Skinification: Have you started treating your hair and body like facial skin yet?

How many times have you heard from your mothers and grandmothers that certain ingredients are good for the hair, some of the body and some for the face? How many times have routines and treatments been carefully separated for each part of the body? While this has been continuing for a long time, with the emergence of skinification, this division is slowly breaking down. Skinification is the trend of treating your scalp and body skin the same way you treat your face. This trend is an eye opener in many ways.

Why is Skinification becoming the talk of the town?

Those who are deeply into skincare and haircare routines are well aware of this emerging trend of skinification. While one can never tell why a trend is emerging and why it is bidding a goodbye, several reasons here contribute to support it, at least.

Every time you go to purchase a product, online or offline, you minutely go through the ingredient list. This not only gives you an idea of what’s in the product but also you can choose whether you would like to apply them on your scalp or body. With an ingredient- first approach to skincare and haircare products one is now well-aware of what is being applied.

Moreover, instead of following long, boring six or seven step routines, people prefer to keep minimal products which have multi-functional advantages, cutting down time, effort and routine steps to a maximum of two to three. Also, routines are just not about instant goals anymore. People understand that goals and results take time and wait patiently for the results to show. They are geared up for long-term benefits rather than short term rewards.

How to decode Skinification?

Skinification works on certain basic principles.  Here is what makes it special.

Similar Ingredients

Peptides, Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, ceramides are usually terms associated with skincare. But check out any shampoo or conditioner or even body lotions today and they claim to be having the properties of all these terms. A hydrating shampoo today makes the scalp feel fresh, moisturised and hydrated which are similar to the benefits of doing a facial on the skin.

Scalp is an extension of the skin

 The primary principle which sets skinification apart from other major trends is the consideration of the scalp and the skin as being the same. It is seen as an extension of the facial skin and thus making more use of face –related products like exfoliants and serums as part of pre and post wash treatments.

Blurring the line

If you dig deeper into the ingredients and properties of a product, you will seem to notice how lines are blurred between skincare and make-up. Skincare products today like lip-balms are tinted or have SPF’s making sure you get the colour and the protection from the sun. Serums have ingredients like Vitamin C or retinol which is already merging the qualities of make-up and skincare giving rise to multi-functional products.

Skincare is extended to bodycare

While anti-ageing, brightening, barrier-repair or anti-wrinkle properties were earlier associated with face care products, today several body care products like body lotions, body serums, cleansers etc are also offering the same benefits.