Less is more: A beginner's guide to skin fasting

Is your skin feeling sensitive or reactive? It could just be overwhelmed by too many active ingredients. The solution here isn’t adding a new product, but rather strategically removing things from your routine.

This is the core principle of skin fasting, a concept that encourages a temporary break from your usual skincare regimen to allow your skin’s natural barrier to rebalance and breathe. Think of it as a structured way to give your skin the reset it needs.

Your skin sends clear signals when it’s stressed and overwhelmed, so it’s important to keep an eye out for these signs: your skin stings or turns red when you apply products you previously tolerated; you notice small, textured bumps, even though you’ve been diligent with exfoliation; your skin is producing excess oil, which suggests it’s attempting to self-regulate due to a compromised natural barrier from product overload; and lastly, the serums and moisturisers you use don’t seem to be as effective as they once were.

How to implement a skin fast

Before expecting instant results, it’s important to understand that skin fasting is not a permanent solution but a strategic, short-term measure. The goal is to simplify your routine to the bare essentials, giving your skin time to balance and heal itself.

A fast should typically last between 24 to 72 hours. Extended periods are not recommended unless advised by your dermatologist, as they can lead to dehydration.

The dry method: The most traditional approach involves using only water for cleansing and avoiding all toners, serums, and moisturisers.

The ‘minimalist’ method: For drier skin types, you can incorporate a gentle, non-foaming cleanser and a simple, single-ingredient, non-comedogenic oil like jojoba to prevent excessive dryness.

What are the benefits of a skin fast? The primary one is barrier repair. By removing external ingredients, you allow your skin to rebuild its natural lipid shield and restore its optimal moisture balance. Post-fast, your skin will show improved clarity and better receptivity to your products.