For years, the skincare world seemed obsessed with the idea that more was better. More products, more steps, more actives, with skincare routines becoming increasingly elaborate in the process.

For a long time, I bought into that idea myself. The space around my bathroom sink slowly filled with products promising brighter skin, smoother texture, or some new version of optimisation, yet my skin rarely seemed happier for it. The more active-heavy my routine became, the more reactive and unpredictable my skin started to feel, especially during travel, seasonal changes, or periods of stress.

Eventually, I found myself moving in the opposite direction. Less layering, fewer harsh actives, and products that felt calmer, easier to live with, and far less exhausting to maintain.

Across boutique hotels, wellness spaces, and everyday routines alike, simpler formulations and plant-based skincare are becoming part of a broader move toward products that feel easier to integrate into daily life. Less complicated, less aggressive, and in many cases, simply more enjoyable to use consistently.

For me, the appeal was never really about chasing trends. If anything, it's the opposite. I think a lot of us are becoming more selective about what earns a permanent place in our routine and whether a product genuinely improves the day-to-day experience of using it.

Somewhere in the middle of all that, I also found myself repeatedly returning to one Australian skincare brand in particular. Not because it promised dramatic results, but because my skin seemed noticeably calmer every time I simplified my routine back down to those products again.

For a while, skincare started feeling increasingly complicated. Layered routines, active-heavy formulations, and shelves crowded with products all became part of the aesthetic.

Now, a quieter approach is starting to emerge.

I've become far more selective about the products I bring into my own routine now, particularly formulations that feel balanced rather than overworked. Products that prioritise gentle actives, comfort, and consistency over constant correction tend to be the ones my skin responds to best.

I found myself gravitating more toward simpler plant based skincare products that prioritised formulation quality and skin comfort over the constant push for something new.

Smaller skincare brands often have the advantage of moving at a different pace.

Without the pressure to constantly release new products or reinvent themselves every few months, formulations can stay focused on consistency rather than novelty. Ingredients are chosen more carefully, and products are designed to fit naturally into everyday routines rather than being replaced as soon as the next trend arrives.

That philosophy sits at the core of home-grown Australian brands like Corrynne's Natural Skincare, where Elise Hanley and her husband Mike have shaped the business around a slower, more ingredient-conscious approach to skincare.

I first came across Corrynne's years ago while wandering through Fremantle Markets. At the time, I was cycling through heavily branded products that often looked beautiful on a shelf but felt overly aggressive on my skin after a few weeks of use.

Corrynne's felt noticeably different almost immediately. Simpler formulations, recognisable ingredients, and products that seemed more focused on skin comfort than constant transformation. The lack of excessive packaging around their colourful bar soaps was what initially caught my attention, but the products themselves were what made me keep coming back.

It was also one of the first Australian skincare brands I'd come across that genuinely felt connected to a slower, more grounded lifestyle rather than trend cycles or heavy marketing language.

For Hanley, plant-based skincare was never something the brand pivoted toward. It was simply how the products had always been made.

"We've always believed nature provides an abundance of ingredients to support healthy skin and healthy bodies."

Hanley later explained to me that the minimal packaging of their coconut oil-based soaps and skincare products was also intentional, allowing the brand to focus more heavily on ingredient quality while contributing to less unnecessary waste overall.

Coconut-derived ingredients have stayed relevant within skincare for a reason. They're familiar, functional, and tend to create products that feel uncomplicated in a good way.

Rich in fatty acids, coconut-based cleansers and soaps are often valued for cleansing effectively without leaving skin feeling stripped or overly dry, particularly in products designed for regular use.

There's probably a reason coconut-based formulations never really disappeared from skincare in the first place. They simply work well, especially for people whose skin has become tired of constantly jumping between overly harsh or highly active products.

Within Corrynne's range, coconut-derived soap formulations still sit at the centre of many everyday products, from facial cleansers to bar soaps and body products.

Over time, I noticed my skin responding far better to those kinds of formulations as well. Less tightness, less irritation, and far less of that frustrating cycle where products seemed to create new problems they then claimed to solve.

I've also realised the products I consistently return to are usually the ones that feel uncomplicated in the best possible way. Corrynne's coconut-based facial cleansers gradually replaced several harsher products in my own routine simply because my skin tolerated them better over time.

For me, the appeal of the products I keep reaching for on my bathroom counter also extends beyond performance alone. The products felt straightforward in a way a lot of skincare no longer did.

I used to think essential oils in skincare were mostly about fragrance, but over time I started noticing how much the sensory side of products actually affected whether I enjoyed using them consistently.

Lavender is still closely associated with calm and relaxation, citrus oils with brightness and energy, while deeper oils like sandalwood and patchouli tend to bring a more grounding feel to products.

In skincare, those ingredients do more than add fragrance. They shape the overall experience of using a product, especially within routines people return to daily.

Over time, I became far more aware of how much the sensory side of skincare affected my own routines. Lavender-heavy products gradually became part of my evening routine almost automatically, while brighter citrus oils felt better suited to mornings or travel when everything started feeling a little flat and recycled.

At Corrynne's, essential oils are selected with formulation purpose in mind rather than excess.

That more restrained approach feels increasingly aligned with where skincare itself seems to be heading overall. Products that feel calming and enjoyable to use without becoming overwhelming.

More than anything, I think a lot of us are getting tired of skincare that feels overly complicated for the sake of appearing advanced.

That shift reflects a broader preference for products that feel refined without becoming overly clinical or performative. Simplicity is increasingly being viewed less as a limitation and more as a sign of confidence in the formulation itself.

Brands like Corrynne's Natural Skincare sit naturally within this movement. Long before plant-based skincare became part of the broader shift back toward gentler routines, the brand had already built its approach around recognisable ingredients, smaller-scale formulation, and products designed to feel consistent rather than trend-driven.

After years of skincare being marketed through intensity and endless optimisation, I think part of the appeal of plant-based skincare now is that it simply feels easier to trust. Not because it promises dramatic transformation, but because the products themselves often feel more comfortable, more intuitive, and ultimately more realistic to live with long-term.

Looking back, I think that's probably why Corrynne's stayed with me after first stumbling across the brand at the markets. At the time, I was surrounded by products pushing stronger actives, longer routines, and constant correction, while my own skin was becoming increasingly reactive the more I chased those results.

What initially felt simple about Corrynne's now feels surprisingly aligned with where my own approach to skincare has ended up.

Fewer products, gentler formulations, and routines that feel good to come back to, rather than routines that constantly demand more from your skin.

And honestly, my skin has been noticeably happier since I started moving in that direction too.