Skin diet, skin fasting or skinimalism... Multiple terms refer to the new trend that all beauty editors are talking about and that is revolutionizing facial care. Apparently originating from Japan, it's no surprise given that it is a 'ritualized' culture where excesses are avoided.
And the motto 'less is more', far from becoming archaic due to overuse, is gaining more and more strength. We have adopted slow living in all areas of our daily lives, in how we eat, how we dress, decorate, and now also in how we care for ourselves. A reaction against the growing obsession with adding more and more cosmetic products to our routine without really knowing if our skin truly needs them.
Skin Fasting or Skin Diet?
This is where the controversy arises. While Skin Fasting advocates for a radical fast for the skin to rest, reset, and regenerate naturally on its own, Skin Diet proposes a more relaxed approach, maintaining certain products that could be considered absolutely necessary.
The skin needs rest, yes. Many experts reach this conclusion; it is indisputable. Applying layers and layers of diverse active ingredients is senseless and does not guarantee better skin. But it is true that a radical fast could lead to an accumulation of excess sebum, dirt, pollution, and dead cells that can clog pores and generate breakouts.
And not protecting the skin, in addition to accelerating its premature aging due to the oxidative stress generated by free radicals from exposure to solar radiation, could cause an episode of irregular pigmentation that could be irreversible. On the other hand, new generation protectors are also protecting us from other harmful radiation, such as blue light from electronic devices, or insidious pollution.
The unquestionables: cleansing and protection
There seems to be unanimity in the statements of experts who have expressed their opinions on this trend. Cleansing and protection are the indispensable steps that every facial care regimen, however minimalist it aims to be, must include. Now, there are many cleansers, and some of them ensure what the skin truly needs, in addition to a complete and self-indulgent beauty ritual.
Two good examples are Charcoal Peace Calming Cleanser and Clementine Cleansing Balm, two of Twelve Beauty's most sensorial products due to their transformative textures, evocative aroma, and deep action on the skin. Charcoal is a solution for those looking to radically eliminate impurities while leaving the skin nourished at the same time, the ultimate goal of the Skin Diet.
Formulated with plant-derived activated charcoal, purifying clay (kaolin, which in addition to purifying, moisturizes), and highly biocompatible vegetable oils, such as sunflower oil, rich in linoleic acid, which helps improve sebum quality in congested and acne-prone skin. And Clementine gently melts away dirt, impurities, and environmental pollutants while preventing transepidermal water loss.
This is possible thanks to one of its key ingredients: Olus vegetable, a biocompatible blend of non-polar vegetable oils (cotton, safflower, and corn) that significantly reduce transepidermal water loss. Their polarity makes them very effective at removing dirt, impurities, pollution, and even makeup, leaving pores clean.
If our skin tends to have excess sebum and we are obsessed with keeping our pores purified, nothing is better than Purifying Cleansing Beauty Cream, awarded "best cleansing cream" in 2021 by the Beauty Shortlist Awards. Unlike most cleansers, it contains a high concentration of plant-derived squalene from olive oil, key skin lipids that prevent the harsh effects of cleansing, repairing and hydrating while removing impurities.
However, if we focus on the Skin Diet trend, nothing beats Dara’s Water, the non-micellar cleansing water, extraordinarily gentle and surfactant-free, yet unusually effective, as it easily removes makeup, pollution, and sunscreen with a unique combination of natural sugars, probiotics, and calming organic oat and rose extracts.
The protection of the future
If what we are looking for is to reduce steps in our routine, a good option is to choose versatile products that combine hydrating, calming, and protective active ingredients in a single formula, such as Artemisia Power Protection Moisturiser SPF50+ enriched with antioxidant Artemisia extract and 100% natural physical filters (zinc oxide and non-nano titanium dioxide).
A great formulation challenge for Pedro Catalá, Doctor in Pharmacy and creator of Twelve Beauty. "One of the biggest challenges has been combining protection against solar radiation and pollution with other functions, such as hydration," says Pedro. "Finally, after 3 years of research, I can say that I have achieved a product that not only offers protection but also calming and hydrating action. This formula with botanical extracts and minerals is the ultimate expression of modern natural cosmetics."
Additionally, it repairs cells from damage caused by UV rays, blue light, and infrared thanks to Buddleja extract; retains large amounts of water in the skin and slows down dreaded trans-epidermal water loss due to Saccharide Isomerate; and creates a permeable film that keeps the skin elastic and hydrated due to the addition of Hyaluronic Acid.