7 Things That Cut Down My Skincare and Makeup Products

I Want Solutions. Not Time And Money Lessons.

Over the years, I found myself overwhelmed by the sheer volume of skincare and makeup products I had accumulated. What started as a quest for beauty turned into a cluttered, exhausting routine that did not necessarily make me feel better—just busier and poorer. I was always experimenting, layering, and chasing the next miracle product. Eventually, I hit a point where I craved a proper solution for my needs—something that felt more intentional and sustainable.

That is when I focused on what truly worked for me versus trying the latest launches hoping they would work. I discovered that a simplified routine not only saved me time, money, and stress, but actually made me look and feel better overall. From targeted skin treatments to permanent makeup and foundational lifestyle habits, here are the seven changes I made that radically reduced the number of products in my routine—without compromising results.

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Skin Lightening And Evening With Hydroquinone

I have had this issue of a dark collection of melanin around my mouth and nose since I was a teenager, and it was always a subject of issue. Others would bring it up and I felt embarrassed to the point that I felt the need to wear makeup at home with my sweetheart at all times. 

Recently, I found hydroquinone from an online dermatologist prescription called Musely. It has changed my life for the better as I use this skin care product only on a daily basis aside from cleanser and sunscreen. Moisturiser is something I tend to use every other night or less before going to bed. I tend to reach for serums more than anything. Specifically Glow Drops or Vitamin C by Dr. Barbara Sturm. I do not even feel like I really need any of the aforementioned since discovering hydroquinone. You can learn more about it in this post.

Micropowdering Brows

I get my brows micropowdered aka ombré brows, because I have normal skin and it tends to look better and last longer than microblading. Micropowdering also has the appearance of how I would look with brow makeup as opposed to natural hairs, because I have really light hairs on my eyebrows. It was always something I wanted to do as I had to start from scratch with my eyebrows every morning and it happened to be the most time-consuming part of my morning toilette. 

Touch ups are mandatory as I appear healthier with deeper contrast from my Dark Winter tones. I try to go at least every season or so for a touch up. It is uncomfortable, but the result is absolutely worth it. 

I used to have my eyeliner tattooed, but it was so painful doing it even with numbing cream. My eyes watered nonstop and I am not typically sensitive. For that reason, I forego the notion entirely.

Lash Extensions

I succumbed to my old habits of yore. Lash extensions were exciting to me back in the day considering I got the most glam variation of them. They made my eyelashes really stand out, but also look really fake and the lashes completely falling off became a thing of relief. 

Learning to enjoy my natural lashes that are straight and thin actually made me look softer and other people noted that it was more beautiful. However, mascara is the one product that I find to be the most irritating. When it comes to application and wear. It has a tendency to catch a lot of flying dust midair and disrupts the peace of my eyes. It is also messy and no matter how glam I go, I feel like my eyelashes are not as fabulously visible as mascara sells them to be. 

There are so many good lash extension places near me with astounding and a wide variety of looks. I feel like lashes are so much more advanced now than when I had them done 8 years ago. I found some that look incredibly natural and I get endless compliments. My lash lady said I have some of the biggest eyes she has ever worked on/seen, so it was interesting to get her take on all the different lash shapes she wants to try on me. 

I just love looking at my eyes in the mirror now when I do see them. I use no eye makeup, just some highlighter to catch the light every now and again, but my full glam also looks way more dramatic. My sweetheart keeps looking at me adoringly saying how cute they look. That is reassuring. 

This Lip Mask

The CNP Laboratory Honey Lip Butter – Propolis Lipcerin™ 01 Original, Hydrating Overnight Manuka Lip Balm & Mask is a mouthful, so I just call it my lip mask. I use it all hours of the day and it has truly changed my life. I have never used anything like it where there is no peeling of my lips from cheap hyaluronic acid that makes you purchase more lip balm. It also has the perfect dispensing mechanism where I twist what I need and do not waste the product. 

A little goes a long way and this rich formula is not goopy making you lips stick together and have a weird outline after a while. I have nothing but wonderful words for this lip mask, because it makes my natural lip colour underneath look so balanced, plump and healthy without it being crazy overpriced, and you can get it on Amazon. 

My girlfriend suggested this when we were in a Korean beauty shop and said it rivalled Laneige, but it is less than $15. There are other flavours, and I want to try them over time, but I still have not finished my little jar yet! I am thoroughly impressed. 

Sweat for 1 hour daily.

I like to nail the fundamentals as much as possible and make exercise a part of my identity so I do not need motivation at all to get it over with. It is done as naturally integrated into my day as using the bathroom is. I make it simply something need to be done no matter what you I am wearing and what time of day it is. It is easy, to the point, and not a big deal if you do not make it. 

Cardio is my go-to as I walk four miles for 50 minutes or run 6 miles on average. 8 miles if I am pushing it. Then I like to do a leg, butt, and core workout. For some reason core and back workouts come very naturally to me. Perhaps it is the dance background, but it keeps me well balanced, with good posture, and I notice I am not as clumsy as my athletic friends. Also, I used to run until my feet bleed and overwork my body committing to something hardcore everyday. Recently, I learnt that resting in between also gives the best results. 

When I work out, it helps me sleep, feel accomplished, and stay in consistent shape so I can eat whatever I want in moderation whilst feeling strong. It also helps my skin breathe better as my pores open when sweating and I shower immediately after. Also, my skin looks better altogether because my hormones are functioning properly and it reduces the inflammation on my face. 

Get enough good quality sleep.  

I like to get at least 7.5 hours on a bad day and a good 8 hours as much as possible. A third of the day is what best suits my disposition. This is almost everyday. However, I have recently harmonised 2-3 hour naps into my routine after work and it feels like I have an entire second day. I use that boost to get another set of fabulous tasks out of the way and feel even more productive than ever whilst getting plentiful rest. 

Eat a grizzly bear diet.

After having a ranch with 40 cows and all sorts of other fun animals, I appreciated a strict carnivore diet for a long time. Every now and then, our farmer neighbour would share with us some of his overwhelming exorbitance of crops lending fresh vegetables to my diet. In other words, I really love whole foods and the comfort of a warm bowl of rice when I really need it. Red meat and fish are the primary source of my diet and make up 95% of what I eat. Like a grizzly bear, I do like honey as well.

Vegetables are carbs as it is, so I try to limit their amounts along with high calcium greens. When it comes to grains, I like to make all sorts of them by hand at home. Whether it is rice, handmade noodles, and bread – I love cooking it by hand myself. Stores have a tendency to add so much crap chemicals into bread. The same goes for processed noodles to preserve them. I like to make things as fresh as possible by using limited ingredients without preservatives and knowing everything I put into them. 

Save Time, Money, and Stress. 

Simplifying my beauty routine has been one of the most empowering shifts I have made. It gave me back time, energy, and confidence—and taught me to focus on quality over quantity. Rather than chasing endless bottles and jars, I now trust a small set of practices and products that make a meaningful difference.

From committing to deep rest and movement, to finding the right cosmetic enhancements, to embracing real food and effective skincare, this streamlined approach feels aligned with who I am today. It’s no longer about keeping up—it’s about feeling good in my own skin, naturally. If you are feeling overwhelmed by your own routine, I hope my journey gives you some ideas on where to begin.

I have an entire post based on this particular diet that helps you naturally lose weight without giving up sweets and caffeine in moderation. Stay updated here to be the first to know when it is posted!