My skin actually got clearer after I started a cosmetics diet lol. Sharing my best tips for minimal skincare!

How many skincare products do you all keep on your vanity? Haha. I used to be a total cosmetics collector, so I thought something terrible would happen if I didn't apply my skin in steps. After washing my face, I would go through nearly 7 or 8 steps, piling products onto my face one by one: a wipe-off toner, a runny, gel-like lotion to absorb, a hydrating ampoule, a brightening essence, eye cream, lotion, and finally, a nourishing cream. I firmly believed that applying products like that was the only way to improve my skin, but at some point, I started getting one or two small bumps on my face.

Later, when my dermatologist heard about my skincare routine, she was horrified and scolded me, saying that I was getting breakouts because my skin couldn't breathe and that I needed to go on a "cosmetic diet" immediately. ㅠㅠ I was so shocked that I came home and started what is known as "minimal skincare," drastically cutting down on my steps. Haha. At first, it felt so awkward and unsettling to just apply a single cream after washing my face. I was worried that my face might feel like it was cracking when I woke up, but surprisingly, it wasn't dry and my skin felt light.

The routine I’ve settled on now is very simple, haha. In the morning, after a light rinse with water, I apply a Vitamin C ampoule, immediately follow with a light hydrating lotion, and finish with sunscreen. In the evening, after cleansing thoroughly, I just open up the moisture pathways with a really mild hyaluronic acid toner free of functional ingredients, and then I take an appropriate amount of ceramide cream containing regenerating ingredients and let it absorb fully, haha. That's it! I used to spend 30 minutes patting my face, but now my skincare routine takes less than 3 minutes, so it’s so convenient and I love it so much ㅠㅠ

The most surprising change is that reducing the number of cosmetics actually fixed my inner dryness and made my tiny bumps completely disappear haha. I think in the past, the ingredients from various products mixed together on my face, clogging my pores and causing irritation. Now, it feels like my skin has regained its natural strength. My complexion has become much clearer and my skin texture has become smoother, so I think I made the right decision a hundred, a thousand times over to go on a "cosmetic diet" haha. If you happen to have dull skin and breakouts despite applying a lot of different products, try drastically cutting down your skincare steps for just one week—just to see if it works—you'll be able to feel your skin breathing and becoming much healthier haha. I'm curious to know what everyone else thinks about the cosmetic diet!!