The Caveman Method: A Wake-Up Call, Not a Blueprint

By Paul Teasdale — The Unfiltered Formulator

Between skin minimalism and marketing excess lies the truth.

As a formulator, I find the Caveman Method fascinating. Not because I agree with it. Not because I want to copy it. But because I understand why it exists.

It’s a backlash. A direct response to the bloated, confusing, and often irresponsible state of modern skincare.

And the message behind it is something we need to hear — even if the method itself doesn't belong in a formulation brief.

The Philosophy Has Value

Let’s be honest. The Caveman Method — no products, no washing, no interference — is rooted in something intelligent.

Skin is self-regulating. The barrier can repair itself. The microbiome knows what it’s doing. And in an ideal environment........clean air, nutrient-dense food, low stress......the skin probably wouldn’t need much help at all.

But we don’t live in that world. And that’s where this philosophy collapses in practice.

In an ideal world, skin might not need help. But that’s not our reality.

Formulating for the Real World

Here’s the truth formulators need to embrace:

We’re not formulating for primal biology. We’re formulating for modern dysfunction.

Our users live in polluted cities.They don’t sleep. They pick at their skin. They over-exfoliate. Their diets spike inflammation. Their screens disrupt melatonin. Their skin isn’t just exposed — it’s under attack.

This means your job isn’t to “fix” the skin. Your job is to support what evolution can no longer keep up with.

We’re not formulating for cavemen. We’re formulating for skin under siege.

How to Build Formulas That Respect the Caveman Instinct (Without Being Caveman Stupid)

You don’t need to formulate 12-step routines to do this right. But you also can’t build meaningful skincare by just selling a jar of nothing and hoping for the best.

Here’s how to find the formulation middle ground:

✅ 1. Strip the Non-Essential, Not the Functional

Use fewer ingredients — but every one of them must earn its place. Avoid overloaded INCI lists full of 0.001% fairy dust claims. Prioritise biologically relevant concentrations, not trend-chasing.

✅ 2. Think “Microbiome-Aware,” Not “Touch-Free”

You don’t need to sterilise the skin — but you also can’t leave it to fend for itself in a polluted environment.

Build formulas with:

• Prebiotics or postbiotics (no hype, just solid support)

• Mild surfactants with proven tolerance

• Buffering agents to maintain acid mantle pH

✅ 3. Rethink Cleansing

This is where the Caveman Method has a point. Most cleansers are overbuilt. Look at amphoteric surfactants, cleansing oils with balanced emulsification, or non-foaming cream cleansers that remove debris without stripping.

And stop using fragrance in cleansers. It’s 2025.

The best cleansers don’t strip. They simply support.

✅ 4. Keep Barrier Support Minimal and Strategic

If the skin is inflamed, simplify. Use ingredients that mimic or modulate the skin’s natural lipid matrix — ceramides, phytosphingosine, cholesterol esters — but don’t dump them into every product just for label appeal.

Pair with low-level humectants. Urea still deserves more respect.

✅ 5. Know When to Say No

Some skin doesn’t need actives. It needs stability. If you’re working on products aimed at irritated, acne-prone, or minimalist users — drop the retinoids, niacinamide, or acids unless they have a clear purpose.

It’s okay to build a product that does nothing extraordinary — as long as it supports skin function consistently.

Final Word for Formulators

The Caveman Method isn’t a strategy — it’s a signal. It’s telling us that consumers are burnt out, confused, and looking for trustworthy simplicity.

So don’t mimic the method. Learn from it.

Build products that:

• Assume modern skin is under stress

• Support what the skin is already trying to do

• Respect biology without overpromising

• Work quietly and reliably in the background

Because the future of skincare isn’t more steps. It’s smarter steps.

This isn’t minimalism. It’s maturity.

Paul Teasdale Cosmetic Chemist. Strategic Partner. Unfiltered Voice of Formulation.

Formulate like you respect the skin. And the world it lives in.