Skinimalism: The Sculpted How-To Guide

If you’re a Sculpted lover, first of all, thank you! Secondly, you’ve probably heard the phrase #FilterFreeFaces thrown around quite a bit. 

That’s because we believe that what you see online should always be Filter Free and match what you would see in real life. We don’t have time for filters and perfection, we just want to see real skin on real people – and help them feel great about it!

This is why we’ve been very excited to hear about Skinimalism becoming one of the top trends of the last few years – and with no signs of stopping. This ‘less is more’ approach of paring back on products and letting real skin shine through is just right up our street.

So what is Skinimalism? 

Skinimalism focuses on simplifying your skincare and makeup routine, combining the two together where possible – and cutting out any extra or unnecessary steps. It’s about focusing on what your skin needs, while working towards a healthy, glowing base. This more natural aesthetic focuses on the quality of your products and the ingredients you use, not the quantity you wear.

When you think of Skinimalism, three core principles are:

• Showcasing your natural skin: we all have different skin textures, and Skinimalism skincare and makeup is all about showing off what you have. Instead of thick coverage and smooth complexions, Skinimalism celebrates your natural radiance and promotes long-term skin solutions.

• Getting back to basics: paring back your look, with minimal products and basic routines, are key to the Skinimalism trend. It’s all about choosing skincare and makeup that works together to protect your skin, not hide it.

• Staying patient and consistent: Skinimalism is part of a longer trend to find gentle products that won’t clog your pores. Instead, it’s all about long-term, consistent care to help you achieve healthier looking skin.

Of course, we’re not saying you shouldn’t ever go all out. Full glam will always have its place – we love putting on a full face for special occasions and nights out. 

But, for general day to day, it’s just not about covering up anymore. When it comes to skincare and makeup, it’s time to enhance and embrace our natural skin, with all of its pores, textures, and perfect imperfections. And honestly, we couldn’t be any more in favour of it. 

Skinimalism skincare

Gone are the days of the 11 step skincare routine, layering cleansers and toners and serums and lotions and potions (you get the picture) – all of which promise to give the same effect. Now, it’s time to really assess your skin and ask yourself: “What does my skin actually need?”.

Of course, no two skins are the same. You will have your own unique needs, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some common products that can help you achieve the Skinimalism vibe. At Sculpted, we believe that everyone needs: a cleanser, a serum specific to your skin type, a moisturiser, and an SPF. Really, it’s that simple.

Dermatologists have said that this paired back routine actually sees more benefits for the skin. Rather than overloading it with numerous active ingredients and acids which can sometimes upset the natural pH of the skin, or contradict each other, or cause your skin to react, getting back to the basics lets each active ingredient do its job without interference – meaning you get more for less.

Hydration skincare

Skinimalism skincare seems to pay most attention to targeting dehydration, with less concern over breakouts, fine lines and wrinkles. 

Dehydration occurs when the skin is lacking water, and needs something to quench its thirst. Ingredients like Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid work as hydration heroes for dry skin, because they attract and lock in available moisture. Not only does this help your skin stay soft and plump, but it improves elasticity and resilience to external factors. This in turn reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and helps with breakouts too – it’s a win, win!

So, along with making sure you are hydrated on the inside, look out for hydrating ingredients and prioritise them for your skincare. 

As an example, Hydrate & Hold is a staple here at Sculpted. It sits on our desks, in our handbags and even on our night stands. Why? Well, we believe you can never have enough hydration. In a world full of pollution, mask wearing, and hot weather, our skin can become dehydrated and dull throughout the day – and a quick fix is a spritz of our hydrating skin mist. Not only will it refresh and rehydrate the skin, it also fixes makeup and controls oil build up. So for us, Hydrate & Hold is essential for all skin types; but especially those prone to dehydration. 

Pro tip: for maximum hydration, drink a glass of water and spray some Hydrate & Hold at the same time!

For some advice on curating your own, pared-back, basic skincare routine, check out our guide to Morning vs. Night Skincare Routines…

Skinimalism makeup

Cutting down on the content of your makeup bag is also a really big part of this Skinimalism trend. Less is more as the saying goes, and the aim is to use as few products as possible, while still achieving a protected and beautiful base. Combining skincare and makeup not only helps you slim down your makeup bag, but makes getting ready for the day super easy.

