How My Minimalist Skincare Routine Saved My Sensitive Skin

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1. Cleanser: Start Fresh, But Keep It Easy
   1. My cleanser recommendations:
2. Moisturizer: Lock in That Hydration
   1. My moisturizer recommendations:
3. Retinoids (Optional): The Lazy Girl’s Secret Weapon for Amazing Skin
   1. My retinoids recommendations:
4. Sunscreen: The Most Important Step You Can’t Skip
   1. My top sunscreen recommendations:
5. The Beauty of Minimalism
   1. Your Lazy Skincare Routine Recap:

As you may already know, I’m a minimalist, and this philosophy reflects in every aspect of my life, from fashion and home decor to the designs I create. It even extends to how I take care of myself.

Being a natural minimalist and, let’s be honest, a bit lazy (in my case) helps me stay on budget and avoid overspending on products. Sometimes, when I see people on social media with countless skincare items, I can’t help but think it’s a waste of money.

Let’s face it, skincare can be overwhelming! With 10-step routines, serums that sound like science experiments, and endless recommendations from influencers, it’s easy to feel lost. 

But here’s a little secret: You don’t need a bathroom cabinet full of products or a PhD in dermatology to achieve great skin. If you’re a bit lazy (or let’s say efficient 🙂 ), there’s a minimalist skincare routine that’s perfect for you.

To give you a better understanding of my skin, I have acne-prone skin that’s sensitive on my cheeks. I used to have an oily T-zone, but after my isotretinoin treatment, my T-zone became normal. Now, it’s neither oily nor dry, so I’d classify it as normal.

So, if you’re like me, a minimalist, acne-prone, and sensitive (on the cheeks), are you ready to discover a routine that includes only the essentials?

Let’s break it down into four simple steps: Cleanse, Moisturize, Treat (Optional), and Protect. That’s it!

Cleanser: Start Fresh, But Keep It Easy

First things first, you need a cleanser! Washing your face is essential.

A good cleanser removes dirt, sweat, makeup, and environmental grime that builds up throughout the day or night. This is especially important if you’re prone to clogged pores or breakouts.

Dermatologists agree that if you have sensitive skin like mine, you only need to wash your face in the evening. If I wash my face twice a day, I end up with dry patches all over my cheeks.

So, in the morning, I just rinse with water, and in the evening, I double cleanse. That means I first remove my makeup with oil (baby oil works great for me) and, personally for now, I don’t feel the need to spend money on more expensive options. I finish my face cleansing with a gentle cleanser for acne-prone skin.

My cleanser recommendations:

• La Roche-Posay – Effaclar H ISO-BIOME: I used this during my isotretinoin treatment, and it worked really well. I didn’t experience any irritation, and it left my skin feeling fresh, clean, and moisturized, exactly what I needed during the treatment since one of the side effects of Accutane is dry skin. I really liked this cleanser.

• SVR – Sebiaclear: Even though Effaclar worked great for me, I wanted to try something different after my Accutane treatment. This one has zinc and niacinamide, which are perfect for sensitive, acne-prone skin. It leaves a slightly greasy film after washing, which adds hydration, but some people might not like it (for example, my sister didn’t like that it didn’t leave her skin with that “squeaky clean” feeling).

• Eucerin – DermoPure: This is the one I’m currently using. It’s quite good! It leaves my skin feeling clean and fresh without any irritation.

If your skin is acne-prone but less sensitive on the cheeks, I recommend:

• Neutrogena AHA/BHA: I only use this on weekends when I’m not using retinoids or other active treatments (this step is optional). You don’t need to have two cleansers, but when I take a break from retinoids, I like to use a stronger face wash to keep treating my acne. It was a pleasant surprise, especially since I had a bad experience with Neutrogena as a teenager! I love how my skin feels right after using it, and it dries out my acne after just two days of washing. I was really surprised by this rebranding!

A quick tip: Cleansers with actives need to sit on your face for at least 5 minutes for the ingredients to work effectively. Otherwise, it’s a waste of time!

After cleansing with a cleansers with actives, for the one who are less sensitive you can apply retinoids (my sister does this). I can’t because my skin would react so I only wash with an active face wash 3 times/week, but she has no problems with it.

Moisturizer: Lock in That Hydration

Even if your skin isn’t dry, moisturizing is a must. Hydrated skin looks plumper, healthier, and is less likely to develop fine lines. But before you roll your eyes at yet another product, let me assure you that moisturizing can be as simple as applying a no-fuss cream.

For me, I mainly use moisturizer in the evening after cleansing my face and before applying tretinoin.

In the morning, if I’m going outside, I use sunscreen as my moisturizer, it does the job for me. I don’t feel the need for more hydration in the morning.

If I’m staying in, I’ll decide based on how my skin feels. For instance, during winter, my skin feels drier and tighter, so I’ll use a moisturizer. Otherwise, I skip it and wait for my evening routine.

As someone with acne-prone and sensitive skin, I prefer a thicker balm as my moisturizer if I’m using tretinoin. A light moisturizer just doesn’t cut it for me, but it might work for you.

I also skip eye cream and use my moisturizer instead. The dermatologist I follow on social media says eye creams aren’t necessary unless you’re targeting specific issues. 

My goal is to eliminate or at least reduce fine lines around my eyes, so I use tretinoin to help minimize them. That’s why I don’t use an eye cream with retinoids, but instead, I apply a very small amount of the tretinoin I use on my face around my eyes. Otherwise, the skin around my eyes becomes sensitive.

