Accumulate serums, multiply creams, change your routine every month… A dermatologist assures that healthy skin actually only needs a specific number of cosmetics.
In beauty departments as on social networks, the idea remains the same: the more you do, the better. Cleanser, lotion, serum, cream, eye contour, mask… the routine gets longer without necessarily improving the quality of the skin. However, from a medical point of view, this logic poses a problem. The skin is a complex organ, equipped with a defense system and a fragile microbiome, which reacts poorly to excesses.
What dermatologist Ludovic Rousseau recalls in his work The skin from the insideis that the skin functions above all as a barrier. It regulates hydration, protects against external aggressions and relies on a precise biological balance. As soon as this balance is disturbed, in particular by inappropriate or too much care, reactions appear: irritations, dryness, imperfections or persistent inflammations. This approach then invites us to review the way we think about our beauty routine, moving away from accumulation and getting back to basics, with products chosen for their real role and their compatibility with skin physiology.
Indeed, the skin barrier is based on a very specific organization, comparable to a wall made up of cells and lipids, which prevents water from escaping and external agents from penetrating. As soon as this structure is altered, the skin becomes more sensitive and more reactive. However, the repeated use of products that are too aggressive, particularly certain cleansers or cosmetics with an unsuitable pH, weakens this barrier. The skin microbiome, also essential, is directly impacted. This system of micro-organisms naturally protects the skin, regulates its pH and limits the establishment of pathogenic bacteria. Unbalancing it, for example with too frequent so-called “purifying” or antibacterial products, amounts to weakening an essential defense.
In this context, reducing your routine becomes a coherent strategy. Clinical observations show that simplification of care often allows for visible improvement within a few weeks. This idea is based on a simple observation: the skin does not need a superposition of active ingredients, but stable conditions to function properly. The author emphasizes: “Reducing your routine from 8 products to 3 improves skin in 4 to 6 weeks.” According to him, a gentle cleanser, moisturizer and SPF are enough to meet the skin’s needs.
Please note, however, that inflammation of the skin can also be caused by internal factors such as diet, stress or lack of sleep, which further explains why increasing the number of cosmetics is not enough to permanently correct certain skin imbalances.
