They say, ‘Too much of anything isn’t good’, and this rightly applies to your skincare as well.
Skincare has emerged at the top of beauty routines the world over in the last few years. The sheer number of bottles, potions and lotions that dot our beauty dresser is simply mind-boggling, isn’t it? In the quest for flawless skin, we’re often mindlessly packing on products by the layer. There are serums, essences, creams, toners, exfoliators, moisturizers and more, not to mention 10-step routines – once or even twice a day! Whew! But have you ever stopped and wondered, ‘hmm, does my skin truly need this?’
Q. So is less really more when it comes to skincare?A. Yes! Most dermatologists and skincare experts agree that minimal skin care products and a simple skin care routine is the way to go. It is often the slathering of more products than necessary that is actually the root cause of many skin concerns in the first place. This is a vicious cycle which leads to the use of more creams and treatments and in turn, more breakouts, textured skin, redness, dryness, etc. Sound familiar?
Q. Uh oh! So what should I do?
A. It’s simple, skin care cabinets everywhere need a good dose of decluttering. Think Marie Kondo! Say ta-ta to unnecessary, harsh and abrasive products that may be doing more harm than good.
Q. But how do I focus on quality over quantity?
A. Enter J-Beauty! Japanese women swear by their J-skincare regimes that follow a limited number of steps and use just a handful of high-quality, Japanese skincare products in their simple skincare routines.
Q. Where does this philosophy come from?
A. Japanese culture promotes minimalism which focuses on keeping life simple, clean, and uncluttered by living with just the basics. This applies to their skincare and beauty rituals as well where J-Beauty routines are simple, dependable, and pared down to the essentials. A simple and effective skin care routine is believed to be far more important than the number of actual products used.
Q. So what does a basic daily skincare routine with J-Beauty look like?
A. When it comes to Japanese skincare, routines consist of proper cleansing and hydration, and are believed to work far more effectively to nourish your skin. The simple skincare routine order starts with cleansing the skin with an oil-based cleanser to gently lift off make-up, excessive sebum, and sunscreen. In step 2, you use a water-based foaming cleanser to further deep clean the skin. Next, dab a light lotion gently onto the face to rehydrate the skin after cleansing and prep it for the next step. The final and fourth step consists of dabbing on a moisturizer that gives it that extra dose of hydration while sealing all that moisture into the skin. Easy peasy!