I guess the best way to start off is by saying that most of the logic behind the skincare products you don’t need have to do with the fact that there are only 3 things you really DO need.
The products, or maybe I should say ‘concepts’, that are essential for proper skincare and skin health are:
Everything else is pretty much in a grey zone that’s completely open to interpretation and specific-case analysis – no matter what anyone tells you!
Let’s get into it…
The skincare products you really NEED
If the above sounds far too minimalist for you, know that this is not just my personal opinion (as a minimalist), it’s pretty much what most dermatologists will tell, you if you press them.
You need to clean your skin every day from the crap that accumulates on it: sweat, dust, dirt, pretty dirt (makeup), dead skin cells, and pollution.
You then need to moisturize the skin to make sure it’s maintaining good hydration and getting emollients, which helps keep the skin barrier healthy and the outer skin layer soft and elastic.
And finally you need to protect that skin from the sun – the major, number one contributor to external skin aging factors (almost everything besides genetics). UV damage is responsible for up to 80% of skin aging – 80!
That can mean actual sunscreen and/or use of hats, protective clothing, and things like walking on the shady side of the street.
This is the basic you need to keep your skin healthy and beautiful for the long haul.
Related content: All Things Sunscreen & How To Really Protect From The Sun
Skincare products you don’t need – things to keep in mind
Having said the above, there’s nothing wrong with having more steps in your skincare routine. I usually do.
However, you should always keep in mind that the beauty industry is heavily invested on “inventing” needs. Most industries are – that’s how they make the money! There’s always some new trend on the market that’s gonna finally solve your (many) problems (a lot of times caused by using too much crap on your skin, to begin with)!
There have been a lot of advances in skincare, but the majority is still mostly marketing, fillers, and selling dreams. Having said THAT, there’s nothing wrong with having fun with your skincare and trying out new things!
Also, everyone is different. We all have different skin types, skin needs, sensitivities, hormone levels. Our skin will change with age, diet, and lifestyle choices. You should adjust your skincare along with it. The list of skincare products you don’t need will naturally fluctuate over time.
Skincare products you don’t need – the caveats
All the products mentioned below can absolutely have a time and place. And often it’s just a matter of what other products you’re using, their formulation and ingredients. While many things are called “moisturizers”, not every moisturizer is the same, for instance.
Also, there’s an increasing number of product “categories” these days. The definitions are very fluid and many times just a fancy “new” name for something we’ve all been using for ages.
For instance, “essences” and “mists” can just be another fancy word for “toner” or “serum”. Giving it a different name is just another marketing ploy to make you think there’s something else “they” have just discovered you need.
On top of that there are products you may need to complement with other products, if you decide to incorporate them into your routine. A toner is another example of something you might “need” depending on your choice of cleanser.
What I’m saying is things aren’t black and white. But let’s get to it!
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What are the skincare products you (most likely) don’t need?
1 – Dedicated makeup removers (and 2nd cleansers)
This applies when using a makeup remover means you’ll be double cleansing, i.e., using a makeup remover and then cleansing your skin with something else.
A good cleanser will remove all the grime. The more you scrub and try to scrape off your skin, the more you disturb the skin’s natural barrier. That sets off a cascade of imbalance, where you strip the oils and the skin over produces them to compensate.
The barrier function of the skin will also be affected and take several hours (even days) to recuperate. Your skin also has a protective microbiome that’s responsible for keeping it healthy.
If you wear makeup, then get a gentle oil-based cleanser and that will be more than enough. All the other crap that’s sitting on your skin will come off along with the makeup. If you feel that your skin is not being cleansed effectively, it just means you’re not using the best cleanser for the job.
Related content: The Skinny on the Most Effective Homemade Face Cleansers
2 – Serums / mists / essences
These are classic (very likely) skincare products you don’t need. For the most part “mists”, “essences” and “serums” are the same. They purport to add a revitalizing, refreshing, anti-aging or corrective boost directed at treating the skin.
You may feel the need for that corrective boost, although a lot of moisturizers also have active ingredients that address the same issues. If you use either a serum, mist or essence in your routine, there’s a very good chance there’s no need to get any of the other two.
Mists can also sometimes just be another word for toner though, meant to just hydrate and/or rebalance pH. In this case you might want to get it (if you think it’s needed) and then add a serum/essence as well. Most likely, if you’re using one of these, you don’t need the others. It’s one of those categories where they just keep “inventing” new terms to make you think you’re getting something different – to make the products stand out.
3 – Lip scrubs
This is a one of the few “clear-cut” categories of skincare products you don’t need. Period. Lips feel dry and chapped (and peel off), because they’re not adequately protected. The skin on your lips is basically a thinner layer of stratum corneum (the outermost layer of skin). (*)
Because of this the lips have a poor skin barrier function and low ability to retain moisture. They also have no oil glands of their own. (*) This means that they’re more vulnerable to external aggressions, changes in weather and temperature.
