Your cosmetics are murdering your wallet!

Ms. Li recently did something that shocked her girlfriends—she threw away the cosmetics she had stockpiled, worth tens of thousands of yuan, into the trash. "These bottles and jars are like expired life promises," she wrote on her WeChat Moments. "Do we really need so many chemicals to prove ourselves?"

Post-cosmetics doesn't refer to a new type of product, but a change in consumption concept. It questions the anxiety created by the traditional beauty industry and advocates a return to the essential needs of the skin. According to the data from Zhongshitong Research Institute, in 2023, the search volume for "minimalist skincare" soared by 217% year-on-year, while the sales volume of color cosmetics experienced negative growth for the first time.

• The Movement of Demystifying Ingredients: Mr. Zhang noticed that his wife no longer chased after "mysterious formulas" and instead started researching essence products sold in bulk containers.
• The Return of Instrumental Rationality: Multi-functional products have replaced single-function products, and the sales volume of five-in-one makeup palettes has increased by 89%.
• The Boom of Skin Microbiome: The search volume for probiotic skincare products is three times that of the same period last year.

The latest report from Zhongshitong Laboratory shows that among the skincare products commonly used by ordinary women, the actual effects of 67% of the ingredients are questionable. A dermatologist pointed out: "Most people only need three steps: cleansing, moisturizing, and sun protection. Everything else is a false need created by the business."

• Let Go: Eliminate one product that has never been used up each month.
• Discard: Establish a "Core 5-piece Set" (cleansing + moisturizing + sun protection + 1 functional essence + 1 makeup product).
• Detach: Learn to read the top five ingredients on the INCI list.

A certain consumer wrote on a social platform: "When I stopped using foundation to cover my pores, I actually received more sincere compliments." This perhaps reveals the ultimate paradox of the post-cosmetics era: When we give up on (modifying or adorning), we might actually receive more genuine recognition.

Is it time for your makeup bag to also "shed some weight"? Welcome to share your #post-cosmetics experiment stories in the comment section. The top three with the most likes will receive trial sets of the "Basic Skincare Trio" developed by Zhongshitong.