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The 7-step skincare routine has been very influential for women for the last few years, stemming from the Korean beauty philosophy of double cleansing, and layering your essence, toners, and serums on your face. When the trend began taking over the industry, firmly arriving in the U.S. market around 2011, the obsession with glass skin and that manufactured “glow” took over many of our beauty cabinets. Being a social media manager in the beauty industry for the last 9 years, I’ve been front and center, able to witness this sudden shift in how we maintained our skin in real-time, replacing our mother’s and grandmother’s simple yet effective routines we mimicked growing up.
As a Black woman without many skincare issues, I will admit that I too fell for the 7-step skincare regimen and did like the results. But I started to feel exhausted at times, feeling like I missed the way not only my skin looked before the excess of products I was using, but also the simplicity that came along with them. I always felt that Black women didn’t need the extra steps to our routines, but just thoroughly enjoyed the process. Skincare is essentially self-care, and pampering yourself is always a must. But during the height of the pandemic, I found myself scaling back on my routine, and other aspects of my beauty regimen, likely because I wasn’t feeling the need to do so much anymore, and frankly, was exhausted from all that was happening. I wasn’t hopping on and off the train to work, or exposing my skin to the NYC air as often, and thus I felt it a bit too much to continuously strip away the natural glow that just being in the house and my healthy environment provided.
20-year skincare expert and licensed esthetician, Andrea Ballard, chimed in on the K-beauty-influenced regimen, noting that “if you’d like to use the extra time as self-care, I’m all for it. But you don’t need a 7-step skincare regimen to give your skin what it needs to thrive. Now, multitasking products with ingredients to nourish and protect our skin are available, so 3-4 steps is perfect!” I agree. The production of the more multi-usage skincare products has dramatically reduced the amount of products I use, and how much I’m spending as well. Since about 2021, I’ve reclaimed my old-school routine and I’m very happy to report that it’s been nothing short of amazing (and better on my budget).
Ditching the double cleanse (unless needed)
The double cleanse usually consisted of an oil-based or micellar cleanser to easily lift makeup off the skin, as well as a follow-up with a cream, foam, or gel-based cleanser to wash it all away. With creamy, makeup-removing cleansers like my favorite, Fenty Skin Total Cleans’R, I haven’t needed a double cleanse in a while. My skin is left hydrated and soft and honestly doesn’t feel stripped of its moisture as it did at times when I did a double cleanse. If I require a double cleanse, which has been extremely rare, I’ll use the Bare Minerals Oil Obsessed Cleanser (discontinued) and follow up with the legendary Kiehl’s Cucumber Herbal Conditioning Cleanser.
Toner is pretty much useless for me now
I’ve learned to skip the toner step unless I’m coming back in from a hot, humid day and I feel I need a little extra help with removing excess oil, sweat and debris. Otherwise, I’m pretty much tapped out on using toner and don’t like the dryness my skin experiences after it.
From cleanser to moisturizer, nixing the serums
I can’t remember the last time I layered a serum on my face. With combo skin, I’ve found that many serums add a leftover greasy residue that usually gets masked by my SPF and moisturizers. Now, I just go straight from my cleanser to my moisturizer, and call it a day. My go-to? CeraVe’s Daily Moisturizing Lightweight Lotion.
Never missing an SPF moment, though
If it’s one step Black women need to stop skipping out on, it’s our SPF. Yes, we need it. The people who keep saying we don’t, are wrong. Point, blank, period. You can always find a multi-tasking moisturizer that has SPF in it, or you can use a standalone like my favorite, Peter Thomas Roth Max Mineral Tinted Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 45.
Finishing up with eye cream
It’s the holy grail necessity for all women, no matter your skin texture or complexion. The skin under our eyes is thinner and more susceptible to dehydration than the skin on our face. Using eye cream is extremely important to keep the skin under your eyes plump, moisturized, and healthy. From gels to creams, the market is full of options that are not only hydrating but also consist of retinoids and hyaluronic acid, and ceramides. The Peter Thomas Roth Peptide21 Wrinkle Resist Eye Cream is one I will always keep in my beauty bag. Yet, a cheaper and effective eye cream I’ve also alternated with is the Derma E Hydrating Eye Cream, which can be found at Target and Amazon.
At the end of the day, my grandmother’s saying of “less is more” when it comes to skincare reigns true, and has never failed me. The 7-step skincare trend isn’t wrong, nor is it bad for us. However, I know for a fact it just doesn’t fit into my lifestyle anymore, and that’s fine. My friend and acclaimed makeup artist and skincare brand owned Lauren Napier confirmed my feelings, too. “I never bought into the unlimited-step skincare routine. I’m an expedience over excess kinda girl. I’m going to cleanse, balance, nourish/hydrate then hit the sheets. As long as my face has been cleansed, and [my] scarf and pillowcase are clean – I am confident that my skin will be happy!
I agree and can’t deny it feels good to go back to the basics.
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