Solid skin care is now a thing, and my carry-on will never be the same

There are three main reasons that most skin-care products meet their tragic, untimely deaths: You accidentally drop and shatter the bottle, you spill them all over your bathroom floor (or in the case of my favorite vitamin C serum, all over SoulCycle’s bathroom floor), or they’re confiscated by a TSA agent, who just doesn’t understand how important your $125 vial of glycolic acid really is. No matter how your fave product kicks the bucket, it’s heartbreaking to say goodbye to your go-to toner, cleanser, or moisturizer before you’ve had the chance to use it to the very last drop.

…And that’s where “solid skin care” comes in.

In an industry that has always been dominated by serums, creams, and “essences,” a new wave of products has cropped up make your skin-care routine more concrete by way of solid toners, cleansers, and moisturizers. Picture the glue sticks you used to use in all of your childhood arts and crafts projects, but instead of Elmer’s they’re chock full of good-for-you ingredients that are easier than ever to apply.

“Solid skin care is becoming trendy because people are craving more simplicity and ease. Not everyone has the time to do 10 or even five steps every single day and sticks are perfect for shortening those steps in a super easy and effective way,” says Sally R. Kim, founder of We Are Wild, a line of solid skin-care products.

I’ll admit that at first, I was a little bit skeptical about solid products, mostly because they reminded me of the SPF 100 sticks I rub all over my face beach, and I was worried that they would leave a weird, gross film that my usual beauty routine decidedly does not. However, I’ve tested out options from We Are Wild and Milk Makeup, and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly both absorbed, and how little grease they left behind. Solids are mess-free and easy to use on the go, which makes them perfect for tossing in your carry-on without having to worry about them spilling out and ruining your luggage, and like, everything you own. It’s the little things.

Solid Skincare

Milk Makeup Macha Cleanser $26

We Are Wild Solid Water Toner $24

Josie Maran Argan Oil Moisturizing Stick $22

Simplifying your skin-care routine is officially a thing. Hop on the latest K-beauty trend, “skip care,” and peep our favorite winter products worth sticking with in your minimalist routine.