Skinimalism and 4 other anti-mainstream minimalist concepts

Tired of living like everyone else? Here are five anti-mainstream minimalist concepts to inspire interesting changes in your life. 

Of course, minimalism itself is typically considered anti-mainstream or counter-culture. But as it becomes more common, there are a lot of subtypes that are popping up. If going all-in on a minimalist lifestyle isn't for you, maybe these are some ways to give specific areas of interest a try.

1. Skinimalism
2. Childfree
3. Digital minimalism
4. Stoicism
5. Mindful minimalism

1. Skinimalism

Skinimalism is just a term for minimalist skincare and/or makeup. You might be a skinimalist and didn't even know that was the term for it.

If you're someone who currently or previously looked at any skincare or cosmetics prices, I'm sure you noticed that the costs have gone up astronomically over time. I mean, paying several hundred dollars for ONE tiny little container of skin cream? $50 for a tube of mascara? 20-step skincare routines???? 

An article from 2017 I found on Groupon cited a study about how much the average person spends on their appearance. Even back then, the average amount was around $3000 for men with women spending closer to $4000 (non-binaries were not mentioned). That amount included skin treatments, hair care, hair removal, and makeup. More than 1/4 of that amount was spent on the face. Over a lifetime (60 years), that ends up being an estimated $175,000 - $225,000 per year--but there's a flaw in that estimate. It's assuming that the amount doesn't go up, which is ridiculous. I mean, even a cheap haircut these days costs close to $20. I doubt it will be the same amount 40 years from now.

But there's more to the skinimalist movement than just cost. As people become more aware of the consequences of what they put into (and on) their bodies, they tend to take a "less is more" approach. They want the products themselves to be minimalist in terms of their ingredients. 

In my own search for natural products, I've been very disappointed about how little is available that doesn't have something harmful in it, but still is allowed to be sold on the market. Some of the independent third-party organizations that evaluate ingredients like the Environmental Working Group are criticized for being too harsh, but I disagree. If a chemical is even suspected of being harmful to my body or the environment, I want to know about it. I'm not taking chances.

The last reason people go for a more minimalist skincare routine is probably related to all the societal pressure about looks. There is so much value placed on looking perfect on the outside, and there's a lot of elitism involved. Celebrities rake in money by repping products, and then people think that maybe they'll look like celebrities if they spend their money. The problem is, claims made by cosmetic companies are not always backed up by actual testing and science. Depending on where or by whom a product was made, it may not have been tested at all!

If you want to avoid all that drama and rebel against the social "norms" about how we should look, becoming a skinimalist is a good way to do it.

2. Childfree

Whether you love children or they're not for you, I think there's no argument about whether kids add complication to the lives of their parents. Just from my high school babysitting experience, I know how labor-intensive it is to take care of a child. And that was just a small glimpse of the full picture of child-raising.

Other reasons people choose not to have children are financial. I think that's pretty obvious, so I won't go into much detail about that.

Some people also believe that having biological children puts extra strain on the environment and our food supplies. There's some debate on the accuracy of that. It seems like the problem is more about how we manage the food that we grow and what types of food are produced. If the systems were more efficient, then there would be enough food to support the population.

Regardless of the reasons, a lot of people are still shocked when someone says they will not be procreating. Even these days, many people assume that everyone has the desire to be a parent, and that's just not true. 

It's not practical for everyone, either. Many people's financial, career or health situations would be strained by having children, and that isn't good for anyone. Not to mention that there are some people who should never become parents, as evidenced by the neglect and abuse that occurs. 

3. Digital minimalism

The internet can be a stressful place. I've talked before briefly about how I shut down all my social media accounts. I did it because I was tired of all the nonsense, spam, and guerrilla marketing tactics. I also find most of the harmless aspects of social media, like memes and reposts, a huge waste of time.

But a digital minimalist can express themselves in other ways besides eschewing social media. For example, they may have extremely organized and empty email accounts. Their cloud storage has only the basic necessities. They don't keep every single picture they've ever taken on their phones--even the ones they took by accident, or are too blurry to make out.

Digital minimalists can also have minimal apps and software on their devices. Maybe they even have minimal devices, like just a phone, or just a laptop, or maybe a flip phone and a desktop!

It's also about how much time is spent in the digital world. Some digital minimalists prefer paper books over ebooks or painting with real paint over making digital art.

Some people are digital minimalists by necessity. They might have limited access to devices, poor or no internet availability, limited internet bandwidth, or a small amount of data, or an illness or disability that inhibits their ability to spend large amounts of time interacting with devices. So they spend very little time in the digital world and have other ways to occupy themselves.

Lastly, there are those that just don't like spending time in front of a screen. They'd rather be outdoors, talking to friends, or cooking. 

4. Stoicism

Stoicism is not a new concept. It dates back to ancient Greece, and it's all about controlling emotions and thinking rationally. 

Some people might view it as being cold and emotionless, but I see it more as rising above feelings that might cloud judgment and cause mistakes.

How is this minimalist? It's about focusing on making clear-headed decisions and sweeping out any feelings-related cobwebs. If having a healthy relationship with thoughts and emotions is important, then this is a minimalist way to approach life.

The tenets of stoicism include managing expectations, including being realistic about what change you can actually implement in your life. I think a lot of detriment occurs when people put large amounts of pressure on themselves to be different from who they are in incompatible ways. Then they lose sight of their true selves and realize the change didn't make them happy. Impulsivity and grabbing at every shiny object would not be part of stoicism. Taking the time to examine whether something is really what you want and how it will (or won't) add value to your life would be a stoic choice.

Another interesting part of stoicism is striving to live in harmony with nature. At first, I thought this tenet was out of place with the others. But then I read that stoics wanted to gain a better understanding of the universe and everything in it. They felt this was a step toward improving cognitive skills and also a way to better understand the nature of humans. By understanding the world around you, you can then live more harmoniously with it.

Overall, I think it's a very interesting concept, and something that could be useful in a number of different situations.

5. Mindful minimalism

I found some slight variations on the definition of this term, so I'll give you a combo explanation. Mindful minimalism is about letting go of excess so you can focus on the present moment. This allows you to find more peace and purpose in your daily life and remove stress.

I think this concept would be extremely helpful to a certain group of people. I'm thinking of someone who finds themselves counting down minutes, hours, days, etc. until a certain event. Whether it's waiting until it's time to clock out from work, praying for the weekend to arrive, or just barely hanging in there until you can take your next vacation, you're letting large chunks of your life pass you by, dismissing them as unimportant.

Most likely, when that long-anticipated moment occurs, it leaves you feeling unsatisfied. Then it becomes even harder to go back to the rest of your life, and it feels like time drags on forever until the next respite.

It may be difficult for someone in this situation to picture a life where they actually relish their day-to-day activities instead of wishing they were over with. I doubt it would be easy or happen overnight, but I think by adding a zen-like aspect to your minimalism, it is possible.

And if you think about it, nearly all types of minimalism are mindful in some form. Adding that layer of thoughtfulness to your actions is how you start making more informed decisions about what's best for you.