Skinimalism & Why Less Is More: How a Minimal Skincare Routine Transformed My Skin

After years of elaborate routines as a holistic esthetician, I pared my skincare down to three simple steps after becoming a mom and my skin completely transformed. That discovery inspired Betsy Botanicals, a skincare line built on the belief that less truly is more.

If you had told me a few years ago that I’d build an entire skincare company around a three-step routine, I would’ve laughed. As an esthetician with over twenty years in the industry, my bathroom counter used to look like a miniature spa. Serums lined up in droves, exfoliants for every day of the week, masks for every mood. I believed more steps meant better skin. Then I had a baby.

Suddenly, time became sacred. I didn’t have thirty minutes to layer products and wait between steps. I was lucky if I could even shower and wash my face before nap time ended. So I stripped everything back and pared down my routine. Completely by accident, by three-set skincare routine was born. I had already been making my own skincare for about a decade, so I whittled things down even farther to my absolute favorite ingredients so that I could get them all in, in a fraction of the time. I used a simple oil cleanser, a few drops of organic rosehip seed oil, and a whisper of tallow balm before bed. That was it.

And something surprising happened. My skin got better.

The redness and sensitivity I used to constantly battle started to calm. My debilitating postpartum cystic acne completely cleared up. The texture of my skin evened out and my hormonal dry patches went away. My skin looked balanced and radiant, not from over-exfoliating or chasing the newest trend, but from giving it space to breathe. That moment became the heart of Betsy Botanicals: the realization that true skincare doesn’t have to be complicated, it just has to be intentional.

Skinimalism, as it’s now called, is really about that intention. It’s about understanding that fewer, higher-quality products can do more for your skin than an overflowing cabinet ever will. Your skin doesn’t thrive on constant correction, it thrives on nourishment, rest and simplicity.

At Betsy Botanicals, everything we create is built around that philosophy. When you feed your skin organic, unrefined ingredients, pure oils full of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and plant-based nutrients, you’re giving it everything it needs to repair itself naturally.

A minimal skincare routine isn’t about doing less for your skin; it’s about doing the right things in the right order. Start with a gentle oil-based cleanser that removes makeup and impurities without stripping your barrier. Our Cleansing Oil, made with baobab and jojoba, melts away buildup while leaving your skin supple and hydrated.

Next, apply a few drops of your favorite facial oil. I alternate between rosehip seed oil for renewal and plum seed oil for softness and balance. They absorb quickly, restoring nutrients and supporting collagen while bringing that natural, healthy glow back.

Finally, seal it all in with a layer of our Whipped Tallow Balm, rich in argan oil for elasticity and barrier repair. It locks in hydration, protects against moisture loss, and gives your skin the breathing space it needs to heal overnight. That’s it. Three simple steps that changed my skin more than any complicated routine ever did.

When I simplified my own regimen, I found that my skin wasn’t the only thing that changed. My mindset did too. What started as a time-saving necessity became a grounding ritual. Something deeply restorative and almost meditative at the end of each day. I didn’t realize it then, but those quiet moments, the scent of the oils, the texture of the balm, the simplicity of it all, became the foundation for Betsy Botanicals.

Now, minimalism in skincare isn’t about following a trend; it’s about coming home to what works. Dry or mature skin thrives on richer blends like tallow and argan, while sensitive skin leans toward the calming nature of rosehip and plum. Oily or breakout-prone complexions benefit from jojoba’s balancing magic. Each oil offers something unique, but together they create the kind of balance our skin has always been craving.

True transformation happens when your skin feels safe. When you stop overwhelming it with actives and give it nourishment instead, it responds with calm, clarity, and radiance. A minimalist routine doesn’t mean less care, it means smarter, more intentional care.

If you’ve been craving a simpler, more grounded way to care for your skin, this is your invitation to pare back. Trust your skin. Trust nature. Three or four intentional products can deliver everything you need for hydration, strength, and glow. With organic rosehip seed oil, plum seed oil, argan, baobab, and jojoba, you’re not just simplifying, you’re creating space for your skin to thrive.

That’s how Betsy Botanicals was born. Out of exhaustion, curiosity, and a quiet realization that sometimes, doing less is the most nourishing thing we can do. That applies to skincare routines and really, doesn't that kind of apply to life too?