One year after I began my pared back routine, my skin remains as healthy and glowing as ever. “I often remind my patients that more isn’t always better,” California-based board-certified dermatologist Dr. Azadeh Shirazi reminds me. “The optimal simplified skin-care routine is one that supports your skin’s natural barrier while addressing your core needs and nothing more. A truly effective minimal routine consists of only three steps: cleanse, treat, protect.”
Ahead, a look at my simplified six-step skin care routine. If you’re considering a similar approach, here’s a little food for thought from Dr. Shokeen: “A streamlined routine promotes better adherence to essential steps that give you the biggest improvement, leading to consistent care and improved skin health over time.”
Step One: Cleanser
The French approach to cleansing—or rather, not cleansing—kick-started my simplified regimen. Turns out not washing my face in the morning was a helpful way to keep my skin soft and balanced. I found a healthy sweeping of micellar water across my skin in the morning useful then a double cleanse at night to remove all traces of makeup.
Step Two: Toner & Essence
Toners and essences are essential to any Korean skin care routine. Alicia Yoon, Korean skin care expert and founder of Peach & Lily, previously explained that the former is designed to balance skin’s pH, while the…
