Between Succession’s vise-like grip on pop culture and Gwyneth Paltrow’s pared-back courtroom wardrobe, the chatter around quiet luxury has been anything but quiet. Countering the sensory overload of logomania and a hedonistic parade of monogrammed everything, the movement invites patrons to step away from the transience of trends and indulge in the timelessness of quality basics. In the realm of fashion, this translates into thoughtfully-chosen staples in muted colours, but can this mindset extend to the world of beauty where a miracle cure-all ingredient or gimmicky sheet mask is clamouring for attention around every corner?For renowned dermatologist, Dr Kiran Sethi, the quiet luxury movement indicates a greater alignment with purposeful beauty. “The days of the 10-step routine are numbered—the key is to do skincare with intention. Rather than confusing your skin with a host of must-have actives, it advocates taking a clear look at the goal for your skin and investing in quality products accordingly,” she says.
Divorced from the showmanship of maximalism, quiet luxury seeks expression in beauty through the vehicle of investment staples that will benefit your skin in the long run. This less-is-more approach means that it is often lumped in with minimalism and normcore—and rather unfairly so. After all, quiet luxury is not merely tethered to price tags; it speaks of a mindset. Consistent facials for well-looked-after skin that doesn’t need to be smothered under layers of concealer. An indulgent cut-and-colour job that complements your face rather than coveting the latest celebrity-inspired hairstyle. A regular manicure appointment, because hand care is just as important as facial skincare.
Beyond mere products and ingredients, quiet luxury finds its provenance in a larger approach to wellness—con-sider indulging your senses with the velvety notes of the Byredo Bibliothèque candle while going about your wind-down routine after work or patting in the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum before resting your head on a silk pillow-case for a restful and regenerative night’s sleep. Instead of chasing after the latest It-product you spied on your favourite influencer’s shelf, the movement posits curating a routine that brings you joy while delivering performance-backed results. It is an awakening that is needed now more than ever, believes Dr Sethi. “We keep getting swayed and bending to the whims of the latest skincare fads on Instagram, but the harsh truth is that our skin is more sensitive, acne-prone and irritated than ever. The irony lies in the fact that despite the increase in skincare awareness, there is still a disconnect in how we treat our skin, with whichever buzzy product is making headlines on any given day,” she rues.
The first step towards reversing this damage lies in seeking the counsel of a trusted dermatologist and making smarter skincare investments that will save you money in the long run, she recommends. By rejecting the blistering pace of trends in the world of beauty and evolving beyond ticking some boxes on an arbitrary checklist of hyped-up names, you might discover something even rarer—the luxury of revelling in skincare for no one other than yourself,
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