Written by The Strategy

As if keeping up with the Kardashians isn’t enough, we’re constantly trying to “keep up” with our beauty routines; from coconut oil to rose hip oil, primers, serums, and fancy eye creams – there seems to be a new ‘something’ every week, something we NEED in our lives. And let’s be honest, it doesn’t take much convincing. A lovely scented shampoo? Pretty packaging? We’ll take it, despite the four we already have at home.

As we convincingly tell ourselves how vital these products are to our lives, we automatically rule out our chances of having a simplified beauty routine. If cleanser, toner, moisturizer, primer, spf, eye cream, and serum are the essentials, we can forget the concept of the “5 minute face” altogether. It’s just not going to happen.

So then, the power is knowing where to invest your time (and money). Which beauty products are worth investing in? And which smell good, look pretty, but don’t actually do anything for us, despite false claims of being the next best thing? 

See below for the 5 beauty products that you CAN actually live without (yes, you can). We understand that breaking up with your skincare is hard, which is why we’ve kindly replaced them with 5 alternatives that will surely give your skin some TLC. Results guaranteed.



1. Toner
You’ve probably heard this before, and we’re here to justify it’s truth. As far as we’re concerned, toner is something we can all do without, with the exception of those who are wild about feeling ‘tingly’ clean. Though they may feel like they’re working to close pores and remove traces of leftover makeup, toner is no more than a lovely scented bottle of water for your skin. So unless you have a serious commitment to scented water, you can kick this one to the curb. May we suggest Clarins Beauty Flash Balm in it’s place.

2. Hydrating mist
Similar to toner, hydrating mist feels refreshing, but has virtually no real benefits for the skin. Hydrating mist is the equivalent of splashing water onto a beautifully done face, and where’s the sense in that? If you’re going for a dewy look, there are better ways to go about it. Real hydration starts from within by drinking plenty of water. Any moisturizer or serum with hyaluronic acid isn’t be a bad idea either. Try Indeed Hydraluron facial serum for optimum moisture.



3. Neck cream 


Between eye creams, hand creams, and day/night creams, we’ve got a lot of creams going on. And neck cream is just one that we can do without. Because no cream is going to dramatically tighten your neck, you’re better off using a firming moisturizer (the same one you use for your face is just fine) and applying spf daily.



4. Anti-cellulite anything
We’re sad to say, but there is no cream, gel, serum, or anything of the sort that will rid us from our horrendous cellulite. Not only is this the biggest money grab, but it’s just not possible since skincare can only go so deep. Investing in a good body scrub and wash-off tan (optional) is truly you’re best bet in minimizing the appearance of cellulite.

5. Make-up remover wipes
Last, but not least, make up remover wipes, though so prettily packaged, are completely unnecessary, if not, terrible for your skin. Though they may remove some traces of makeup, they do a better job of spreading last night’s makeup – and bacteria – around your face. And if you have sensitive skin, these highly fragranced wipes will do no more than cause irritation, redness, and breakouts. So take the time before bed to really ‘take off the day’ using micellar lotion or an effective eye makeup remover cream (oil based if removing waterproof mascara). No more raccoon eyes.

Written by Shannon Sauder