Skinimalism: Multi-use products to simplify your routines

Feeling overwhelmed by your 10-step skincare routine and tired of shelling out money on personal-care or home products, each designed for a separate use? You’re not alone. In 2024, beauty professionals anticipate a shift toward “skinimalism” – a focus on simplicity and a less-is-more approach for skincare.

An overly complicated skin and body care routine is not only pricy but can also burden and irritate the skin. Skinimalism encourages us to ditch unnecessary products and get back to the basics: hydration, barrier repair and protection. Another bonus is reducing the waste that comes from clutter, unused products, and managing different expiration dates.

This minimalist approach isn’t just for skincare.

It can also be applied to the products you use on your body and in your living space. While the norm is to buy a distinct product for every function – separate soaps for hands, face, body and dishes – there are versatile, multi-use products designed to streamline your daily routine, saving you both time and money.

Not all products are created equal

The average adult uses 12 personal care products each day, containing up to 112 unique chemical ingredients, some of which may pose serious health risks. Every day, consumers in the U.S. are exposed to two ingredients linked with cancer risk and two linked to chemicals that might harm the reproductive and developmental systems.

“Fragrance” is a mixture of dozens to hundreds of the 3,500 chemicals used by fragrance houses, some of which can disrupt the hormone system and cause allergic reactions. Or these scents might contain other concerning ingredients that aren’t on the label, like parabens and phthalates, which are both hormone disruptors that can lead to reproductive disorders and an increased risk of cancer.

By choosing safer options and reducing the number of products used on a daily basis, you can lower your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals. Our research shows that using four products instead of eight results in an almost 25 percent drop in chemical exposure.

Find what works for you

We’ve curated a list of multi-purpose options that are also budget-friendly. Each product listed carries a green or A rating, signifying low hazard and potential for harm.

Or they bear the EWG VERIFIED^® mark, which means that they have met EWG's highest standards for transparency, health and safety.