The SB Minimalist Routine: Eliminating the Clutter

The SB Minimalist Skincare Routine: How to Eliminate the Clutter and Focus on What is Most Important

Life is hard, but your skincare routine doesn’t have to be. Sometimes, keeping it simple is the best thing you can do for your skin. With new trends popping up constantly, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure of what actually works. Repeat after us: "I don’t need a 10-15 step routine to maintain beautiful, healthy skin."

Now, let’s break down the essentials and get back to the basics that truly make a difference.

The first product and most important product is a non-stripping cleanser- something that leaves the skin feel replenished, not tight and dry. When you’re keeping your routine simple, focus on the end goal. Ask yourself what your skincare goal is and start from there. Cleansers are always the MOST important step since they remove makeup, excess oil, and any bacteria built up from the day. Cleansers help the skin look and feel healthy and are a crucial step in fighting skin concerns like acne. Check out our Storied Beauty recommendations below: Royal Fern Phytoactive Cleansing Balm and Circcell Geothermal Clay Cleanser.

Now that you started with a great cleanser, what’s next? Always follow up with a pH-balancing toner or essence. Toners are essential for helping your skin absorb products more effectively, while also balancing the PH of your skin so your actives can work their magic. This step is foolproof for maintaining clean, fresh, acne-free skin. No matter your skin type—whether you're sensitive, oily, or dehydrated—there’s a toner out there for you. A good rule of thumb: avoid toners with high alcohol content, as they can be overly stripping. You want your skin to feel comfortable and balanced, not tight - and ready to absorb the next step in your routine. Two of our favorites are: Circcell DEW and Environ Vita Peptide Toner.

Next is where all the magic come into play! Serums are beneficial for targeting specific skin concerns - they penetrate deeper than moisturizers, which is why they should always be applied first. Whether it's acne, hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, or dehydration —there’s a serum for just about everything. They nourish, protect, and hydrate the skin, leaving you with a complexion that looks and feels absolutely divine. That’s why we always recommend incorporating a serum into your routine to address those particular skin concerns.  

The beauty of serums in a minimalist routine is that they allow you to address multiple skin issues with just one product, making them incredibly efficient. Rather than layering on several treatments, a multi-task serum can deliver targeted results without the need of extra steps. To treat multiple skin concerns in one step, we recommend the following serums to receive your skin nutrients in one dose!  Environ C Quence Serum (twice daily and Decree Treat Tincture Serum (for nighttime only).

Now, we’re down to the final, essential steps: moisturizer and SPF. Moisturizer is essential to lock in the hydration from your serums.  In the morning, follow up your moisturizer with broad spectrum sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful UV rays—this is a non-negotiable! 90 % of skin damage comes from the sun, so do your best to provide the protection in some form, even on cloudy days. At night, your moisturizer helps replenish and repair your skin while you sleep, creating a barrier to prevent moisture loss.

A few of our ride-or-die moisturizers at SB are: Lacreme Beaute Bee Venom Cream (morning or night but a favorite for nighttime), Decree Peptide Emolient Veil + (morning or night), Susanne Kaufmann Nourishing Day Cream, and Environ AVST Moisturizer.

THE most transparent mineral sunscreen that looks as if you have nothing on is Le Prunier Plumscreen SPF 31! 

 



It is really that simple and easy. Just a few products can truly transform your skin and rewind the clock. A minimalist approach to skincare helps you stay consistent and committed. While skincare trends come and go, the basics remain timeless. Beautiful, radiant skin is closer than you think—sometimes, it’s just a few simple steps away.  Storied Beauty is always here to help guide you to those products best for your skin type and conditions!