Why three products
Complexity is what kills most routines. A ten-step regimen abandoned after two weeks does nothing for your face, while two steps kept up for years do a great deal. Skin responds to consistency over months, not to effort over a weekend, so the right routine is the one short enough to survive a late night, a hangover and a business trip. Buy everything fragrance-free. Perfume adds nothing to how a product works and is one of the commonest causes of irritation, and the unscented version costs the same.
The sequence
- Wash with a gentle, non-foaming or low-foaming cleanser and lukewarm water for about thirty seconds, morning and night.
- Pat your face dry with a clean towel, leaving the skin slightly damp.
- Apply a plain moisturizer within a minute or so, while that dampness is still there to be sealed in.
- Finish, in the morning only, with a broad-spectrum sunscreen rated SPF 30 or higher.
Bar soap made for the body is too harsh for the face. If your skin feels tight and squeaky after washing, the cleanser is stripping it, and you should switch to a milder one instead of adding more moisturizer to repair the damage.
Sunscreen is the one that matters
Much of what people call aging skin is accumulated sun. Use about a nickel-sized amount for the face, and do not forget the ears, the back of the neck and a thinning hairline or scalp. Outdoors for the day, reapply every two hours and after swimming or heavy sweating. A moisturizer with SPF 30 built in is a fair shortcut for an office day, provided you use enough of it.
What to add later, if anything
Give the basic routine three months before judging it. After that, the only additions with strong evidence behind them are a retinoid at night for texture and fine lines, and a salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide product for breakouts. Introduce one new product at a time, two or three nights a week at first, so that you know what caused any redness. Acne that scars, a rash that persists, or a mole that changes shape, color or size is a matter for a dermatologist, not for another product.
Tip Change your pillowcase weekly and keep your hands off your face during the day. Both cost nothing, and both do more for breakouts than most products sold to treat them.
