Skincare Doesn’t Need a 12-Step Routine (Let’s Cut the Crap)
Somewhere along the way, skincare became rocket science. Every brand out there is shoving serums, elixirs, and miracle potions down our throats—so much that even asking “what face wash should I use?” feels like studying for an exam. Truth bomb? Skincare is not that complicated. The industry just wants it to look complicated, because confusion sells.
Or as one of my professors once put it—and this has stayed with me ever since—
👉 “Talk to your daughters before the cosmetic industry does.”
Because the job of this industry is not to make you glow, it’s to make you insecure. Don’t fall for it. Flaunt your flaws, own your skin, and stop letting marketing campaigns tell you what’s wrong with your face.
If You’re Blessed with Normal Skin (and No Major Concerns)
Let’s get one thing straight: if you have acne, pigmentation, rosacea, or anything that makes you want to scream at the mirror—go see a dermatologist. No “miracle OTC cream” is going to fix it. Most over-the-counter products use cosmetic-grade actives that are way less potent than prescription-grade. That’s why they won’t erase acne scars or cure hormonal breakouts.
But if your skin is “normal” and you’re just looking to keep it healthy and radiant, this is all you really need:
- Face wash – clears dirt, sweat, and excess oil without wrecking your skin barrier. Use it at night as well, will you?
My favourites:
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Cleanser Water Gel Face Wash
AHC Premium EX Hydra B5 Soothing Foam Face Cleanser - Hydrating moisturizer – locks in water, strengthens the barrier, prevents breakouts.
My favourites:
Cetaphil DAM Daily Advance Ultra Hydrating Lotion
Numbuzin No.4 Full-Nutrient Firming Cream - Sunscreen – the single most important anti-aging product on the planet.
My favourites:
Neutrogena Ultrasheer SPF50+
ISDIN Fotoprotector SPF 50 PA ++++ - Vitamin C – fights free radicals, brightens, boosts collagen. Look for 10–20% in stable forms like ascorbic acid.
My favourites:
The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% (Vitamin C)
The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% - Retinol – speeds up cell turnover, smooths fine lines, prevents congestion. Start with 0.1–0.3% if you’re new.
My favourites:
The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% In Squalane
That’s it. Five products. Not fifteen.
PSA to All 20-Somethings: Start Early
If you’re in your early 20s and reading this—lucky you. I wish someone had told me back then that you don’t need to wait until your 30s to start caring for your skin. Vitamin C + sunscreen in the day, retinol at night. Easy. You’ll thank yourself a decade later.
The Marketing Trick They Don’t Tell You
Here’s some insider tea ☕: marketing thrives on creative language. Brands love to throw around ingredients like neem, turmeric, or “superfoods” for skin. Sounds amazing, right?
Reality check: often the concentration is less than 0.5%. Why? Because higher levels make the formula unstable or unpleasant to use.
So, when you see “Neem Face Wash – neem is known for anti-acne properties” … they’re not technically lying. But they’re not telling you the full truth either: at that teeny tiny percentage, neem isn’t strong enough to actually treat acne. This is how brands sell you a “benefit” without the potency to back it up. Clever? Yes. Misleading? Also yes.
Cheap vs. Costly: The Harsh Truth
Should you splurge or save? Here’s the no-BS answer: when it comes to skincare, quality does cost. The higher the grade of the ingredient, the higher the price. That’s just how it works. A ₹200 moisturizer will hydrate, sure, but it won’t have the same stability, purity, or absorption level as one made with higher-grade ingredients.
👉 Don’t waste money on a drawer full of cheap products you’ll never finish. Spend smartly on a few good-quality basics, and your skin will thank you.
Bottom Line
Stop letting the beauty industry hustle you into a 10-step routine that looks like a chemistry lab experiment. Skincare should be simple, sustainable, and effective. Flaunt your skin, flaws and all—and remember: the goal isn’t perfection, it’s confidence.
