In today’s fast-paced world of short attention spans, we the consumers shift from one thing to another in seconds. We get attached to the most viral trends in the hope to design and present our most “authentic” selves. The confusing contours of “self-image” is defined by today’s leading content creators, i.e., the masterminds of advertising. Since the last decade or so, the skincare industry has captured the markets and the minds of Gen Zs as well as millennials by churning out new products in a matter of minutes. In the last couple of years and especially after the pandemic, ‘self-care’ and ‘skincare’ have become synonymous. While it is undeniable that caring for one’s skin is one of the greatest small pleasures in the world, there is more confusion and cluttering than ever about what products to buy. The hyper-consumerism of today’s global market has made us believe that we need a gazillion products and a thousand-step routine to reach our ideal skin state. Be it the Vogue videos of celebrities showing us their complicated, expensive, and multi-step routines, or influencers making ASMR skincare videos, we are completely in the thralls of content creators.

As consumers, we are yet to realize that the industry has clearly stopped meeting our demands and needs and has instead begun manufacturing them in the form of trends. This is what we like to call “manufactured demands” and “perceived needs”. The industry likes to bombard us with their constant advertising with a barrage of products every day. This corrupts the perception of consumers of what they deem to be a need. There is constant narrative that is created by brands and reinforced by the social media, that one needs more products to look better.

In 2020, Indian skin care products market valued at approximately 130 billion INR, of which face products made up 57% of the share. Women across ages and the current youth are the prime users of beauty and skincare products today. Mainstream brands have sold their products by creating a well of insecurities in women and youth. The unrealistic and unnatural beauty standard of pore-less, wrinkleless, and blemish-free skin is advertised everywhere from hoardings to social media. Products have offered a range of promises to women- fairer complexion, anti-aging, removing acne, scarring, pigmentation, and so on. How often have we tried to lighten the dark patches on our knees, elbows, and lips? No one ever told us that the dark patches are melanin, our skin’s natural defense against sun rays. Everything from pores, wrinkles, and dark patches is natural and an indication that you are alive. Products sold by the mainstream skincare industry break the natural barriers of our skin, causing more damage than benefits. In the delusions created by constant advertisements, we forget what we need, i.e., healthy and natural-looking skin that glows from within.  

So, how do we, as conscious consumers tackle the compulsions of constant hoarding and unrealistic beauty? 

1. Streamlining your routine down to the basics– We must rid ourselves of the mantra – “more is better’’. We may have believed that the more products we use, the better our chances of having perfect skin. This cannot be farther from the truth. Using too many products is unproductive and can cause more harm to your skin than good. For example- using too many products for exfoliation too often especially those containing acids, strips your skin of its natural barrier and makes it inflamed. It is wisest to keep your product number to the minimum and create a minimalistic routine to keep your skin from damage.
2. The foundation of your routine should be built on multi-use products– The multi-step skincare routine trend might have us believe that there needs to be a single product for every tiny purpose. We can easily have a single item for multiple functions but most brands only care about selling more and more products. A good serum, for instance, can be used for moisturizing, hydrating, and nourishing the skin. As conscious consumers, we should pick out products that don’t indulge in such shenanigans and offer multi-use products to genuinely make our life simpler and our skincare routine effective.
3. Invest in quality over quantity– This may be an overused adage, but we still don’t always get what it means. Especially when it comes to skincare products, it is easy to get enamored by the aesthetic packaging and glamourous ads. Don’t our eyes start shining the moment we reach the beauty products aisle in supermarkets or malls? How do we then stop ourselves from buying a piece of those gorgeous-looking products? We know the battle. But trust us, life is so much easier once we’ve figured this out. Instead of buying products spontaneously, research them. See which brands have worked sincerely on their ingredients and have taken the ethical position to use only the best quality ingredients.
4. Understand what works for you and stick with it– Trying out new products every month makes it difficult to get actual results. Most good things take time and skincare is one of them. Give the product some time to see if it works for you, and then stick to it. It’s best to be loyal to a brand till the time it is giving you the results.
5. Discard what no longer works for you– Declutter, peeps! Throw away everything that does not serve you any longer. You’ll be so glad you did.

6.Consistency is key-  No matter how many products you own or use on occasion, the products you use consistently are the ones that produce results. As a result, we like to say that the best skincare routine for everyone is the one that they will stick to consistently.