The best routine is the one you repeat. A twelve-step regimen abandoned after a fortnight does less for your skin than four steps done consistently for a year.
Morning
- Cleanse — or just rinse with water if your skin is dry
- Mist — rebalances pH and adds a first layer of hydration
- Moisturise — seals that water in
- SPF — the single highest-impact anti-ageing step there is
Evening
Cleanse properly to remove sunscreen and the day’s pollution, mist, then apply a facial oil while skin is still slightly damp. Oils work by slowing water loss, so they need water underneath them to hold in.
Introduce one thing at a time
If you add four products at once and react, you will not know which one did it. Leave two weeks between new introductions.
What actually needs to be expensive
Very little. A gentle cleanser and a good sunscreen matter more than an expensive serum. Spend where the formula does real work — a cold-pressed oil, for instance — and save on the steps you rinse straight off.