‘Do I need a multi-step beauty regime to have decent skin?’

Photograph Shaw + Shaw

K-beauty – the luminous-skinned movement from South Korea that arrived in the US at the start of the 2010s with its promise of glassy complexions and eternal youth – is basically the Silicon Valley of skincare. Fermented ingredients, snail mucin, cica, rice water, ginseng… These are the building blocks of Korean brands like COSRX, Laneige, Beauty of Joseon, Peach & Lily, Innisfree and Sulwhasoo, which swiftly became global cult favourites.

But somewhere between admiration and obsession, we lost the plot. What began as a gentle, nourishing philosophy – hydration over harshness, prevention over panic – soon turned the rest of us into misguided zealots. Skincare became a competitive sport. The minimalists with naturally perfect skin were boasting about their three-product routines (please, these people would have great skin even if they never washed it), while the maximalists were out there skin-cycling as if they were training for the epidermal Olympics. And then, of course, social media: the modern-day oracle of misinformation. That poreless influencer on TikTok earnestly demonstrating her “15-step morning routine”? She’s probably being paid by the brands she’s using, filming through three filters, and is powered by collagen levels most of us waved goodbye to in 2003. Off-camera, her skin barrier is in meltdown and her cheeks are burning.

There was talk, briefly, of moving away from the multi-step routine, largely because it pricked our conscience – using so many products is not sustainable in any sense. But the multi-step remains a thing. It turns out beauty lovers want to be environmentally conscious, but if it means dialling down on the promise of God-like skin, then sorry, planet, you’re on your own. Ironically, K-beauty, the very movement that kick-started the “more is more” approach, has evolved. Now it’s all about skip-care: a quality-over-quantity philosophy focused on doing less, better.

Meanwhile, we’re still over here decanting retinol into travel bottles like we’re packing for war. Ultimately, what you need depends entirely on your genetics and your skin. But there are recommended non-negotiables: a great cleanser (I like an oil – DHC, Medik8) and a gel (Youth to the People, Rhode, iS Clinical); a ceramide-rich moisturiser (CeraVe is the reliable workhorse); vitamin C, the antioxidant hero that repairs and brightens (try Skin Rocks, Sarah Chapman, Skinceuticals CE Ferulic); SPF (I love Beauty of Joseon, Institut Esthederm and Ultra Violette). Every so often I like a toner (S’Able Labs makes my skincare behave better); an essence for extra hydration and a decent exfoliator (NeoGen, Paula’s Choice, Kate Somerville , Dr Dennis Gross).

Everything else is garnish. Please always pass on the neck creams. The only thing that will help your neck is Nora Ephron’s book on the subject, which will make you laugh so much you’ll forget how much you dislike that part of your body – even if only momentarily.

Back to life
Sometimes your skin just looks… dead. You need something that tackles dullness quickly without a full-blown skin meltdown. Packed with lactic and glycolic acids, this brilliant exfoliating mask revives, brightens and smooths your face, neck, and chest, without sapping moisture. Think glow, not trauma. Your skin, but freshly rebooted. Naturium AHA 10% mask, £22, SpaceNK

Lip service
I’ll admit I’ve never got the hype around lip oils. I’ve always been a die-hard matte lover. That hasn’t changed, but now, even I can see the appeal. If your lips are dry and you crave colour without the weight of lipstick, Nars’s new launch is your fix. Glossy, not greasy, packed with skincare ingredients, it’s skincare for your lips, with just the right hit of pigment. Nars Afterglow Lip Oil , £27, Nars Cosmetics

Smells with bells
Back in the early 2000s, along with the entire fashion crowd, I was obsessed with Escentric Molecules. It was revolutionary: one single synthetic molecule that amplified your own scent, so everyone smelled unique. It broke every perfume rule and changed the game. Now, 20 years on, it’s back with a special anniversary edition – still addictive, still utterly irresistible. Escentric Molecules Molecule 01, £125, Cult Beauty