, 2 min read
Most skin needs less than you think. The evening is when it does most of its repair work, so that is where a routine earns its place. Start with three steps, keep them for a month, and add more only when you know why.
Cleanse
Your skin has collected sunscreen, pollution and the day’s oil, and none of it should stay on overnight. Massage the gentle cleansing gel onto wet skin for a full thirty seconds, then rinse with lukewarm water. Hot water feels good but strips the skin, so keep it warm, never hot.
If you wear heavy make up or water resistant sunscreen, cleanse twice. The first wash lifts the product, the second actually cleans the skin.
Treat
Pat your face almost dry, leaving it slightly damp. Press two pumps of hydrating serum into the skin with flat palms rather than rubbing it in. Hyaluronic acid draws water into the skin, and it works best when there is some water on the surface to hold on to.
This is also the step to change when your skin changes. Shiny in summer? Swap the serum for the balancing tonic a few evenings a week.
Seal
Finish with a pea sized amount of the overnight renewal cream. It holds the serum in and gives the skin what it needs to rebuild overnight. On drier nights, or in winter, warm three drops of the restorative face oil between your hands and press them on top.
What to skip
- Scrubs. Grainy exfoliants scratch the skin. If you want to exfoliate, a gentle acid once or twice a week is enough.
- Too many actives at once. One new product at a time, two weeks apart, so you can tell what helps.
- Rushing. Give each step a minute to sink in before the next one.
