Skin Fast or Skin Diet: What Are These New Trends?

The average American woman spends around $300 a month on skincare products. From skin regimens recommended by skinfluencers to following celebrity routines, there's a new skincare routine that's both cost-effective and easy to follow.

'Skin Fasting' was first coined years ago by Mirai Clinical, a Japanese skincare brand. As the name suggests, it means fasting from skincare products so that the skin will self-repair and rejuvenate. Giving the skin a 'reset' from products can help the skin "normalize and regulate itself," according to Vogue.

(Photo : Pexels)

While others may suddenly stop using all products completely and just wash their faces with plain water, Dr. Anjali Mahto believes that this method is not ideal.

"It's not a good idea to cut out all products, even if you are a supporter of skin fasting. Cleansing is an important part of one's skincare routine and removing sweat, dirt, bacteria, grime, and pollution from the skin's surface is useful for personal hygiene as well as prevention of premature skin aging," she said.

Skin Fast or Skin Diet?

People have varying skin types, so a skin fast may be different for everyone. Some may skin fast by removing one or two products or lessening the number of products daily. Others can ditch their routine altogether and opt for just water.

Perhaps Mirai Clinic's theory from almost ten years ago comes at a time when people mostly stay at home during the pandemic. Staying at home is also the best time to test the theory. Before ditching your skincare completely, health care experts recommend that you should talk to your dermatologist before making decisions, especially those with a skin condition.

While many beauty experts are against a complete skin fast and would rather recommend a 'skin diet,' or using fewer products, dermatology nurse Emma Coleman thinks otherwise. 'Skin fasting has its origins in the philosophies of Hippocrates, an ancient Grecian physician who believed that abstinence could lead to body healing,' she said.

In agreement, Dr. Ophelia Veraitch from Cranley Clinic in London described skin fasting as "a way to strengthen the skin's protective barrier, which can be weakened by excessive nourishing, and to rebalance the secretion of oils to support the body's rejuvenation process."

Twin Experiment

To test a more purist view of skin fasting, the Dailymail asked identical twin sisters Anna Kichenside and Sophie Ryan to do a short comparison experiment for 30 days. Their regular skincare routine consists of a gel cleanser, hydrating vitamin E spray, and sunscreen for sunny days before putting on make-up. At night, they use make-up wipes, gel cleanser again, and moisturizer.

For one month, Anna stopped using all her skincare products, including make-up and used only water to clean her face while here sister Sophie continued her daily skincare and make-up regimen. After one month, Anna was 'surprised' that her skin didn't dry out as she expected it would. People have even commented that her skin looked "like it's glowing more... my T-zone does seem a little less oily, and I've saved some cash, too."