I Used to Think More = Better

A few years ago, my skincare routine looked like a Sephora display. Toner, essence, two serums, eye cream, moisturizer, face oil, SPF — and that was just the morning. At night I added retinol, a different serum, and occasionally a mask.

I genuinely believed that more steps meant better results. If one serum was good, two must be better. If I wasn't seeing results, the answer was to add another product.

It took me way too long to realize I was wrong.

The Breaking Point

It wasn't one dramatic moment. It was the gradual realization that:

• My skin was looking okay, not great — for all that effort and money
• I wasn't sure which products were actually doing anything
• Some products were probably canceling each other out (vitamin C and retinol in the same routine? Not ideal)
• I was spending more time on skincare than I was comfortable admitting

So I decided to cut everything except the essentials for a month and see what happened.

What I Kept

AM:

1. Gentle cleanser (or just water)
2. Moisturizer
3. SPF 50+

PM:

1. Gentle cleanser (double cleanse if I wore makeup)
2. Moisturizer
3. Retinol (2-3 times a week, swapped with nothing on off days)

That's it. Five products. No toners, no essences, no eye cream, no face oil, no masks.

I also changed how I dried my face around this time — switched from a regular towel to patting dry with disposable face towels. Not because I planned it as part of the experiment, but because I'd read about bacteria on reusable towels and wanted to remove that variable.

What Actually Happened

Week 1: Nothing

My skin looked about the same. I kept expecting to miss my extra products but honestly, I didn't notice much difference.

Week 2: Slight improvement

My skin looked more even. Not dramatically, but I noticed less random irritation. The spots that used to get red after my routine were calmer.

Week 3-4: Noticeable difference

This is when it clicked. My skin was calmer, less oily during the day, and I was getting maybe one breakout a week instead of two or three. Not perfect, but clearly better than before.

The weirdest part? I was spending less time and less money, and getting better results. It made me question everything I thought I knew about skincare.

What I Learned

• Your skin doesn't need as much as marketers tell you it does. Cleanse, moisturize, protect. That's the foundation. Everything else is optional.
• More products = more chances for irritation. Every extra product is a potential trigger. If your skin is happy with 5 products, don't add a 6th.
• Consistency beats complexity. A 5-step routine you do every day outperforms a 12-step routine you skip half the time.
• How you dry your face actually matters. I didn't expect this to make a difference, but patting instead of rubbing (and using a clean surface every time) noticeably reduced redness.
• Expensive doesn't mean better for you. Half the stuff I cut out was mid-range or high-end. The products I kept were mostly drugstore.

Am I Never Using Extra Products Again?

No, I'm not a purist. I've added a vitamin C serum back in the morning because I found one that works for me. I'll use a sheet mask occasionally because they're nice, not because my skin needs them.

The difference is I now see extra products as optional add-ons, not necessities. The foundation comes first. If I add something, it has to earn its place.

The Bottom Line

If your skin is doing fine with your current routine, don't change anything. But if you're using 8+ products and wondering why your skin still isn't where you want it to be... try cutting back for a month. You might be surprised.

I was.

How many products are in your routine? Ever tried cutting back?