Maybe it’s because I live in a dorm and avoid hallway bathrooms like art school germ fests, or maybe it’s because old habits die hard—I’ve never really embraced skincare that’s more complicated than a smear here and there.
That includes washing my face, which feels (feels!) like an unnecessary evil that I’ve kind of rebelled against from my daily routine. Washing my face in the morning almost always leaves me with a swamp of foam, and I can’t stand whatever I put on it.
Plus, it’s an extra five minutes of waking up to do something other than eat my Trader Joe’s muffins. Thankfully, the skincare industry has a wide variety of products for those who object to washing their faces that are even simpler than a 13-step skincare routine.
Introducing: These easy-to-use, lemon-squeeze-and-mask skin-repairing wonders that will fix your skin without wasting your time and/or patience.
Disco Kitty Radiance Diamond Peel-Off Mask
Peel-off masks are my lifesaver. They have all the benefits of pore-clearing, minus the cleansing and face-wipes! The Disco Kitten Brightening Peel-Off Mask is my ultimate laziness-skincare nemesis, and it takes my obsession to the next level by (yes) brightening my skin. I can practically see myself in my face when I put it on. If your skincare can’t provide that presence while also clearing your skin, then what is it doing?
Disco Kitten Brightening Peel-Off Mask, $23, available at Ulta Beauty
Milk Beauty Matcha Toner
What’s that noise? Oh, it turns out the Milk Beauty trend is upon us, and I’m happily riding it—all thanks to their Matcha Toner. For those of you who are new to toners, you probably know that toners are usually liquid (!!!) and require you to wipe your face (!!!) with cotton balls and other materials (!!!) to remove impurities… meaning that toners usually require you to go through a tedious transition from dry to wet and back to dry, which is pretty much my main complaint throughout this article.
However, Milk has managed to create a green angel-like toner that oily skin like me can slather on and call it a day. Cheers to spending an extra three minutes cleaning up spilled skin juices in the morning and saving the lives of cotton balls everywhere! *The plastic caps of Matcha Toners are clinking around the world.
Milk Makeup Matcha Toner is $26 and available at Sephora
Cosrx Acne Patches
Some would say that our generation is willing to make mistakes but not the time. For those of us who don’t like to wash our faces, I think we can all agree that these Acne Patches from Cosrx are proof that we don’t know the consequences of breaking the rules of skin care—at least that’s the way it is. Rub one on your pimple and feel the inherent joy that only an acne patch can bring.
Cosrx Acne Patch, $6, available at Urban Outfitters
Klairs Freshly Juice Vitamin Drops
While this serum *does* require a touch-and-go, wet-and-dry approach, I’ll forgive it because I feel like it’s the equivalent of those Flintstone vitamins I threw out as a kid. I’ve also always been a big believer in serums as the solution to 98.5% of my problems, and so far, the Vitamin Drops haven’t let me down. It’s a bit thicker to apply than serums I’ve used in the past; of course, that’s probably because they’re not “freshly squeezed” and aren’t packed with tons of real fruit and plant extracts like serums are.
Klairs Freshly Juice Vitamin Drops, $26, available at Wishtrend
Pearlessence Micellar Water Wipes
I won’t pretend to know everything about micellar water, but knowing that Pearlessence makes it into face wipes—one of my favorite gadgets—is enough to make me consider it a non-face-washing must-have. When was the last time you wiped your face with the latest wellness craze? Or when was the last time you owned a cactus-scented product? Well, it’s almost 2018, and you can have both, without the worry of “cactus-infused water” going everywhere (like your shirt collar, your neck), but gently exfoliating and cleaning your pores.
Pearlessence’s Micellar Water Facial Wipes, $10, available at Urban Outfitters
Kocostar Slice Mask
If you love pre-cut fruit but aren’t too keen on putting a whole sheet of absorbent paper on your face for your skincare routine, this is great! Kocostar’s Slice Mask is a sheet mask shaped like a classic spa cucumber and lemon—the equivalent of a gourmet platter. Simply apply one sheet to your problem areas, and it’s easy to apply without sacrificing comfort (and mobility) for your entire face.
Kocostar’s Slice Mask, $12, available at World Market