Explained: What is the viral skin fasting beauty trend?

Nowadays, skincare is more important than ever, and everyone is working on their own skincare routine based on trending products. Nevertheless, it's also vital to learn about more traditional practices, such as "skin fasting," in order to maintain a healthy, radiant appearance.

To keep their skin looking young, many people today follow a 10-step skincare program that includes anything from serums to sheet masks. But is it really necessary even for people who do not have any major skin issues?

Dr. Debra Jaliman, a New York-based dermatologist, advocated skin fasting in an interview with Women's Health, meaning that less is more when it comes to excellent skincare.

What is skin fasting?

Dr. Debra Jaliman mentions that the concept of skin fasting is based on a minimalistic approach to skincare. The fewer items used in the skincare process, the better the results for the skin. Hence, this process is based on the "less is more" principle.

Skin fasting mainly refers to incorporating minimal products into the skincare regime and eliminating any extra products included as per the beauty trends. The main aim of skin fasting is to give the skin rest from all the over-loading products and let it breathe!

According to it, all that a person needs in their skincare routine is a good cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. That's all!

A good cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen are all that are needed for an efficient skincare (Image via Canva)

Here is what the dermatologist said while explaining the concept.

"A lot of people come [to me] with a bag of products. And then a lot of times we cut down the products—they’re just using too many things for [their] skin. So you might find that you can use less."

There are numerous serum alternatives, sheet masks, clay masks, and other items on the market today. Consumers are buying and adopting all of these trending skincare products into their routines. People overdo their skincare by using multiple serums such as niacinamide, peptides, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and others without knowing if they are necessary.

Expand Tweet

Individuals with specific skin conditions can employ active substances to address their skin concerns with the help of a dermatologist. However, those with regular skin who do not have acne, oily skin, open pores, or severe disorders such as eczema or rosacea can omit all unnecessary serums and active ingredients in their routine.

Step-by-step process of skin fasting

Step 1: Exclude any extra skincare products from the routine apart from cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Remember to pick cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen as per the skin type.

Step 2: After continuing this for two weeks, people can include any one of their desired skincare products in their routine like vitamin C, Retinol, or any simpler products like clay masks or sheet masks. After another two weeks, one can add another product to the routine.

Step 3: If they notice any type of discomfort on their skin, such as redness, itching, or small bumps, they should discontinue using that skincare product.

Step 4: Individuals can follow this process once in a while if they feel the need to give their skin a little rest or reconsider using certain skincare.

Overdoing skincare can damage skin barrier (Image via Canva)

Overdoing skincare without understanding the needs of certain skin types can damage skin barriers. Therefore, it is important to know this concept and how to apply it. Make sure to consult a professional dermatologist before developing any skincare regime. Happy skincare!

Edited by Vinay Agrawal