Eating saltier type of foods will dry out your lips and ditto if you’re in the habit of licking them continuously. If then on top of that you get into the habit of peeling the dead skin off your lips, or using exfoliants to do so, you’re effectively making it worse.
Just get yourself a good protective lip balm or chapstick and re-apply it throughout the day to make sure your lips stay moisturized and insulated.
4 – Face oils
Face oils are one of those possibly grey area categories of skincare products you don’t need I mentioned earlier.
In order to properly moisturize your skin you need hydration and emollients. That means water and oils. This is what you’re getting if you use a cream: it’s a water and oil emulsion that provides all you need.
There is absolutely no need to put on a face oil on top of that. If you’re using a cream and you feel the need for additional oils, that’s more an indication that your choice of moisturizer may not be enough for you.
Now, creams are one way to get water and oil into the skin. Another is by using a water based solution first (say a toner, hydrosol, or “mist”) and applying an oil on top of that, while the skin is still wet.
This is actually my method of moisturizing for the most part – it’s what I’ve been doing since I was about 19. I occasionally use creams, but since I like to make things myself and I don’t always feel like fussing with preservatives and actually MAKE the thing…don’t underestimate my need to simplify!
So my point is, if you use a cream there’s no need to get a face oil to put on top of that. If you don’t use a cream, then you’ll need a face oil (or butter) to apply over wet skin – which can be wet from a toner/mist/what-have-you – or just the water you used to rinse your cleanser off.
Related content: Here are the Most Effective 3-ingredient DIY Face Moisturizers
5 – Moisturizers for specific parts of the body
This includes everything from eye creams, to neck creams, to hand and foot creams – they’re usually just not necessary.
The skin on your face is the same as the skin on your neck and cleavage. Whatever moisturizer you use for your face is perfectly appropriate for your eyes, neck and cleavage as well.
The skin on your hands and feet may get more abuse and therefore feel like the normal body lotion isn’t enough. However, you’d do better to take protective steps, rather than to try and fix the damage with “special” creams.
In beauty and skincare (and health), prevention is far more effective than the cure! Use gloves to do house work or wash the dishes. Keep your feet pampered and healthy with weekly foot soaks or foot scrubs.
You really don’t need to spend extra money on specific “exotic” lotions with fancy ingredients for these areas.
Related content: How To Strengthen Nails Naturally in Just 2 Weeks!
6 – Jade rollers / Gua Sha
I’ve written a whole blog post about this one, if you want to check it out.
There are a lot of “exciting” facial tools with a lot of “amazing” benefits – it’s easy to get carried away. Especially when they just look so damn aesthetic in the background!
But these facial massage tools are, for the most part, completely unnecessary. They all basically do the same, which is to help drain the lymph waste from the face and neck. They increase the microcirculation, helping to make the skin look healthy and plump, while draining any fluid that might be causing puffiness.
The bottom line is you can do this yourself, at no extra cost, using only your hands and a good slippery oil.
7 – Toner
A toner is another grey area category of skincare products you don’t need. Generally speaking, if you use a soap-based or foaming cleanser, it’s usually a good idea to use a more slightly acidic toner after that to help rebalance the skin’s pH.
Having said that, if you use a commercial cleanser, many of them are formulated to be slightly acidic, so as to not interfere with the skin’s pH so much. In this case, a toner would not be necessary, really.
On the other hand, if you use cream or oil based cleansers, it might help to remove any leftover residue on your skin. Although if you’re wiping it off with a muslin cloth, there’s a good chance you don’t need to add a toner for this.
Related content: So You Just Want Make a Simple DIY Face Toner? Here’s 4
8 – Night and day moisturizers
Moisturizers marketed specifically for night or day use.
The thing to think about here is:
Use common sense and consider what other products are already part of your skincare routine.
If you already use a sunscreen, then moisturizers with SPF are not necessary. If you’re using serums, check the active ingredients and compare that to the ingredients in your moisturizers – are they repeated, conflicting? Do you actually need it?
A good case for using different day and night-time moisturizers might be, for instance, if you want to wear a thicker moisturizer during the day (more protective against dry or cold wind), but a lighter cream at night, to let your skin “breath” better.
The point is there is a case to be made for using different day and night-time moisturizers, but you don’t need to make this distinction and incorporate them into your skincare routine, just because they exist.
The list of skincare products you don’t need will change throughout your life. When you’re in your teens and 20s you mostly just need the basics – cleanse, moisturize, and protect.
As you get older it’s normal to add more steps. It’s easy to get carried away buying a lot of redundant (albeit very well marketed) products, though. And you quickly burn through a lot of money, sometimes making skin issues worse.
It’s good to keep the basics in mind and take a good look at the products you’re investing in. Even asking a proper dermatologist or clinical beautician to advise, although keep in mind that many will just want to peddle their services or products as well.
It’s always better to do your own research and to get 2nd, 3rd, 4th opinions, whenever possible to help you make a more informed decision.
What about you? Any skincare products you find particularly pointless? I’d love to hear!
