Meanings
- uncommonuncountableAbstinence from skincare products for a determined time period; the temporal reduction or elimination of the use of skincare products.
The trend toward abstinence and “skin fasting” makes sense, especially in response to the recent product mania of 12-step routines that add a new retinoid, face mask, or serum on a monthly basis.
2019 May 22, Rachel Sacks, “I Tried Skin Fasting, the Latest Skin Trend for Clear Skin”, in Healthline, archived from the original on 29 Apr 20242 more examples
In some cases, skin fasting can be as simple as skipping out on skin-care products once a week at night before bed. However, I opted to try out the more intense version where I skipped all makeup and skin-care products other than water and SPF for an entire week.
2022 July 11, Renee Rodriguez, “I Skipped Skin-Care Products For 7 Days to Try TikTok's Viral "Skin Fasting"”, in PopSugar, archived from the original on 29 Apr 2024While proponents of skin fasting might claim that your skin needs time to reset, the delay in results could be frustrating for some individuals who are accustomed to seeing quick improvements from their regular skin care routine.
2023 October 25, Hasina Jeelani, “‘Skin Fasting’ Is Like Putting Your Face on a Strict Diet”, in Glamour, archived from the original on 29 Apr 2024
Cite this entry
skin fasting. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/skin%20fasting
“skin fasting.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/skin%20fasting. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “skin fasting,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/skin%20fasting.
Source: skin fasting on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.