Skincare used to be a marathon — But now? People are choosing routines that actually fit their lives.
For years, a skincare routine of more than 10 steps was the gold standard — the ultimate badge of dedication. If your skincare shelf didn’t look like a mini beauty store, were you even serious about skincare? This cultural moment was shaped by Korean beauty influence, Pinterest aesthetics, and the pressure to curate a full glow routine, leaving people with at least three serum bottles that they didn’t fully understand.
Between influencer influence, social media pressure, and the era where everyone swore they needed a maximum of five serums to get that signature “glow”, we genuinely believed skincare was supposed to take 45 minutes and half a paycheck. Now? The girls are tired.
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When self-care began to feel like a chore
What was once seen as self-care began to feel like a second job — expensive, overwhelming, and in many cases, time-consuming. Of course, for many, the 12-step routine remains a joyful ritual — a way to experiment, pamper, and address complex skin concerns. Amidst that, a collective realisation hit: great skin doesn’t always require a long list of products. Dermatologists are saying less is more, and people have gotten tired of all the endless layering.
The evolution of the 12-step era: why simpler routines are gaining attention
The move from the 12-step routine didn’t happen overnight — it’s been a quiet process. Consumers are no longer enchanted by needing to have a variety of products. The economies have become so tight, and we’ve even seen cases where influencers have admitted they don’t use half the steps they recommend. Another major reason could be attributed to the fact that younger consumers are now trying to prioritise wellness routines that work for real life over aesthetics.
Rather than invalidate longer routines, this shift reflects a growing appreciation for simpler, more intentional approaches alongside them.
Enter skinimalism: the beauty philosophy redefining routines
The beauty scene has been seeing a lot of minimalism in everything recently, in makeup (the clean girl aesthetic), in fashion and also now more in skincare. Which is why “skinimalism” is now taking over. It means fewer steps, smarter choices. no guilt and no pretending we enjoy routines that feel like homework.
To understand how people truly feel about the shift from 12-step routines to minimalism, we asked everyday skincare users to share their real experiences. Their answers paint a clearer picture of where beauty culture is heading.
What skincare lovers are actually saying
Ami: “Sometimes less really is more.”
Ami keeps her routine at “three to four steps, cleanse, tone, moisturise… and always finish with SPF.”
For her, simplicity has always been enough because, as she puts it, “My skin concerns aren’t exactly anything demanding. At least for now, who knows?”
On whether multi-step routines are still necessary, she believes it’s personal:
“Some people swear by minimal routines (me), others love layering products and deem the extra steps necessary.”
But even she acknowledges the influence behind the shift: “Social media and dermatologists… especially beauty influencers nowww… they’ve definitely hyped minimalist skincare big time.”
Her vision for 2025?
“Affordable, effective but simple… cleanse, protect with SPF (always!) and treat any specific skin stuff without going overboard or robbing a bank.”
Ini: “The basics are just fine.”
Ini uses about “four steps” and is firmly on the minimalist side. For her, multi-step routines are simply too much:
“Honestly, the extras are not necessary. The basics are just fine… I do not believe the overly excessive application of skincare will make the skin better.” She also mentioned that she finds it a bit overwhelming.
She has tried a variety of routines and experimented widely on products, but she firmly believes that “The lesser the merrier,” and yes, going simpler has worked for her, commenting that “It gives a cleaner look overall.”
On influence, she doesn’t mince words:
“Social media’s role has been a 100 if not a 1000%… Everybody wants to be like the influencers who apply a million products on their faces to look the way they do. We forget that in the process of wanting to be like the rest, we lose sight of the whole point!”
For the rest of 2025, her routine is still simple:
“Face cleanser, moisturiser, sunscreen, face toner, serum. That’s pretty much it.”
Favour: “I’m scared to try products… but I’m trying.”
