My Minimalist Skin Care Routine
by Cy
PurityandVerve.com
When people ask me about my skin which has been described as youthful, glowing and reflective of a much younger age, I don’t have any profound beauty secrets to offer. A part of it is the protective factor that comes with having brown pigmented skin. While melanin does facilitate some preservation, a sage piece of advice I once received is that brown/black does in fact crack. No one can rely on melanin alone to remain naturally youthful forever. How we care for ourselves, whatever color of the rainbow we are will reflect in the quality of our skin, our general appearance and our overall well-being.
I favor a minimalist approach when it comes to my beauty routines. It’s partly my impatience with beauty and wanting to get things done as quickly as possible. Spas and salons are not relaxing experiences for me. I’m a lifelong tomboy and not prone to maintaining any kind of hairstyle or manicure for more than a day or two, so mostly I avoid these. I don’t enjoy people fussing over me and I don’t care for using a wide variety of products. I value simplicity, efficiency and effectiveness.
As far as skin care goes, in my experience and observation, the beauty of the skin at any age and in any color emanates directly from dietary and lifestyle choices. How we eat along with sleep habits, exercise, contact with natural light and the cleanliness of the environments we are exposed to impact the condition of the skin far beyond any commodity. There is no product, no foundation or contouring kit, no anti-aging cream or masque that can ever produce healthy skin. Advertisers promise such miracles all the time and they are all lies geared towards making a sale. If these products achieved the results their manufacturers claim, wouldn’t they effectively put themselves out of business?
I further believe that we have to reconnect with the beauty of natural skin, as sometimes filters and retouching can alter human perception about the way skin should actually look. I can say with assurance that no filter or correction on social media will change the health of the skin and the person it belongs to. Truly beautiful skin from within is in a category entirely by itself.
Though I follow a few beauty channels, I realized years ago, beauty YouTubers tend to be brand-focused, using mostly sponsored products, rendering them unreliable sources. They also inhabit different bodies and don’t offer much insight about what will work for another person. There are a few admirable minimalist beauty influencers whose efforts I appreciate like the insightful vlogs of Heal Your Living.
I would prefer to use no products but I’m not at that point in my evolution. I have dry/combination skin and I do not live near the equator where the dryness factor becomes less of an issue for me. So I eat healthfully, move my body daily, and follow the simplest routine I can. I only use natural products on my skin. Toxic chemicals and additives are taken in through the skin and have no place in a healthful lifestyle.
My Routine
Cleansing: I wash my skin twice a day, morning and night. I don’t use any specialized face soap as I’ve tried these and see no benefit. It’s Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Castile soap, Chandrika’s Ayurvedic Sandalwood soap or whatever liquid or bar I have on hand (1, 2). I’ve even used free and clear hand soap to wash my face (the horror, I know!). Lately, it’s been been Simply Divine Botanicals Black Velvet Facial Cleanser which is gentle, soothimg and has an incredible scent (3).
Moisturizing: Day and night I moisturize with Bee Yummy Skin Food by Live Live and Organic. It’s a raw, botanical skin cream and I’ve been using it for years (4). It smells good and moisturizes deeply while allowing my skin to breathe. I use more in the winter, less in the warmer parts of the year when I don’t experience as much dryness. Sometimes at night before moisturizing I tone my oilier T-zone with S.W. Basics 100% Natural Toner (5). This helps to control the oil on my nose and forehead without drying or irritating my skin.
Finishing Touches: I spray my face with Organic Bulgarian White Rose Water by Alteya Organics (6). I like the scent and essence of rose, and the way it adds hydration without any oil. Lastly, I apply whatever lip gloss I have on hand. If I’m lucky, it’s Weleda’s Skin Food Lip Butter (7). Weleda’s Skin Food line and products in general are truly helpful for those of us with dry skin who live in colder parts of the world.
And that’s it! Even this seems like a lot after I recently watched a raw fruitarian YouTuber for whom skin brushing was his one and only cosmetic. Talk about goals! I long ago abandoned the mentality of if I just get one more beauty product, then my skin will be perfect. The skin is our largest organ and largest eliminative organ. It first and foremost reflects the state of our inside. This is not something any beauty routine or makeup regimen can cloak. The real beauty quite literally comes from within.
Links
Here are links to the products I’ve mentioned. I have not received any incentives or contracted with any brands presented here or elsewhere. I share them because I appreciate their quality and purity. Please read more about the principles upheld by Purity & Verve here.
(1)https://shop.drbronner.com/products/lavender-pure-castile-liquid-soap
(2)https://chandrikaglobal.com/#shop
(3)https://www.simplydivinebotanicals.com/product-page/black-velvet-fabulous-foaming-facial-cleanser
(4)https://live-live.com/products/bee-yummy-skinfood
(5)https://swbasics.com/products/toner
(6)https://alteyaorganics.com/product/bulgarian-white-rose-water-organic-rosa-alba-100-ml-spray/