My moisturizer recommendations:

• CeraVe Moisturizing Cream : I used this balm during my Accutane treatment, and I was really happy with the results. For the quality and price, I’d say go for it, it does the job! Throughout my treatment, I didn’t struggle with severe dryness. It’s fragrance-free, absorbs quickly, and doesn’t feel greasy. Plus, it has a matte finish, which is nice when you apply it before bed.

• Avène Moisturizing melt-in balm: (Currently using) Even though it’s labeled as a “body” cream, I use it on my face. As someone who uses retinoids, I need a powerful moisturizer to keep my skin hydrated enough to handle the active ingredients. This balm has worked well for me. It hasn’t clogged my pores or caused any new breakouts, despite being meant for the body. The texture is quite light and doesn’t feel heavy on the face. It does have a scent, which might be irritating for some, but I love it. It absorbs quickly but leaves a slight greasy feeling on the skin, though that doesn’t bother me.

• Bioderma – Atoderm Intensive Baume: Super hydrating! I know this because I could use retinoids more often than when I was using CeraVe. However, the greasy feeling is stronger than with the Avène body cream. It has a light, milky scent, but the greasiness was just too much for me in this case, I didn’t like it!

Retinoids (Optional): The Lazy Girl’s Secret Weapon for Amazing Skin

For retinoids, I use the one prescribed by my dermatologist: Tretinoin 0.05%. I was prescribed this to keep my acne under control even after my Accutane treatment!

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I don’t apply tretinoin to my neck because the skin there is thinner and more delicate. Instead, I use retinal (not retinol), which my body only needs to convert to tretinoin in one step instead of two (More details about this conversion here). Retinal and retinol are known to be gentler than prescription tretinoin, and I can tolerate retinal 2% daily without irritation on my neck.

Quick note: Retinal creams are usually yellow!

The retinol and retinal I’m recommending below have a serum-like, watery texture, which I prefer! They spread easily across the neck and are gentler on the skin.

My retinoids recommendations:

• IKNS Retinol 1% : I started using this after seeing it recommended by Dr. Sheereen, a doctor I follow on YouTube. It’s been a great retinol serum for me. I only apply it to my neck since my face treatment is a prescription-strength tretinoin. The texture is light and watery, making it easy to spread across the neck, and it never caused irritation. Honestly, I could use it seven days a week without any issues, but I prefer to give my skin a break, so I stick to using it from Monday to Thursday. It has a slight scent that’s hard to describe…kind of a “plastic”? smell.

• Aromazone Retinal 2%: This is what I’m currently using. Like the retinol, it’s light with a watery serum texture but has no scent at all. I switched to retinal instead of retinol because it only takes the body one step to convert it into tretinoin, while retinol requires two steps. This just makes it work a bit faster. If you want more details, I’ve explained it in my previous article, “The Guide to Retinoids“.

Sunscreen: The Most Important Step You Can’t Skip

If there’s one thing dermatologists insist on, it’s that you must wear sunscreen. It’s your skin’s ultimate protection against UV rays, preventing sun damage, dark spots, and aging. And no, that foundation with SPF 15 doesn’t count! This is the most crucial step in your minimalist routine.

What you need:

• A broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher sunscreen. Look for a lightweight, non-greasy formula so you don’t feel like you’re wearing a mask.

To make it even easier:

• Use a moisturizer with SPF. As mentioned in the moisturizing section, this two-in-one method ensures you’re always protecting your skin without having to think about it. If you prefer tinted options, there are great BB creams or tinted moisturizers with SPF that provide light coverage while protecting your skin.

My top sunscreen recommendations:

• Eucerin Oil Control: This is an amazing sunscreen, even though my skin isn’t oily anymore. It works perfectly for me because I dislike shiny sunscreens. I also use it as my morning moisturizer—it does the job well! It has no scent and leaves no white cast (even though the gel-cream has a yellowish tint, it goes on completely transparent). It has a dry-touch finish, so it feels like you’re not wearing anything at all. It’s also an excellent base for makeup, as it doesn’t peel. I’ve recommended it to everyone around me, and they’ve all loved it! Just a note—it’s a chemical sunscreen, so if you prefer mineral sunscreens, I’m still searching for a good one to recommend. Stay tuned!

• Bioderma Nude Touch: I absolutely love this tinted sunscreen! I want to repurchase it, but I’ve had trouble finding it in stores lately. It gives a beautiful matte finish, a real “nude touch.” I use the very light tint, which is perfect for my pale skin. It’s not greasy, has no scent, and stays in place all day. It’s a mineral sunscreen with a tint, which I love. They do offer a non-tinted version, but I haven’t tried it but based on some reviews, it might leave a white cast and isn’t as matte. I’m thinking about trying it and writing a review, stay tuned for that too!

The Beauty of Minimalism

The best part about a minimalist skincare routine? You save time, money, and space on your bathroom counter. By sticking to the basics, you’re giving your skin what it needs without all the extra steps that can sometimes do more harm than good.

Your Lazy Skincare Routine Recap:

1. Cleanse: A face wash that suits your skin type.
2. Moisturize: A moisturizer to keep your skin well-hydrated.
3. Protect: Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen, every day!
4. Treat (Optional): Retinoids at night to target fine lines, acne, and improve texture.

That’s it! Skincare doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. If you’re someone who’s always on the go or just can’t be bothered with a 10-step routine, this lazy-girl approach will give you the essentials with minimal effort.

Because skincare should work for you, not overwhelm you! 

Now, I’d love to hear from you!

What’s your go-to minimalist skincare product that you can’t live without? Have you tried any of the products I recommended? If so, what was your experience? Have you ever tried a minimalist skincare routine? What did you think?

Do you have any tips or tricks for simplifying your skincare routine? Share them below!

See you soon, Beautifully Moi!