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This Clean, Sustainable Skin-Care Brand Is A Minimalist’s Dream

It offers a compelling case for scaling back your current routine.

by Lindsay Cohn
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
Caroline Tompkins / Refinery29 for Getty Images/Refinery29/Getty Images

Truth be told, as a beauty enthusiast, even I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of products and potions some dermatologists, supposed beauty experts, and influencers suggest I slather on every day. So when a new brand — and a clean beauty brand at that — promises that they can drastically simplify my skin care routine, I’m definitely listening. Romer Skincare, you have my attention.

I never got into the whole 11-step skin-care routine. Don’t get me wrong: I love trying out new products. And more power to anyone who can commit to spending 30 minutes in the bathroom before work. But personally, the prospect of applying nearly a dozen different products all with unique instructions just doesn’t seem doable. I, honestly, feel exhausted just thinking about it. And I’m not the only one.

“The beauty industry has been built off of excess for decades. In my experience, hordes of products rarely worked and ended up sitting on my bathroom shelves for months,” explains Lauren Rome, founder of Romer Skincare. “I built the brand to alleviate what we call ‘product exhaustion.’”

That aforementioned brand aims to slim down skin care to products that can onto fit on a single shelf for a routine that’s ultimately simple yet effective. Think: the routine of a minimalist’s wildest dreams.

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The Pared-Down Products

In keeping with this “less is more” approach, there are just three products in the Romer Skincare line: a cleanser, moisturizer, and night treatment mask. All of which, it’s worth mentioning, are eco-friendly and sustainable. The production and packaging of the formulas is carbon-neutral, plastic-neutral, and water-neutral, while the potions themselves only boast clean and non-toxic ingredients.

The Nourishing Gel-Oil Cleanser is powered by manuka honey, aloe vera, calming calendula flower oil, and energizing coffee extract. While the moisturizer, Romer’s All Day Hydrating Lotion, gives skin a hit of hydrating hyaluronic acid, nourishing shea butter, and balancing jojoba oil. (You won’t find any parabens, phthalates, drying alcohols, or synthetic fragrance on any of these ingredient lists.)

The Streamlined Routine:

You can use the products all together as a no-fail system or slot them in as essential powerhouses to your existing regimen.

If you want to boost your a.m. skincare situation without spending a ton of time, money, and energy, then make Romer’s cleanser and moisturizer your new dynamic duo.

Start by dampening your face and hands and working the gel-oil cleanser into a lather before massaging onto skin. While washing away dirt and oil, the formula simultaneously hydrates (thanks to that manuka honey), soothes (shoutout to that calendula flower oil) and refreshes skin with green tea and coffee.

After rinsing and patting dry, apply one to two pumps of the All Day Hydrating Lotion. The hyaluronic acid serves as a drink of water to thirsty skin, while rosemary oil helps control acne and oil production, and antioxidant seed oils protect your dermis from free radicals.

And just like that — you’re done!

The Bottom Line:

I’m not exactly what you’d call a minimalist (as my packed medicine cabinet would indicate). However, I do see a great deal of value in a pared-down routine. In fact, Dr. Tiffany Clay, M.D., FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in Atlanta, recently shared her prediction with Bustle that multitasking, streamlining formulas will be the one buzziest beauty trends in the coming months.

In a world of overconsumption and multistep skincare routines, it’s important to remember that it’s actually possible to pull it back with great success. Plus, the mindset of simplicity sits as a welcome contrast to the budget-busting and time-consuming regimens you might see on TikTok or Instagram. Great for social media, not so much when you’re running out the door to make a breakfast meeting.

I say make room in your bathroom for these Romer multitasking formulas. After all, it’s not like these petite bottles take up much space!

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