My 16-year-old cousin texted me last night panicking about her back-to-school beauty haul. She’d loaded her cart with three anti-aging serums and was dead set on a 12-step routine to fit in with her friends. I thought back to my first college year in 2017, when I showed up with only a too-light drugstore concealer and nothing else. Turns out, the only non-negotiable she actually needs is a good cleanser. No fancy, overpriced products. Just something that keeps her skin healthy. I talked her into ditching the serums and adding that to her list instead. It’s logical, cost-effective, and way less stressful.