What is skinimalism? The ‘less is more’ skincare trend taking over the beauty industry

According to one report, skinimalism marks the end of ‘caked-on make-up’ in favour of a simple, sustainable, ‘effortlessly chic’ routine

Ten-step routines are being pared down and there is a movement towards home-made skincare and science-backed ingredients

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Women are embracing a more sustainable, pared-down beauty routine during the pandemic. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 8:45pm, 17 Feb 2021Updated: 3:00pm, 7 Apr 2021

Beauty trends come and go, but one set to turn the industry on its head in 2021, according to social media platform Pinterest, is skinimalism. The movement, highlighted in its Trend Prediction Report, refers to how women are embracing a more sustainable, pared-down beauty routine, one that has been gaining momentum since the start of the pandemic.

“Everyone is now focusing on what is essential in our daily lives and wellness is a big part of that,” says Niamh O’Connell, group vice-president of wellness at Rosewood Hotel Group. “A recent report by Agility Research showed the rise of a new set of consumer values post-pandemic that are centred around sustainability and driven by millennials and Generation Z.

“They are not looking for brands that are fancy and over-the-top – they want authenticity and transparency, and this will impact the skincare industry, which has traditionally adopted a glossier approach to promoting products in categories such as anti-ageing, for example. Now, consumers want clarity and truth behind their skincare.”

According to the Pinterest Report, skinimalism marks the end of the “caked-on make-up look” in favour of a “new ‘effortlessly chic’ routine [that] is simple and sustainable”.

Niamh O’Connell is the group vice-president of wellness at Rosewood Hotel Group.

While this may prove worrying for beauty companies used to marketing multiple products a year, industry insiders say this was a long time coming.