No two beauty routines are the same. Some can be flexible and completed in a couple of minutes, whereas others require a precise 10-step routine where each stage is as crucial as the next. What our beauty routines look like will usually depend on a couple of different factors. Typically, these are time, money and commitment. 

Over the years, beauty routines have significantly changed because of shifting customer demands and beauty trends that are popular with consumers. Look at the 90’s era, where skincare routines were harsh and unplanned. Sunbed tanning was extremely common, and oily skin was widely seen as undesirable. Fast forward to the early 2000s, beauty routines shifted to an over-the-top aesthetic with full-glam makeup and dramatically defined brows. Today, beauty trends have evolved once again. Consumers are swapping statements for simplistic and adopting beauty routines that have fewer steps and all-natural ingredients. This article will discuss the reasons why more people are embracing simpler beauty routines, and why you should too.

What Do Beauty Routines Look Like Today

The majority of beauty routines today use basic skincare and makeup products. Consumers are putting pressure on women’s beauty brands to use all-natural ingredients that are safe and healthier for the skin. Fewer products and skin-safe ingredients are helping beauty lovers to achieve ‘glass skin’ - a remarkably smooth and glossy complexion that almost looks transparent because of its hydrated look with no visible imperfections.

Sustainable and health-focused beauty routines haven’t just become popular in the skincare industry. The rise of health-conscious beauty has taken over haircare, with women’s hair products prioritising hair growth and nourishment. Excessive use of heat and bleach has become frowned upon in the hair industry, with professional hair stylists even promoting more natural colouring services such as balayages and lived-in colour treatments. Unlike skincare and makeup routines, haircare routines are becoming more complex and demanding, with new at-home treatments being increasingly recommended to customers.

In the makeup industry, similar to skincare, consumers are loving having a quicker, simplified routine that puts emphasis on natural beauty and using products to enhance this rather than change it. Consumers are ditching the harsh contour and overlined lips for a gentle, sun-kissed look finished with a hydrating and lightweight lip gloss.

Why Have Simple Beauty Routines Become Popular

Generation Alpha and Z are generations of informed and sustainability-minded consumers - in every sense. They’ve grown up in an extremely well-connected world, thanks to social media and a digital-first era. Compared to older generations, they’ve had an international perspective and vast amounts of information at their disposal. They’ve taken this demand for transparency into the beauty world, where they’re choosing brands that show a genuine commitment to ethics and health-focused products. 

Simplified beauty routines not only support healthier hair and skin but have also gained popularity because they are more affordable in an increasingly cost-conscious society. If you're looking to get more from your beauty routine while spending less, a low-maintenance beauty routine could be just what you need. Start by investing in organic skincare and makeup products that are chemical-free and dermalogically tested. If you're looking to save money without compromising your routine, try cutting back on steps that add little value and using smaller amounts of product. This can help your makeup look more natural while making your products last longer.