(And the 2 “essential” products I couldn’t live without).

So, the lockdown made me do things I never thought I’d do before like:
1. Live in pajamas
2. Do planks
3. Skip most of the steps in my skincare routine (Utter sacrilege! I’m a beauty blogger for goodness sake!)

While the first two things weren’t a big deal, skipping steps in my skincare routine was really going too far! I’ve been religiously following an extensive skincare routine since I was 14 years old – so this was a BIG CHANGE!

I didn’t realize I was running out of certain products, and by the time I did, it was too late to buy them. So my new routine comprised of just 2 basic products: Cleanser and Essence (We’ll get to what essence really is, in a bit). And here’s what happened to my skin…

My skin actually improved!

Wait, what???

For years, I have been spending ridiculous amounts of money on toners, serums, exfoliators, masks, oils, mists and everything in between. And now, when I’m down to just 2 products, my skin looks better than ever! How is that even possible?

The only logical explanation I could think of: LESS IS MORE.

So I took a good hard look at the products I was currently using.
(Trust the French and Japanese to make them!)

Chanel La Mousse.

This gentle, cloud-like foaming cleanser does a brilliant job of cleaning my skin, without ever stripping it. After using it, my skin feels perfectly clean, not dry, not tight, no residue – just incredibly soft and supple.

You only need a pea size amount. And that tiny smidge lathers into the most luxurious foam ever! It glides onto my skin effortlessly – like a veil of silk.

I’ve been using it for years and can attest that once you try it, all other cleansers fade into oblivion. There’s no going back! You have been warned.

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence.

This watery hybrid between a toner and moisturizer does everything you want a product to do – adds moisture, clears skin, fades spots and even delays aging.

To add to its awesomeness, this cult product has a fairytale-like history. Legend has it that a young scientist in Japan, observed something quite spectacular: Old sake (Japanese rice wine) workers in a brewery had wrinkled faces but unbelievably young hands – almost as if they were untouched by time.

This young scientist became obsessed with finding out what was causing this phenomenon. After much research, he discovered it was due to a particular compound that is born while fermenting the yeast in the sake. He named and patented (clever fellow!) that compound Pitera. And today, every bottle of Facial Treatment Essence contains 90% Pitera! Mind. Blown.

Now let’s get one thing clear. Both these products cost the earth, the moon and few stars thrown in for good measure. But then again, YOU DON’T NEED ANYTHING ELSE!

Apart from sunscreen. Yup, that’s one more step I would add to my routine once the lockdown is over.

The good news is that both these products last and last and last. So even though they are crazy expensive to begin with, you actually do see the value.

To sum it all up, if there’s one thing that I’ve learnt from this “forced experiment” is that it’s best to keep your routine simple, and to look for quality over quantity. You can’t go wrong with that.