The skincare industry has witnessed monumental changes through the ages. From total ambiguity about what goes into a product to today where we sit in the privileged age of almost absolute transparency where you know what goes into the product and in what percentage. As a consumer, you can read the label and make informed choices (though you may not always fully understand it all) and include in your skincare routine. Oh and you get to choose which ones to show the door for not meeting your standards.
From slugging to moisture sandwiching, 2021 has been the year of inventive terms given to simple skincare techniques. There have been massive changes in the way consumers perceive products, ‘perfect skin’ and ‘blemish free’ are terms that have taken on new meanings. The filters are off, the smoothing effect is out the window. Raw, unfiltered, and overall authentic content takes the prize, with a holistic sense of acceptance taking over the skincare industry. From skinfluencers to skincare brands, and even your ‘girl next door’, the year 2021 has put the perfection of imperfect skin in the forefront (blemishes, texture, and et al) and we are here for it.
Even as skincare evolves and changes, there are a few skincare trends that deserve a mention because literally all of us have tried them this year. These are our picks.
Top Skincare Routines Of 2021
1. Don’t stress me out – Stress lines are real, and when your mom told you not to frown because you’d end up with wrinkles, she was right (claim the ‘I-told-you-so’ moment, mothers). With stress from work, homes, health, distance, and relationships at an all-time high, destressing skincare was all the rage in 2021. Anti-stress skincare routines include inserting the right ingredients in your kit (think gotu kola for calming and liquorice extract to deal with inflammation), and choosing the right additives to your daily routine as well.
2. Dry brush my pain away – Dry brushing (though seemingly daunting) was actually one of the simplest, but most ‘in the news’ trends of 2021. Using a specially bristled brush to gently exfoliate your skin added firmness, plumpness and increased blood flow to the areas that were dry brushed.
3. Light the way – Crazy facial tools ruled conversations in 2021. LED face masks that had people looking like they were right out of Star Wars, and tools like silver wands got popular for their ability to clear fine lines, tighten up your skin, and plump and de-puff it too. Along with these tools protecting the skin, we were also introduced to the protection of our skin from blue light (who knew, right?), with various creams, masks and serums to add to our daily routine.
4. Barrier Protecting Routines – Formulas that protect the pH levels in our skin and induce healing from within are barrier repair creams that were added to nearly every age group’s skincare routine. These products helped individuals dealing with the side effects from using drugstore products and gave new hope to people who started taking their skincare more seriously.
5. Put the rest in stressed – Facial massages became a thing. Along with destressing skincare using active ingredients, facial massages have been big in 2021 too. Preventing visible ageing and wrinkles, healing scar tissue, and improving blood flow, facial massages got their due credit because the benefits are amazing.
5. Double cleanse all of 2021’s sins – Double cleansing offers the best of both worlds. The routine involves using an oil-based cleanser first, and then a water-based cleanser. The first cleanse essentially removes makeup, dirt, oil and the second provides firmness, hydration, and some much-needed moisture. Double cleansing is the way forward, mainly because it works.
Scene-Stealing Brands Of 2021
The skincare industry boomed in 2021, with multiple verticals cropping up, brands expanding their lines, celebrity skincare coming into the mix, and an overall, we had a tsunami of products. Despite the influx of products, the slow beauty movement has gained a lot of momentum within 2021, with brands adopting sustainable practises across their offerings. If not wholly, most brands are adopting certain aspects of sustainability within their business. A few brands making a difference with a special mention of our pick of their products worth a try –
1. The Ordinary – “Buffet” Solution, Peeling Solutions
2. Inkey List – Caffeine Eye Cream, Make a Change Acne Kit, Omega Water Cream
3. Paula’s Choice – Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Salicylic Acid Exfoliant-Facial Exfoliant, Skin Balancing Ultra-Sheer Daily Defense SPF 30 Oil-Free Moisturizer Face Cream
4. BOHECO Life – CannaReleaf CBD Oil for Skin Health, The Hemp Chapter Under-Eye Cream
5. Pahadi Local – Gutti Ka Tel (Apricot Kernel Oil), Gutti Khal (Apricot Meal Scrub)
Top Treatments Of 2021
Skin treatments got their due as we realised the importance of skincare. With people working from home, doing more research on what suits their skin type with their particular lifestyle and understanding what treatments specifically work for them, we wanted more from everyone involved in skincare. Practises like no-touch treatments, icing, and microneedling were experimented with in 2021, with skinfluencers showcasing the technique, and dermats backing them up. A few treatments were safe to try out at home, but few needed expert consultation and deep pockets. Speaking of deep pockets, along with simple aesthetician procedures like hyaluronic acid injectables, (minimal) botox too has become exceedingly popular amongst people in their 30’s.
I Hacked My Way Out Of 2021, WBU?
In the age of connectivity, aka reels and TikTok, ‘hacks’ are the new go-tos for any skin issue faced. I mean, before going to a dermat, who hasn’t tried out hacks at home first? Seemingly simple, but insanely effective, is the only justifiable way to describe some of these hacks. Slugging, warming your hands before application for better product absorption, castor oil for eyelash growth, oil cleansing before washing your face to remove pesky blackheads, and depuffing, are just a few amongst the many hacks that pop up on the daily.
Photos: Instagram, Pexels
