As the world becomes increasingly fast-paced and overwhelming, the trend towards purpose-driven skincare comes as a breath of fresh air. This new beauty and skin care philosophy is all about minimizing those excessive number of steps, to arrive at a skin care regime that is simple, basic, and most importantly has targeted action. The aim is to achieve results through a much-pared-down skin care routine, allowing us to focus on specific skin concerns.
According to Dr. Kiran Sethi, Medical Director of Isya Aesthetics, “Purpose driven skin care is when you choose skin care with a specific aim. If you want brightening, you use skin care designed to brighten; if you have pigmentation, you use skin care for the same. People are tired of being bombarded by many different products which are claiming miracles. They are tired of the Korean skin care routine, and using 10-15 different products in a row. Indian customers realize these trends don’t work for them, and people are now moving towards a more minimal method.”
Being the beauty trend which is slated to rule 2023, the attention to ‘purposeful beauty’ started during the pandemic when we started to re-evaluate our needs and trim down the excess. We used only what we needed, especially when products weren’t available nor accessible. The regime saves additional time spent fussing over the skin, and spending exorbitant amounts on products that aren’t doing much.
As part of purpose-driven beauty, Sethi recommends a four-step method called the CTMP method – Cleansing, Treating, Moisturising, and Protecting. “In this method one is not indulging in more than three or four steps, maximum a fifth or sixth step, i.e. if you have an under-eye or lip concern, in a day. And rarely a mist or mask. One focusses on what’s bothering them, and eliminates all the essences, serums and moisturisers that are superfluous. Moisturisers and cleansers are chosen depending on our skin type, and based on the season.”
Another name for the trend is ‘skinmalism’, which is all about giving the skin space to breathe and using only what is necessary. Beauty expert and author Vasudha Rai suggests that, “Skinmalism is also about doing away with makeup and even doing skin fasts for a few weeks a year to give your skin a break from beauty products. Rai also recommends using natural products, and using ingredients available in our kitchen, such as honey as a cleanser and the water that floats above the curd as a probiotic toner. By embracing skinmalism, we can ditch the chemicals and experiment with natural products to achieve beautiful, healthy skin.
Speaking about how the approaching summer is an apt time to go ‘skinmalist’, Rai says, “This is the right season for the trend. During warm weather one doesn’t want to overdo retinoids, exfoliation, or moisturisation. In such balmy weather like India, the skin already feels hydrated, and I don’t subscribe to the theory of using moisturiser and other products when not necessary.”
In a world that’s all about influencers and hype, purpose-driven beauty is a welcome change. It’s an approach that focusses on what works and achieves results, rather than just following the crowd.
Text: Maithili Chakravarty