The rise of minimal skincare: Is it another skincare trend or a long-term benefitting shift?

A few years back, skincare was another trend India was following. Bold makeup to doll beauty. Korean skincare to 10-step glass skin routine, Indians didn’t fail to adopt any of these. And now, there’s another shift that Indians have taken. To know the changes in the consumer behaviour, we got in touch with Deepti Kulkarni, Founder and certified skincare formulator, KASS and she gave us insights into why people are choosing less over more.Simple skincare routine. The brutal summers and harsh climate of India have brought a break point in skincare routine. Giving up their multi-step routine, Indians are now adopting minimal essential skincare. But the question is, is this really a change or just another trend? At some point, it was. With the rise in influencer culture, and content flying around, people were obsessing over ingredients. The routine was minimal but not exactly smarter. Everyone was just incorporating Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Azelaic acid and what not. Just because the algorithm showed it to them. There was definitely a shift on how people perceived skincare. But not the one that was needed. It was more like a broken shift. The COVID era has been a big contributor in how Indians are responding to things. COVID gave them enough time to work on themselves. So, they did everything. Acne, dryness, hydration. They had time, they had resourced. The change was there. The shift was there. But, it was more in impulse than in the right direction.The real conscious shift happened when the internet was getting flooded with information. Not just influencers and enthusiasts’, dermatologists content also saw a boost. And, for the first time, Indians were following professionals more than influencers. Community discussions, reviews, transparency, today’s young generation uses every resources available, rips apart the internet before they hit “Buy” The young generation are not blind followers. They can’t be fooled with cheesy words and sweet marketing. Consumers have shifted from trendy skincare to actual care of skin. The generational shift, information availability, and constant evaluation are leading consumers towards a simpler and mindful skincare that will benefit long term.