There was a time when a 10 step skincare routine felt like self-care. Serums layered like armour, essences patted in with devotion, exfoliants used with the zeal of someone who believed they could polish away every bad decision. Back then, my bathroom mirror felt like a stage for the best multitasking skincare products, except none of them were really multitasking; they were just part of a longer performance.
Then came the inevitable crash: barrier damage, persistent redness, the creeping realisation that my skin–allegedly at its most “cared for”–was angrier and less resilient than before. So I swung the other way. Out went the serums, in came the gospel of barrier repair. But even that became its own brand of excess: soothing mists in triplicate, recovery creams stacked like mille-feuille, separate balms for every square inch of skin.
It’s a cycle that extends beyond skincare. Wellness has a knack for transforming the cure into the job. Minimalism morphs into a new form of maximalism.
Now, in my 30s, I’m opting out of the swing entirely. No more toggling between excess and austerity. Instead, I’m making peace with a form of skincare minimalism built on efficiency; the kind anchored in the best multitasking skincare products. Formulas that pull double or triple duty, so my routine works harder while taking up less space in my day than a 10 step skincare routine.
Clarins Double Serum
A skincare veteran that keeps reinventing itself. The latest Clarins Double Serum uses 22 plant extracts, including turmeric, plus a new wave of active molecules to target hydration, regeneration and protection. It works on lifestyle-induced ageing while strengthening skin’s resilience so you’re not juggling five separate serums.
Augustinus Bader The Light Cream
A featherweight hydrator with heavyweight benefits. Powered by the brand’s TFC8 complex, this cream balances oil control with deep hydration, calms irritation with aloe and green tea and improves skin tone over time. Ideal if you want the barrier support of a moisturiser, the brightening effect of a serum and the light feel of a gel-cream in a single step.
First Aid Beauty KP Smoothing Body Lotion with 10% AHA
This is body care that multitasks harder than most face products. Lactic acid smooths rough, bumpy skin, while urea, ceramides and colloidal oatmeal hydrate and calm. It’s equal parts exfoliant and moisturiser, cutting through keratosis pilaris texture without the need for a separate scrub and lotion.
Fenty Skin Fat Water Pore-Refining Toner Serum
Not quite a toner, not quite a serum–this hybrid refines pores, balances oil, brightens skin and softens texture in one go. Niacinamide, Barbados cherry, and antioxidant botanicals tackle uneven tone and shine without stripping moisture. The texture is satisfyingly thick, so you can pat it in and skip cotton pads.
Farmacy Beauty Lip Smoothie
A lip balm that refuses to just be a lip balm. Peptides and vitamin C smooth fine lines over time, upcycled apple extract and mango seed butter hydrate, and the high-gloss finish makes it feel like a sheer lip colour. It’s skincare, treatment and a finishing touch in one swipe.
Caudalie Vinoperfect Dark Spot Correcting Glycolic Night Cream
Part overnight peel, part dark spot corrector, part hydrating cream. Glycolic acid and papaya enzyme gently resurface, while Caudalie’s patented Viniferine works on pigmentation. You wake up to brighter, smoother skin without layering three different products before bed.
Dior Hydra Life Deep Hydration Sorbet Water Essence
Three steps in one: the hydration of a serum, the gentle exfoliation of a peel and the toning effect of an essence. Mallow and Haberlea leaf boost skin’s water circulation and resilience while fruit acids keep texture refined.
Elizabeth Arden Hyaluronic Acid Ceramide Capsules
