Skinimalism & the Rise of Sustainable Beauty in 2021
Are you a product hoarder? Or would you rather keep things simple when it comes to skincare? Do new skincare products catch your eye easily or are you a rather cautious skincare shopper?
It’s no secret that the world is changing all around us both socioeconomically and environmentally and it’s interesting to note the impact that this has had on the beauty industry. In light of the awe-inspiring political movements and campaigns that we witnessed in 2020 such as Black Lives Matter and Pull Up or Shut Up, and the current COVID-19 pandemic, brands and businesses have learned to consider more than just profits. While 2020 was an extremely challenging year, it proved to also be rather pivotal for brands and businesses which have now been striving become more environmentally friendly and socially conscious.
Sustainability provides a means to advance today’s society without jeopardising the next generation’s future and evaluating the ways in which this has transcended into the beauty industry has definitely not gone unnoticed. Beauty and skincare have been around for decades and with brands making a conscious effort to adapt themselves guarantees that they’ll be around for a good while longer.
What is ‘skinimalism’?
Skinimalism is the latest skincare trend that product-hoarders never knew that they needed. This new avenue of skincare seeks to eradicate the obsession of having 101 products that claim to do a number of things for your skin and encourages minimalistic skincare, hence — skinimalism. Statistically speaking, as of 2020 over 2 million tonnes of plastic packaging is used in the UK each year. 88% of the sea’s surface is polluted by plastic waste. Between 8 to 14 million tonnes enters the ocean every year and Britain contributes an estimated 1.7 million tonnes of plastic annually. That’s a lot of plastic!
Consider how many bottles of salicylic acid toners, oil-balancing face washes and vitamin C based eye creams that we have sitting in our bathroom cabinets — all unfinished. It’s always a good day when I manage to finish a skincare product because I feel like it has been money well spent. Re-evaluating our consumerism habits could be a great place to start on the journey to sustainable beauty. What if we could achieve the healthy and glowing skin with less products? Could the emergence of ‘skinimalism’ indirectly inspire a more holistic approach to product manufacturing and an incredibly simple skincare routine consisting of just a cleanser, a serum, a toner, SPF and a night-time treatment?
How nice would it be if the growing interest in skinimalism also encourages brands to fine-tune their product formulation and create products that actually work! I think it’s great that brands like Kem Beauty have their own Mini Essentials Skin Set which simplifies all the complicated skincare to just 4 easy-to-follow steps. In an effort to combat plastic wastage, some brands like L’Occitane and The Ritual have incorporated refillable products into their ranges. This is a great way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and eliminates the need for a whole new product, it could even encourage repeat customers.
What does sustainable skincare look like in 2021?
I predict that more brands will transition into manufacturing vegan based products and reusable materials in 2021. With more people working from home and a tier system in the UK which restricts physical access to non-essential stores, all brands and beauty innovation must value sustainability as well as the health of the plant and the population that make it. Sustainability is also about longevity and while no one could have possibly predicted the events of 2020, it did challenge a lot of brands and business to evolve or unfortunately, get left behind. In adjusting to the global pandemic climate and studying the impact on consumerist behaviours, brands and businesses reworked their business models to become compatible with the rapidly changing world.
Vegan and plant-based beauty products are not only kinder to our skin by being rich in natural antioxidants, minerals and oils, they are much kinder to the environment. Vegan based beauty products are manufactured with the Earth’s health in mind and seeks to mitigate climate change, reduce air pollution and energy consumption. Consideration for the Earth’s health doesn’t stop at what goes inside the products, it is gradually extending to the USP (unique selling point) of the product itself. There has been a noticeable rise in reusable skincare products which is great because when we think about skincare, we often do not think about anything reusable.
Garnier have launched their first ultra-soft, reusable micro-fibre Eco Pads which is a great sustainable substitute for disposable cotton pads which are wasted daily. The Glow Pot, natural vegan skincare range, have also launched Reusable Cotton Pads and Bamboo Jar with sustainability in mind. Cleansing balms and oils are also on the come up, with Kem Beauty, Super Facialist & Clinique being popular customer favourites which offer a better alternative to face wipes and minimises waste.
Overall, the aim with skinimalism and sustainable beauty is to help better protect and preserve the world. Whether you are looking to reduce the amount of unfinished skincare products in your bathroom cabinet in plastic packaging, or you are interested in investing into vegan and plant-based beauty products or would simply like to be more of an environmentally conscious shopper, there is a wealth of products on the market to cater to your needs. 2021 seems to be a promising year for brands with the growing emphasis on sustainability across all scopes from beauty to fashion to technology. I look forward to seeing what new avenues are taken to ensure better care of the environment by beauty brands and whether skin enthusiasts may swap out their 10-step Korean skincare routine for a skinimalist approach.
Read more articles by me:
How the Tier System Will Affect the Future of Fine Dining
Why Dating in a Pandemic as a Gen Z is Incredibly Hard
How Influencers are Beating the Instagram Algorithm
Why Clothing Brands Extending their Collection to Homeware is a Really Smart Move
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