Favour’s relationship with skincare is cautious, emotional, and deeply relatable. She admits:
“I’m scared of using products on my face because I feel like it will react… and make my face worse.” So she sticks to a minimal routine — “face wash, toner, moisturiser, sunscreen” — but feels conflicted because she hasn’t seen much improvement:
Her hesitation toward complex routines is clear: “I feel like there’s no time to even apply all those many products honestly, if you find even just one good products that work well for your face, stick to it, you don’t really need up to 20 steps”
She’s aware of the power of social media, too: “Social media has a lot of influence… because when you see people review a product, you get influenced to get the same product as well to test and see if it would work for you.”
For her, skincare in 2025 is simple and realistic: “A minimal skincare routine… that suits your skin, and you’re comfortable with… find a good product that your skin accepts.”
She also adds a reminder that many people forget:
“Some people want fast results… but with many products, you have to use them for at least a month before you start seeing improvements.” This reiterates that a balanced routine is a minimal routine.
Iris: “It all depends on…”
Iris follows a “five-step routine. I wash, then I cleanse, then I use my serum, then I use my moisturiser, then I use my SPF.”
For her, multi-step routines are situational: “I think certain multi-step skincare routines are necessary if you have certain conditions you are trying to battle… People have made them more overwhelming and ineffective because not everybody needs to use salicylic acid, niacinamide or use an AHA or a BHA serum.”
For her personally, she has experienced both extremes:“I used to have an eight or nine-step routine depending on the day of the week routine and I realised it was doing more harm than good to my skincare barrier. So, I’m working on a minimal one, especially after solving my acne issue.”
But she also adapts depending on the weather and skin needs:“Simple works in certain weathers, more steps work in certain weathers or areas… by next week, I’ll be adding a couple more steps to my routine just to ensure that my skin is well protected during this season. But once the season changes, I go back to a minimal level.”
Social media influence is clear: “It has been such a huge influence where the consumer level of items has become a lot… social media hype makes people purchase multiple skincare products that they do not need.”
Her ideal balanced routine for 2025 reflects flexibility:
“An everyday, no makeup skincare routine, is just to cleanse with your cleanser, use your vitamin C or niacinamide serum, depending on what you want to use. Use your moisturiser and follow up with a nice, lovely SPF. On days where you have makeup on, double cleanse… use your serum, use your moisturiser and use your SPF.”
Joy: “Once it’s more than five steps, it becomes overwhelming.”
Joy’s routine is thoughtful yet realistic, with just six steps. But despite having a six-step lineup, she doesn’t always do all of it:
“I do the complete six steps maybe once every two weeks. On a normal day, I’m probably just doing four steps. Facial wash, toner, niacinamide, sunscreen — or I do niacinamide, moisturiser, sunscreen.”
For her, the usefulness of multi-step routines is complicated. She believes they can be necessary, but not for everyone:
“They’re necessary because each of these skincare products has what they’re doing… but for some people, it’s too much. Once you’ve done four steps, you’ve done five steps; that’s good. Once it becomes more than five steps, that’s when it becomes overwhelming.”
Why she sometimes shifts to a minimal routine is simple — money, time, and skin health:
“Skincare products are costly , and also because of time. Doing too much to your skin is not good… There are a lot of people who just have two-step or three-step routines, and it works for them.”
Joy admits her skin does benefit from multiple steps when she’s consistent:
“If I’m consistent with my five-step routine for two, three weeks, I actually see that something is happening.”
Her vision for 2025 is all about balance — no extremes, no skin stress:
“In 2025, a balanced skincare routine just looks like you have four or five steps, and you do the most important things. just… gentle, simple skincare.”
Why the skinimalist movement just makes sense
Minimalism in skincare values simplicity over excess, focusing on what your skin actually needs rather than what trends dictate. Right now, people are tired of overconsumption, being marketed insecurities and chasing routines that require spreadsheets and prayer.
Across every response, one thing was constant: people want balance. For some, that means three steps. For others, five or six. A few still rely on multi-step routines when their skin demands it — and that’s valid too.
The rise of minimalism reflects a cultural desire for balance. The beauty landscape is especially evolving, and Nigerian consumers are leading some of the most important conversations about sustainability, affordability, and what “healthy skin” really means in a climate like ours. So maybe the 12-step routine isn’t “dead”, but for many, it just isn’t the only way anymore.
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