for the specific concerns with the right amount of ingredients.

Why is Pro-Layering Still a Thing?

Despite the confusion that skin minimalism claims to resolve, the new traditional layering skincare regime with multiple steps still remains the dominant trend in the industry. The layering method is scientifically proven and quite naturally argues the logic that one product cannot solve the various skin concerns that a person faces at a given stage in life.

For one product solutions, reapplying them quite frequently or finding them too-oily for the skin is a common concern. Whereas, multi-step routines are clearly more efficient is maintaining the balance with multiple products.

People who are pro-layering are the exact same people who are pro-multiple-course-meals. While is it possible today to gain all the necessary nutrients from one course meals, it is definitely not suitable for our palate.

Skin minimalism, in reality, is arising out of a necessity of the busy daily lives more than the urge to make conscious choices. The fast paced life has seen an initial pause in the primary days of the pandemic. Contrary to popular belief, the pandemic and ensuing lockdowns have made people more aware of how much time they spend away from themselves and their loved ones.

Association of words like "regimes" and "rituals" to skincare routines lends the whole process more meaning that simply meeting the demand of the skin. While taking regular care of the largest organ of the body can be a challenge, it is tantamount to self-care and self-love. The promotion of the notion of finding more time for the self is supported by an elaborate skincare routine.

The fact that layering skincare has the power of enhancing the potential of the various products used in the process of skincare has its own logic to it. Layering skincare makes it possible to treat multiple and even contradictory skin concerns simultaneously. One can also avoid using too many actives on skin by using different products in the routine, for example, Vitamin C serum in the day time aids the actions of Retinol used at night, whereas, using both of these actives together can cause adverse effect on the skin.

Why is Skin Minimalism a Redundant Practice?

In the term minimalism, there exists the promise of limited choices which claims to make the customer more aware. On the other hand, limiting the choices of the customers is not preferable while keeping in mind that people have various combinations of skin concerns.

Despite the claim of simplifying skincare, minimalism cannot get rid of skincare steps, such as, cleansing, exfoliating and even applying sunscreen. In essence, minimalism targets toners, serums, moisturisers, hydrating products and treatments. Instead of these products, the minimalism practice offers targeted treatment for specific concerns. It is important to keep in mind that these different products have their own function which preps the skin for the treatment. Eliminating these products from the regime can actually lead to drop in efficiency of treatments.

Furthermore, claiming to be the end-all-be-all of trends, minimalism, itself, is nothing but a trend. It claims to be a movement away from 11 step skincare regimes but for regular people, it is a cleansing-toning-moisturising-protecting routine that this trend cannot possibly simplify without adverse consequences.

While the trend claims to take care of the numerous choices of products by presenting one solution for multiple steps, it is also asking the customers to choose which concerns they would prefer to start with. It is a bigger risk than multi-step products where one product can have negative effect on the skin without the presence of other balancing products to overcome it.

It remains to be seen if minimalism really becomes the new norm as more conscious customers enter the market to treat varied skins and varied skin concerns.

Brand Story
Auli is dedicated towards providing natural solutions for skin concerns that are effective and affordable. Team Auli is passionate about revolutionising skincare and simplifying the jargons. Auli products are potent skincare solutions that work efficienctly to help people achieve healthy and naturally glowing skin while treating specific skin concerns. Enriched with Active Ingredients, the focus of Auli has always been on bringing stable products and skincare awareness to its tribe. Auli is simply a complete lifestyle upgrade experience that brings together the best of both worlds, Modern Science and Ayurveda.