In recent years, many people have been rethinking their beauty routines. Instead of jumping on the bandwagon of multi-functional creams or miracle serums, they’re opting to take care of their skin in a simpler way, with fewer products and clean formulas. This shift is driven by specific needs: sensitive skin, a desire for transparency, environmental awareness, and a rejection of excess. This craving for simplicity challenges the fast-paced consumption model in personal care: what happens when we reduce cosmetics to the essentials?
Why Does Skin Prefer Less?
With the overload of products (cleansers, toners, exfoliants, serums, creams, contours, masks), many people with sensitive, reactive, or simply demanding skin start to experience irritation, outbreaks, and imbalances. Complex formulas packed with fragrances, preservatives, silicones, or harsh ingredients can disrupt the skin barrier. By simplifying the routine (using fewer products with understandable ingredients), many discover that their skin recovers, balances out, and stops reacting negatively.
Responsible Consumption and Ecological Awareness
Nowadays, taking care of one’s skin is no longer just about aesthetics: it involves reflecting on what we consume, how we produce it, and its impact on the environment. Many traditional cosmetic brands use plastics, difficult-to-degrade chemicals, and questionable ingredients. On the other hand, those who adopt minimalist routines value natural, biodegradable products and recyclable or refillable packaging; a way of personal care that also respects the planet.
From Advertising Bombardment to Reflective Minimalism
The traditional cosmetics industry often promotes the idea that we need dozens of products: anti-aging, hydration, repair, deep cleansing, protection; this overabundance creates insecurity, inflated expectations, and mindless consumption. However, more and more people are choosing to take a step back: to reduce, to choose with intention, to bet everything on the essentials. This conscious simplification becomes a sort of “skin and mental detox.”
When Simple is Enough: The Example of Comme Avant
A clear example of this philosophy is the brand Comme Avant. Founded in 2017 near Marseille, it began from a personal experience: its creators were looking for a healthy alternative after their child suffered from skin irritations. The first product was a soap handmade with olive oil.
Over time, the brand has maintained its commitment to simplicity: short formulas (often with four ingredients or fewer), no synthetic fragrances, no unnecessary preservatives, no water (which eliminates the need for added preservatives). Its cosmetics are handmade in their workshop, with natural, biodegradable ingredients, recyclable or reusable packaging, and certified organic, vegan, and under “slow cosmétique” standards.
Real Benefits of Simplifying the Routine
Undeniably, simplifying the routine not only relieves the skin but also brings clarity, balance, and more conscious care. If you’re considering the move towards the essentials, these benefits will help you understand why more and more people are choosing this path. Here are the key points:
– Less risk of irritations and reactions: By eliminating fragrances, preservatives, and unnecessary ingredients, minimalist routines reduce the chance of outbreaks, redness, or skin imbalances. Especially useful for sensitive or reactive skin.
– Product transparency and knowledge: With fewer (and understandable) ingredients, consumers know exactly what they’re applying. The “complicated language” of many cosmetics is lost, and clarity is gained.
– Reduced environmental impact: Fewer packages, biodegradable cosmetics, and artisanal production mean a smaller ecological footprint. Personal care becomes coherent with a sustainable lifestyle.
– More humane, less stressful routines: Letting go of the “14-step Korean” routine or promises of perfection relieves pressure. Beauty becomes a slow, conscious, and respectful act towards oneself.
– Honesty instead of exaggerated promises: Instead of seeking “perfect skin” or “eternal youth,” there’s a focus on health, comfort, and real balance. It’s a bet on well-being, not on unattainable ideals.