The five benefits of skinimalism

New year, new beauty routine. As we enter 2025, like a bursting-at-the-seams wardrobe the bathroom shelf needs a declutter, too. Even the most die-hard beauty addict can feel product overwhelm when faced with a small army serums, masks and moisturizers. And is an arsenal of products even really necessary?

Absolutely not, says wellness and skincare expert Claire Caddick. A longtime proponent of simplicity, the Welsh founder of spa brand Tribe 517 - found at the award-winning Yorkshire Spa Retreat near Helmsley - rarely needs to detox her personal cabinet. A devotee of pared-back beauty routines, she’s the OG ‘skinimalist.’

After spending 40 years in the spa industry - first as a therapist, then as a manager before progressing to consultancy and brand development - Ms. Caddick has been there, done it, and tried everything, from the strongest Alpha-Hydroxy-Acid to the most Zen of spa rituals. Glowing with energy and radiant from within, the spa pro has learnt from experience that expensive and complicated does not necessarily equal best.

Here are Ms. Caddick’s top reasons for simplifying your skincare routine this new year and beyond:

1. Happier Skin

It goes without saying that throwing a cocktail of chemicals at your face and body is more likely to increase the chance of a reaction. Her personal range is free from additives with a high potentiality for irritation. “With the exception of our pr-vegan collagen cream coming out in spring that has a small amount of cactus water for hydration,” she says, “we use no water or fillers, and there are no preservatives or parabens that could trigger an allergy. Just high quality, active ingredients.”

The idea is that a few optimized essentials are superior to the kind of over-zealous, trendy 12-step routines we’re used to seeing promoted online. Many dermatologists agree that over layering can actually damage the skin’s natural barrier and cause inflammation, actually speeding up the ageing process.

2. Less Expense

Talking from the 300-year-old barn she works from on her farm in rural Wales, just returned from her daily dog walk, Ms. Caddick is typically non-nonsense as she addresses the issue of cost:

“Do you know what? A lot of people, they can’t afford it, all these extortionate products. They want one or two products that will do everything for them.”

When streamlining your kit, look for concentrated, multi-use skincare saviors that act as a cleanser, moisturiser, lip balm and healing salve in one.

“The original Tribe 517 is so called because it has five uses, and seven natural benefits,” Ms. Caddick says. “You don’t need to use a serum with it, because it’s so intensive, and you only need a pea-sized amount for your full face and neck. Or you can use a bit more, and it goes on as an overnight mask, giving that deep nourishment that’s also antioxidant, eating up free radicals.”

According to a skinstore.com survey, the average woman uses at least 16 facial care and beauty products every day; that’s a lot of bottles – and pounds.

3. More Time

While carving time out for skincare can seem like a moment of indulgent self-care, too often it can feel like a chore; another tick off the daily to-do list. Though social media can make it seem like others are diligently cleansing, toning, resurfacing, hydrating and protecting day after day, Ms. Caddick believes this does not reflect reality – even in her industry.

“I wouldn’t be telling the truth,” she admits, “if I said, oh, I do this every week, and I do that every week. Because I don't know, there's plenty of skincare company owners probably saying I do this every Wednesday and this every Tuesday. And I don't think they're telling the truth, to be honest.”

Global research discovered that people worldwide spend an average of four hours a day on enhancing their beauty. Interestingly, the main deciding factor of time spent on appearance wasn’t gender or age, but social media usage.

4. Less Waste

The ugly side of the beauty industry is stark when you consider its environmental impact. Not only are more than 120 billion pieces of plastic produced for this purpose every year - 95% of which is thrown away - products also commonly contain harmful microplastics.

Around 70% of products contain palm oil, contributing to massive deforestation; the industry uses millions of tonnes of water annually, and a huge 88% of products involve animal testing in their creation.

Many forward-thinking brands have taken steps to reduce plastic waste, minimize damage to the planet and ensure no animals are harmed in product development and production, signing up to initiatives such as Ecocert. As a consumer however, the most effective way to take personal responsibility is to not just shop more consciously, but to shop less.

5. A More Holistic Approach

For Ms. Caddick, the switch from using multiple different products to focusing on a few key skincare allies has been freeing. With a packed schedule - when she’s not traveling the UK to different spas, she’s trailing new ingredients and looking after the 120,000 bees on her farm - a complex skincare routine would just not fit in. In winter she uses both a soothing oil and a cream to combat the drying effects of central heating plus the elements, but throughout summer all she’ll apply is a lighter oil, and she’s good to go:

“I change my skincare up and down through the seasons. Make-up, it depends what mood I’m in. Sometimes I feel my face demands it, but on the whole, my skin is quite good to be honest with you.”

Of course, living a healthy, wholesome lifestyle can do more than anything found in a jar. Ms. Caddick eats “just one big meal a day; stir fry or steak, something like that. A protein shake in the morning, and quite often, one in the evening. I’ll snack on nuts and fruit and when I’m being naughty, I’ll snack on chocolate.

“I don’t drink alcohol, or smoke. I only drink water, either boiled or cold sparkling. It sounds like I’m being holier than thou,” she says, “But it’s just what works for me.”

What is absolutely non-negotiable - more than any high-end lotion or potion - are countryside walks.

“I’ve absolutely got to get out and walk my dog, every day. It’s not just getting the steps in; it’s mental health, without a shadow of a doubt. And the fresh air - besides boosting the complexion - is so good for killing those winter infections.”