10-step skincare

For over a decade, I’ve kept an extremely extensive skincare regime. At the peak of my obsession, I’ve even used 25 different products in a day. And to be honest, keeping up such a comprehensive routine really works. My skin looked dewy and radiant, breakouts were far and few in between and I never needed to use base makeup or foundation.

However, maintaining this routine takes time. A lot of time, especially because I would take mini ‘rest breaks’ in between patting in each product. And because I’ve had to start my workday about two hours earlier, I had to take the plunge and cut out some steps.

My usual regime consists of multiple serums, facial oil, masks, essence lotions and more. I always try to include an exfoliating product (either a daily peel or something with acids in them) and a ton of hydrating skincare.

When I had to make the cut, the first thing I did was put aside my non-negotiables. Which means my moisturiser and sunscreen were the first two products in the safe zone. I decided to add in a toner, whitening serum – though I occasionally switch that out for an anti-ageing one – and an eye cream.

The first week was great. I finished my routine in just five minutes! There didn’t seem to be much of a difference in my complexion though I noticed my skin definitely looked less dewy. The rest of the first month was more of the same, which I counted as a win.

The next two months wasn’t the best. Tiny pimples started popping out sporadically over the weeks, which was definitely a shock to me. I put it down to the lack of exfoliation in my regime, so I started using a peel at night to make up for it.

My skin began to normalise after that, thankfully. And it wasn’t all downsides. For example, my complexion was significantly less reactive. While I previously would have flare ups of redness or irritations every few months, in the six months since I’ve started this new routine I’ve had no such issues.

Also, my complexion definitely felt more balanced. My T-zone was less oily and I didn’t have to blot throughout the day anymore.

All in all, cutting down my skincare regime wasn’t as traumatic as I imagined it to be. While my skin is less dewy and plump than it used to be, the difference isn’t so great that it’s immediately noticeable. I also love how fast it is to get ready in the morning and that my complexion isn’t as sensitive as it used to be.

And while I won’t rule out the possibility of going back to my longer regime, at the moment, my skin and I are quite happy with where we are now.

For over a decade, I’ve kept an extremely extensive skincare regime. At the peak of my obsession, I’ve even used 25 different products in a day. And to be honest, keeping up such a comprehensive routine really works. My skin looked dewy and radiant, breakouts were far and few in between and I never needed to use base makeup or foundation.

However, maintaining this routine takes time. A lot of time, especially because I would take mini ‘rest breaks’ in between patting in each product. And because I’ve had to start my workday about two hours earlier, I had to take the plunge and cut out some steps.

My usual regime consists of multiple serums, facial oil, masks, essence lotions and more. I always try to include an exfoliating product (either a daily peel or something with acids in them) and a ton of hydrating skincare.

When I had to make the cut, the first thing I did was put aside my non-negotiables. Which means my moisturiser and sunscreen were the first two products in the safe zone. I decided to add in a toner, whitening serum – though I occasionally switch that out for an anti-ageing one – and an eye cream.

The first week was great. I finished my routine in just five minutes! There didn’t seem to be much of a difference in my complexion though I noticed my skin definitely looked less dewy. The rest of the first month was more of the same, which I counted as a win.

The next two months wasn’t the best. Tiny pimples started popping out sporadically over the weeks, which was definitely a shock to me. I put it down to the lack of exfoliation in my regime, so I started using a peel at night to make up for it.

My skin began to normalise after that, thankfully. And it wasn’t all downsides. For example, my complexion was significantly less reactive. While I previously would have flare ups of redness or irritations every few months, in the six months since I’ve started this new routine I’ve had no such issues.

Also, my complexion definitely felt more balanced. My T-zone was less oily and I didn’t have to blot throughout the day anymore.

All in all, cutting down my skincare regime wasn’t as traumatic as I imagined it to be. While my skin is less dewy and plump than it used to be, the difference isn’t so great that it’s immediately noticeable. I also love how fast it is to get ready in the morning and that my complexion isn’t as sensitive as it used to be.

And while I won’t rule out the possibility of going back to my longer regime, at the moment, my skin and I are quite happy with where we are now.