Is more always better? Photographer Johel Pereira documents people’s skincare routines

What does your bathroom cabinet look like? Is it full to the brim with products, some a recurring staple and others a half-full beauty pipe dream that turned out to be a let down? Or are you a minimalist, with one or two tried and tested products that you’ve never felt the need to divert from? Well, whatever the case, the photographer Johel Pereira wants to know. His recent series, Behind the Mask, interrogates narratives propagated by the skincare industry and the ever-increasing rate of it pushing products to consumers, under the guise of wellness, all through the lens of individuals’ cosmetic and skincare routines.

Born in London, raised in India and now based in Miami, Johel sees his route into photography as defined by one particular moment – when his uncle gifted him an iPhone 5s. Johel found himself skipping class to explore his local area, “capturing its beauty through the lens of that phone”. He recalls that growing up in India, he was often “disappointed” by Hollywood’s portrayal of India, and he wanted to use his camera as a tool to counter it. The inspiration for Behind the Mask is also rooted in Johel’s personal experiences, specifically his own struggles with acne. “After years of struggling with acne and spending a fortune on products, a simple dermatologist’s routine cleared it up,” he says. “I realised the skincare industry might be a bit exaggerated, with endless products and complicated routines.”

The pressure he felt to “solve” something with over-consumption was something he recognised in younger audiences to an even greater extent. “Social media, with its constant barrage of beauty trends, plays a significant role in influencing these choices,” he says. And so, the question that sits at the core of the series is: is more always better?

To create a sense of “intimacy”, Johel used the close-cut polaroid format, compiled participants’ routines into a still-life ensemble, which he then shone a spotlight on, to enhance the sense of importance these products hold in the user’s lives. The effect is minimalist, yet striking, which evokes similar feelings to moody advertising posters of the early 90s. Johel chose to include the participant’s hand, name and age as a means to start a story, that the viewer can then personally fill in. When did Ashley Cortez, 24, discover hair perfume was a thing? Does Natalie Foucald, 33, really love pink, or is it just a coincidence that all of the products in the shot happen to be the same hue?

As Johel personally knew some of the people involved, he made some interesting discoveries – particularly the routine of his professor, Remijin Camping. “Despite living in Miami, one of the hottest cities in the world, she shared that she doesn’t use sunscreen,” says Johel. And, what’s more, “she relies solely on Dove soap for her face and body”. Johel describes this discovery as a “revelation”, one that entirely changed his thinking about the necessity of complex routines.

The intention of the series is two-sided. On one hand, Johel hopes it might push people to critically engage with their own consumer habits, perhaps pushing them to be more “informed” about their decisions. But, on the other hand, Johel mainly wants the tone to be one that’s positive. “It’s about empowering individuals to embrace their unique beauty and find what works best for them, rather than feeling pressured to conform to unrealistic standards.”