We’ve picked out several of our favourite skincare and makeup products that go above and beyond to look after your skin…

Moisturiser

The top of our list, and number one product recommendation for the Skinimalism trend, would have to be Tint & Glow. 

Tint & Glow is our lightweight skin enhancer that acts as a sheer coverage, glowing base. Humble brag here, but it really could be called ‘Skinimalism in a tube’! Our Tint & Glow contains broad spectrum SPF 30 for sun safety, and Carrot Root Extract for blue light protection – so you’re already cutting down on the products you need to use beforehand. It’s also packed with Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide in a smoothing, moisturising formula; making it the perfect definition of marrying skincare and makeup together. 

Pro tip: you could pop Tint & Glow on by itself after your simplified skincare routine and leave it at that – or you could add a couple more things to really level up your Skinimalism glow…

Primer

Before Skinimalism was even a trend, our Girlboss Aimee Connolly was ahead of the game – she got to work on simplifying your skincare routine by creating a 3-in-1 Beauty Base Primer that prepares the skin for makeup, protects from UVA & UVB broad spectrum rays and gives a gorgeous glow to the skin. Packed with skin loving Peptides that encourage smoother and younger looking skin, Beauty Base comes in three tones. 

• Beauty Base Original will leave a stunning golden glow on the skin.

• Beauty Base Pearl has a more subtle, pearlescent glow. 

• Beauty Base Rose Golden gives you a subtle, warm champagne radiance.

You can of course also just wear Beauty Base alone, as many people do, for a simple, protected and healthy glow. Or, you can layer it as part of a pared-back Skinimalist makeup routine to highlight a soft, radiant complexion.

Pro tip: if you are layering as part of your makeup, we’d recommend popping Beauty Base on before Tint & Glow for a radiant and protected finish. 

Concealer

Next up on our Skinimalism essentials list is our Brighten Up Concealer.

This needs a mention because it’s not just a regular concealer – it’s Good-For-You active ingredients actually help to target under eye dark circles while you wear it. Hyaluronic Acid hydrates while Niacinamide brightens and works against under eye circles to help you look bright and refreshed. It's lightweight and gentle enough to use around the delicate eye area, but it also gives a beautiful coverage that still looks like real skin. 

Pro tip: if you really wanted to pair things back, you could pop this on where needed over Beauty Base and skip adding more base products altogether. 

Of course, if you’re looking for added coverage that won’t clog your pores and allows the skin to breathe, look no further than our Complete Cover Up Concealer. This oil-free cream-to-powder concealer helps to blur any areas of redness or irritation for a matte finish, while still being super kind to your skin.

Blush

With Skinimalism, you could stop there – but whether we are being minimal or not, it just wouldn’t be a Sculpted look if we didn’t include some kind of blush. 

Cream Luxe is more than perfect to suit a pared-back Skinimalism look. Due to the buildable and multi purpose nature, you can add as much or as little as you like for a subtle pop of warmth into your makeup look. Whether you prefer a pink or peachy blush finish, we’ve got you covered – and Cream Luxe can also double up as a lip colour, helping you to cut back on products while also achieving a really tonal and well-matched makeup look. 

Pro tip: if you’re looking for that illuminated, ‘lit-from-within’ glow, try Liquid Lights on the highpoints of the face for Skinimalism with a serious glow!

Skinimalism made simple with Sculpted by Aimee

Now that you’ve seen our Sculpted take on Skinimalism, why not give it a go? We pride ourselves on creating multi-purpose products to suit everyone, so this trend really comes quite naturally for us. Less is always more, as is showing real skin in all of its textured glory – we all have it and it’s completely normal, right?! 

What are your thoughts on Skinimalism? Will you be cutting back on the products you use? 

We’d love to see you take on this trend, make sure to tag us in your Sculpted looks using #filterfreefaces & @sculptedbyaimee.

Lots of Love, 

Aimee & Team xxx

Want to keep reading? We think you’ll like… Moisturiser vs Serum: What’s The Difference? | #AskAimee: Aimee Answers Your Skincare Questions | The Ultimate Guide to Double Cleansing