BEAUTY & GROOMING

Why the multiple-step skincare routine is more a chore and less self-care

By Aishwarya Kasliwal
13 October, 2022

With a plethora of beauty products flooding market shelves and an influx of information on social media, skincare fatigue is becoming more and more common

A well-known skinfluencer, a leading dermatologist and an upcoming beauty brand’s owner walk into their respective bathrooms. That statement might sound like the start of a bad joke when in actuality, it’s the start of multiple skincare enthusiasts’ disillusionment with long and dreary routines. Somewhere along the line, the ubiquitous 5+ step drill became more like a task to be ticked off a ‘to-do list’ and less like something to be enjoyed. The aforementioned skinfluencer, dermatologist and beauty brand owner weigh in on how and why.


No one-size-fits-all formula

It’s nothing new that skincare isn’t ‘one-size-fits-all.’ It’s safe to say that mastering a skincare regime is like an art form, involving quite a bit of trial and error. The quintessential routine means different things for different aficionados. For some, a minimal mix allows for maximum joy. Shamika Haldipurkar, founder and owner of d’you, a brand that aims to simplify the relationship between science and skincare, is one such savant. Since our skin can “self-cleanse, self-soothe, self-heal, self-exfoliate and self-moisturise,” she says, there isn’t any need for “an overwhelming exposure to a multitude of products.” A practitioner of “supportive skincare,” she’s a firm believer of using only the bare minimum, as much as is needed, and nothing more.

The proof lies not in the pudding but in the #shelfies of enthusiasts revealing fewer products than ever before. Image: Pexels

The rise in easy access to information and products has made something that was once elusive, quite common.. Image: Pexels

When asked to shed light on an ideal daily formula, Haldipurkar mentions “a good barrier-protecting moisturiser to reduce transepidermal water loss, a good sunscreen for the day, a good cleanser to take the same off at night and a treatment serum for problematic skin.” Upon probing, she reveals how she’s become desensitised to her skincare regime. “I’m someone who sticks to products that work for me, for years! My routine has become a habit now, so I don’t quite get excited about it–it’s more like a chore,” she elaborates. Enter skincare fatigue. Simply put, it’s when you'd rather sleep with your make-up on (a cardinal sin, in our books!) than trudge to your shelf and carry out your prescribed product pattern. Haldipurkar explains why this is becoming a common predicament. With us, as consumers, constantly being exposed to an overwhelming amount of information, skincare fatigue is all but expected. “It’s all too much–too many brands, too many products and too many people talking about these products,” she shares. 


Understanding what works for your skin 

That being said, there’s a large number of people that really look forward to indulging in their skincare regime. Skinfluencer Natassha Patel, known for her fuss-free and functional approach to beauty, helps us with details. She deems herself a “less-is-more kind of person” and says that a perfect routine should comprise “a cleanser, a serum, any spot treatment that’s needed, moisturiser and eye cream, with lip balm.”

According to Patel, “It all boils down to compressing a 10- or 12-step routine into 4- or 5-step wonders, consisting of exactly the products your skin needs.” The road to Rome is long and hard, so arriving at those 4 or 5 products requires patience, practice and persistence. Your skin is always changing based on the weather, your diet and other factors, so what worked last week, or even yesterday, may not work next week or tomorrow. Coming across products that ‘just work’ isn’t an easy feat, with a plethora of brands and products available within the Indian beauty industry today.

Skincare fatigue is when you'd rather sleep with your make-up on (a cardinal sin, in our books!) than trudge to your shelf and carry out your prescribed product pattern. Image: Pexels

Patel’s got a trick up her sleeve. She says she enjoys “testing and trying different products, formulations and actives” to figure out whether they suit her skin or not. The hack lies in never tampering with what she knows works for her. At any given point in time when she’s experimenting, she maintains her usual set of products and only tests a single new one out. This allows her to “see results based on that one product,” a revelation that really excites her. In a bid to instill good skin habits in us all, she likens the task of having a skincare regimen to drinking water–“it’s just something you know you have to do.”

Keeping away from fads

Dr Deepti Ghia, a Mumbai-based dermatologist and trichologist, divulges data based on her patients and their lifestyles. Talking about the landscape of India’s growing skincare and beauty industry, she says the biggest factor that contributes to an influx of information is social media. “It’s created both, a platform for anecdotes about skin types, choices and more to be discussed, as well as a space for the rampant spreading of misinformation.” Oftentimes, patients will see something online, try it out and then be disappointed with the way their bodies and skin react to it.

The quintessential routine means different things for different aficionados. For some, a minimal mix allows for maximum joy. Image: Pexels

Somewhere along the line, the ubiquitous 5+ step drill became more like a task to be ticked off a ‘to-do list’ and less like something to be enjoyed. Image: Pexels

Offering a scientific perspective, Ghia says that her patients’ skincare preferences and approach to the same can be explained via their personality types. “A Type-A patient will prefer something that’s elaborate and targeted but fast-paced. Due to their result-oriented nature, if the products don’t work quickly, they tend to become bored with their routine, resulting in fatigue with the practice of skincare.” The industry expert also sheds light on how often fatigue can rise as a byproduct of doing “too much”. Taking a similar stance as Haldipurkar, Ghia says that the rise in easy access to information and products has made something that was once elusive, quite common.

Not to be taken literally, skincare fatigue isn’t when your body is tired of skincare but rather when you’re tired of the act of caring for your skin, simply because it’s no longer fun. Whether you’re someone that’s only just beginning to feel overwhelmed or someone that’s accepted this in-between as the norm, experts suggest making a few adjustments. Don’t swap out your products frequently, and opt for the ones that work double duty, serving more than one purpose. This just-in phenomenon is an indication of the fact that slow is indeed steady, and that less really is more. The proof lies not in the pudding but in the #shelfies of enthusiasts revealing fewer products than ever before.

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