Decluttering your beauty drawer? This post shows you 12 things I stopped buying as a beauty minimalist.
A minimalist beauty routine changed my life.
Not because I want to cut back on what I love, but because too many choices give me decision fatigue.
I felt overwhelmed in beauty stores like Sephora and Ulta. So I watched beauty influencers online, only to buy “life-changing” products that made my skin even worse.
The more I bought, the less confident I felt.
A minimalist beauty routine meant less anxiety and more time. Now I use fewer, higher-quality products and I’m more intentional about my needs, regardless of beauty trends.
Here are 12 things I stopped buying as a beauty minimalist and how simplicity keeps me looking my best from the inside out.
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1. Makeup Foundation
Foundation was one of the first things I stopped buying as a beauty minimalist.
When I was a flight attendant in Minnesota, my holy grail product was a moisturizing foundation that kept my skin from drying out from plane cabins and hotel rooms.
But when I moved down South, I realized humidity and foundation don’t mix. I still wore makeup out of routine, but I was either sweating, melting, or wiping full coverage away.
In less than 6 months, I went from wearing a full face all day to completely natural.
These days, I focus more on caring for my skin from the inside out with water, sleep, and anti-inflammatory foods.
If I want extra coverage, I’ll use concealer, a light moisturizer, and sunscreen for a natural glow.
2. Natural Haircare Products
To the 4C natural girlies, I too was a victim of the natural hair YouTube movement of 2015.
I will die on this hill: most natural haircare products are unnecessary.
- Sulfate-free shampoos are a scam.
- Telling you 4C hair is hard to manage is a scam. And propaganda.
- Charging double the price of every other hair product on the market is a scam.
I have my staples, but the key to moisturized 4C hair isn’t through products. It’s through a simple, yet consistent wash day routine.
Love your hair, and it will love you back.
3. Luxury Skincare
Expensive skincare isn’t automatically more effective, which is why I pay more attention to ingredients and how a formula works for my skin than the name on the bottle.
Surprisingly, some formulas are very similar, if not the same. Except high-end brands charge 3x as much because of the name.
I live in a humid climate, so I mostly use lighter gel-based skincare products.
One of my favorite go-tos in my travel kit is the Corsyx 5-step kit. It’s perfect for travel, with a light gel-based cleanser, serums, and essence for extra moisturization, if needed.
4. Eye Cream
As someone who traveled and slept in different time zones for a living, I think the only thing that has ever decreased wrinkles and bags under my eyes is sleep.
When you neglect yourself, the body keeps score.
No amount of cream, makeup, or coverage will give you the same results as getting enough sleep, quality exercise, and staying hydrated.
I’m not saying that luxury eye creams don’t work, but I’ve seen bigger differences when I’m more intentional with the basics.
5. Fast Fashion.
Fashion isn’t typical beauty, but I want to highlight how speed and convenience have killed expressing individuality.
When I was younger, I didn’t really understand the negative impacts of fast fashion. I was always at stores like Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, etc but it’s taken a darker turn.
It’s no longer an experience. Fast fashion is like a machine that forces you to consume.
I love thrifting because I love quality fabrics for a fraction of the price. The way clothing feels on my body really has an impact of how I feel overall.
6. Cheap Perfume
My obsession with fragrance is from childhood memories of my mother’s extensive collection.
Whenever a scent hits my nose, it takes me back to a different memory. Sometimes, a scent stops me in my tracks, and I think about its notes and what story it could tell.
To me, cheap perfume is not really about price. I’ve found amazing deals on dupes, but I’ve also splurged on scents considered to be more luxurious.
My mother’s taste has also made me very aware of the differences between cheap and quality perfume through scent.
Finding signature scents you like is part of the fun. And less is more.
7. Cotton Balls
One day, I was applying a moisturizing toner and didn’t have cotton balls, so I used my hands.
The product went on smoothly, and I used way less than usual.
So I never went back.
Because what are the cotton balls really doing in this case except absorbing extra product that never makes it to my skin?
8. Women’s Razors
Marketing brainwashed us into thinking that women’s shaving requires a completely separate collection of products.
Hence, pink razors. Women’s razors. And sometimes, it feels like we’re paying more simply because the product is marketed toward women.
So now I focus on products that work well for me rather than automatically buying because it’s targeted for women.
9. Pedicures and Manicures
I used to love getting pedicures to relax. However, the experience has shifted over the years.
What used to be a getaway to relax and pamper yourself now feels like a cattle call where you’re in and out for the most profit.
I know not every salon is like this, but it’s enough that I feel edgy about being there.
Instead, I’ve tried to make it a point to stay in on Sundays and make it a relaxing spa day from washing my hair to doing my own nails in the comfort of my own home.
10. Nail Polish
Every bottle of nail polish in my beauty drawer is old, dried out, or hasn’t been used in years.
And honestly, even though I can wear nail polish, it always looks like a hot mess when I try to do it myself.
It either goes on too thick, smudges from not drying, can’t get enough brush strokes right with my left hand. It’s just a frustrating and messy process.
Instead, I’ve settled for a beauty solution in the middle: press-ons.
11. Body Wash
I used to buy scented body wash automatically out of habit. But lately, I’ve switched back to bar soaps with less fragrance and additives.
I find half the scents overpowering anyway, but it was the performative part of showering.
Bar soap makes my shower routine simple. I feel cleaner, and soap doesn’t leave me feeling like I need three additional products afterwards.
It’s less expensive, lasts longer, and is better for the environment.
12. Hair Salon Appointments
Salon appointments weren’t something I expected to put on my list of things I stopped buying as a minimalist, but learning my own hair changed that.
Low-maintenance styles like mini twists meant stretching out appointments or, better, not going back at all.
When you want to go but don’t feel like you have to is financially and mentally freeing. I don’t feel like I have to meet a certain standard to feel put together.
When I do go to the salon, it feels more like an intentional treat than another appointment on an endless maintenance calendar.
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Final Thoughts
I still enjoy looking and feeling my best, but I don’t need a bunch of products or endless appointments to do it.
Sometimes, buying less is simply another way of being more intentional with your money, your time, and your attention.
