Skin Streaming Is The Natural Next Step In The Skinimalism Movement

Serums, creams, and moisturizers, oh my! When it comes to skincare, there are countless products on the market. It may even seem like every day you hear about a new skincare product that is advertised as being a "must have" for your regimen. Statista reports that the skincare industry in the United States alone is worth over $21 billion, which doesn't even include the global worth of the sale of skincare products. Just like other industries such as fashion, hair care, beauty, makeup, and cosmetics, the skincare industry is filled with billions of dollars worth of products to choose from. Since most of us aren't billionaires, we can't afford all of the fancy serums and firming lotions out there, but the good news is that your skin doesn't need an exorbitant number of products.

The skinimalism movement is driven by the desire of consumers to reduce the number of skincare products, decrease the amount of money spent on them, and generally minimize skincare routines by reducing them to the absolute basics, according to Coast Southwest. By minimizing the number of skincare products on your bathroom counter and the length of your daily skincare routine, you reap the benefits of reduced stress and more joy when it comes to celebrating your skin. As the skinimalism movement grows in popularity, skin streaming is quickly becoming the movement's star. Here's how to build a skin-streaming routine and figure out which products are necessary in your skincare routine.

Skin streaming is all about going back to the basics and, per its namesake, streamlining your skincare routine with only the essential items. This means discarding all serums, gels, creams, lotions, and other products that simply aren't necessary for your skin, and truthfully, for your wallet as well. There are so many products out there, which can cause confusion and an overwhelming feeling about the ones that are truly necessary. Well, the best way to solve this conundrum is to first look at your bathroom counter or makeup cabinet and take away the products you either don't use regularly or you don't find to be helpful. Consider your actual skincare needs. A good rule of thumb is to think about which products you need to cleanse your face, moisturize your skin, and control acne, rosacea, or other skin conditions you may have. If products in your skincare collection aren't serving these basic needs, take them out of your routine.

Many skincare regimens require up to eight steps on a regular basis, but applying so many products to your face can be counterproductive since your skin can only absorb so much at a time, according to New York Gal. This is why skin streaming is such an effective method in the skinimalism movement. When your body literally can't absorb all that you're applying, taking out the unnecessary products saves you money, space on your bathroom counter, and time during your daily skincare regimen.

Skin streaming focuses on removing items from your skincare regimen and streamlining your skincare routine. However, when you go to your bathroom counter to assess the products in your skincare lineup, be mindful of what you're removing. You don't want to remove items that have been prescribed to you by a dermatologist or other medical professional, such as retinoids, gels, creams, and other prescription items. Self reports that when it comes to your skincare routine, medical products absolutely take precedence over cosmetic or over-the-counter products. You should never stop using a medically prescribed product without first speaking with your doctor, just like you wouldn't want to suddenly stop taking an oral prescription medication without consulting your healthcare provider. Medical products for skincare concerns, such as acne and scarring, are prescribed to you for a legitimate reason and shouldn't be ignored.

If you do have medical products in your skincare routine, you should mold your skin streaming around the needs of the prescription products. For example, if you have a prescription face wash with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, use the wash before you apply other products to your skin. Conversely, if you're prescribed a gel or ointment like tretinoin, then you'll want to create a streamlined skincare routine that incorporates the prescription product into a regimen involving the basics. For instance, you might decide to use a gentle face wash to cleanse your face, then apply the medical product, followed by moisturizer.

Building a skin-streaming routine is all about your skin, your body, and your individuality. Since no two people are exactly alike, no two skincare routines will be exactly alike. Your skincare regimen will likely look different from the routines of your friends, and that is perfectly normal. To begin curating your perfect skin-streaming lineup, consider what your skin needs. Determine if your skin tends to be dry, oily, combination, or if your skincare needs vary from season to season or even day to day. Knackered at 40 recommends sticking with the absolute basics, which is the premise of skin streaming. Think about the cleanser your skin needs to be rid of dirt, bacteria, dead skin cells, and other pore-clogging components. Finding an exfoliating cleanser is a good way to condense a wash and exfoliant into one product and minimize the steps in your skincare routine. Another method you might opt for is to use a cleanser and an exfoliating brush, pad, or other tool to simultaneously cleanse your skin and exfoliate unwanted pore-clogging elements. Finding ways to minimize the steps in your skincare routine is the number-one rule of skin streaming.

The same concept goes for combining products like moisturizer and sunscreen. Try to find a moisturizer that has SPF in it to merge two steps of your skincare routine into one. You can even find moisturizers that include salicylic acid and other acne-fighting ingredients to streamline your skincare routine even more.

Contrary to how it may sound, you don't have to throw out all serums, oils, and lotions in the spirit of skin streaming. Instead, determine which products are truly useful for treating respective conditions that affect your unique skin and decide from there which products you wish to keep and which ones you're willing to discard from your routine. Remember that your skincare routine is yours, so you can keep as many or as few products as you want to. Keep in mind, though, that any medically prescribed products should be used as directed by your doctor and not removed from your regimen without a medical consult.

