After Years as a Beauty Maximalist, These Are the Products That Have Convinced Me to Pare Down
I started my beauty journey as a skincare maximalist. As a teenager, my Cool Aunt took me to a mall in Queens where I got my face scanned and was handed a complete seven-step K-beauty routine. I was in heaven. Over years of beauty experimentation and education, I eventually ballooned up to 10 or 12 steps, thanks to social media trends like double cleansing and slugging, promising to deliver glass skin.
At the time, I was a proud skincare maximalist. I loved the ritual of my routine and the results. Whenever I was tempted by skinimalism or a product ran out, my attempts to pare down would inevitably lead to a breakout or a bout of dryness. So, naturally, I remained a 10-step devotee.
With over a decade working in beauty under my belt, I’ve seen products come and go, and I’ve switched just as many in and out of my routine. But recently, as social media has made us more skincare-savvy and brands have accelerated innovation, I’ve started introducing products into my routine that do multiple jobs without multiple steps.
Sound like an empty promise? I was skeptical, too. But I have finally been able to cut my beauty routine in half—and my skin looks better than ever! Ahead, discover the beauty products that worked so well that they finally convinced a beauty maximalist to pare down.
I’ve always believed that if my cleanser wasn’t working overtime, the rest of my skincare routine would be useless. After all, what’s the point of layering skincare on dirty skin? Ew. But double or triple cleansing twice a day actually had the opposite effect on my skin—it stripped my skin’s barrier. Powered by rice-powder enzymes, the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant is gentle enough to use every day, but actually gets everything off—including sunscreen. Plus the fact that it comes in a powder that activates with water means you’re getting all product, no filler.
The milky skin trend has reached a fever pitch. Some entries were purely aesthetics. Most entries were hydrating essences which didn’t stand out from the crowd. The EADEM Cashmere Peel Exfoliating Toner is the exception. More than just a toner, it’s a gentle exfoliator that hydrates while it exfoliates to prevent barrier damage. No more tugging at your face with pure acid exfoliators. This silky formula uses AHAs to exfoliate, PHAs to tackle pigmentation, and a blend of rice water and oatmeal to soothe.
Years of skincare experimentation and education taught me to be ingredient-forward in my routine, so Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid have always been the cornerstones of my morning routine. Enter: the DAMDAM Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid, which doesn’t feel like skipping a step but rather gaining a holy grail. The satisfying texture doesn’t stick or pill like many Vitamin C serums, and it makes dull skin look instantly brighter. The second I put this serum on, I look instantly more awake.
I used to Frankenstein together multiple serums to target dark spots, texture, and breakouts. Skin By Brownlee & Co.’s Toned Brightening Serum has replaced all those serums with one powerful formula. It has all the good skincare Acids: Hyaluronic, Kojic, Mandelic, and Lactic, plus Niacinamide and other antioxidants. Packed with proven ingredients and developed by a skincare expert, it promotes smoother, healthier skin for all skin tones
During a bout of skin sensitivity, I discovered this product and I haven’t looked back. It’s a jack of all trades. It deeply moisturizes skin, heals breakouts, prevents pigmentation, soothes stressed skin, and more. It’s the ultimate drugstore skin hero.
While some trendy lip balms actually make my lips drier or develop a grainy texture that gives me the ick, the MARA Sea Silk Lip Balm is a hydrating lip treatment that provides long and short term moisture. Made with algae, shea butter, and other hydrating botanicals, it heals cracked lips and goes on smooth under or over your lip combo.
The ultimate 2-in-1 product. Many people don’t apply or reapply sunscreen because of its texture or pigment. The Bask Sunscreen Serum solves both problems. Unlike when I try to multitask, this sunscreen does both things well: protect, and intensely hydrate—a must for dry summer skin. Powered by glycerin, the non-comedogenic formula doesn’t clog pores (another common sunscreen complaint) and its skin-first formula restores skin health while it works.
Langa Chinyoka, Contributing Writer
Langa is a Los Angeles-based writer. Her work has appeared in The Paris Review, British Vogue, Highsnobiety, Eyeswoon, Camille Styles, The Good Trade, and more.
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