The world of serums has ballooned in recent years, with multitudes of serums marketed as indispensable products for optimum skin health. However, this is more myth than reality and many serums are in fact dispensable. Yes, there are some serums that are good for your skin, but just because a product is marketed as being in vogue doesn't mean that you have to include it in your own skincare routine. In the vein of skin streaming and merging steps by using products containing several essential ingredients, try to find serums that have multiple components which serve your skincare needs. ​​There are plenty of serums on the market that include combinations of ingredients like vitamin C, salicylic acid, peptides, and hyaluronic acid. Finding a combo serum will help you successfully build a skin-streaming routine.

When you remove products from your skincare routine to create a skin-streaming regimen, the one item you definitely shouldn't remove is sunscreen. Every day, you should be applying products with SPF on both your face and any exposed skin on your neck, arms, legs, or elsewhere on your body. The benefits of applying sunscreen on a daily basis are enormous. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, regular application of sunscreen can protect the health and well-being of skin, from preventing sunburns and redness to protecting against life-threatening skin cancers. Additionally, sunscreen can avert premature aging and reduce the effects of aging on skin, including wrinkles and fine lines, ultimately negating the need for anti-aging products in your skincare regimen. 

An interesting fact you may not know is that sunscreen can protect your skin no matter when it's applied in your skincare routine. As long as the product you're using is water-resistant and has a minimum of SPF 30, or SPF 60 if you're outside most of the day, it can serve as a barrier from harmful UV rays whether it's applied right after you cleanse your face, following the use of serums, or even after putting on makeup. This makes it easy to incorporate sunscreen into your skin-streaming routine. Since it's common for sunscreen to be under-applied, be certain to apply a sufficient amount to your face and body in the morning, then reapply your SPF product every few hours throughout the day.

Just like the base principles of minimalism wherein the number of belongings a person owns and uses are kept to the absolute essentials, aka the minimum number of items, skinimalism has the same foundation of only purchasing and using necessary skincare products. It's also fundamental that the products purchased in alignment with the skinimalism movement are kept to the minimum when it comes to the price tags of skincare items. You want to keep your skincare routine affordable with a minimal monetary total, a habit that your wallet will definitely thank you for practicing. It's no secret that skincare products, especially popular serums and celebrity- or influencer-endorsed items, can have lofty price tags that are frankly unaffordable for most people. 

One baseline concept of skinimalism is that you don't want to overextend yourself financially or spend money you don't have. This means that you should only purchase the products that you can afford and avoid going into credit card debt by spending exorbitant amounts of money on products that honestly may not be the best for your skin. Instead, keep it to a minimum in terms of the number of products you own and use, the steps and time spent on your daily skincare routine, and the amount of money you spend trying to achieve optimal skincare results. Just because something is more expensive, it doesn't mean that it's better than the cheaper item with ingredients that are either the same or very similar.

Akin to purchasing budget-friendly skincare products and taking care of yourself by minimizing debt, both the skinimalism movement and the ritual of skin streaming have roots in self-care and self-love. Taking care of your skin is about taking care of your body, practicing gratitude for the skin you live in, and being appreciative of your authentic appeal. Shape suggests that skinimalism and skin streaming are about embracing your skin in its natural appearance and taking care of it by minimizing acne-inducing makeup and unnecessary skincare products. In particular, skin streaming has the added self-love benefit of really getting to know your skin, appreciating it, and determining which products are going to be best for your unique skin, as well as which items and processes in your skincare routine will make you feel your best.

Skin streaming is about intentionally approaching your skincare routine by treating your skin with kindness through carefully choosing which products to use and which to toss. The Derm Review reports that using too many products can create imbalances in the pH levels of skin, causing dryness, discoloration, and breakouts. Minimizing products can coexist with conscious beauty, which extends to being conscious of the ingredients in skincare products and the amount of waste produced by unused skincare products. Choosing sustainable products helps the environment, which in turn is an altruistic choice that is likely to uplift your confidence about making positive contributions through intentional product selections.

Possibly the best part of skin streaming is that it's a viable option for pretty much anyone looking to streamline their skincare routine or in search of something budget-friendly, time-saving, and effective. If you're currently using multiple items in your skincare routine but not achieving the results you want, such as a clear complexion, hydration, or reduction of redness, then taking out unnecessary steps and products in your skincare routine through skin streaming may be the magic fix you've been in search of.

There are too many benefits of skin streaming to list, but take a few key components of the practice and envision yourself with extra time in the mornings to sleep in a few extra minutes and additional time in the evenings to enjoy a relaxing activity before bed. Not spending exorbitant amounts of money on an excessive number of expensive skincare products will allow you to save for something you've been wanting or allow you to pay off debt, which will lead to better financial health. Most of all, going back to the basics of items used in your skincare regimen will eliminate needless and superfluous ingredients on your skin and hopefully lead to skin that's hydrated, even, and has the natural glow you're meant to have. As you begin to reap the positive benefits of skin streaming and other aspects of the skinimalism movement, you'll likely see your confidence and love for your skin grow, too. That's a win-win!