Building a three-step routine you will actually keep
Ten-step routines are a lovely idea and a terrible habit. Here is how to build a three-step morning and evening that is gentle, effective and survives a busy week.
The best skincare routine is the one you actually do. A gentle three-step routine done every day will always beat a ten-step routine you abandon by Wednesday. Here is how we help customers build one at the atelier.
Morning: cleanse, treat, protect
Cleanse gently, or just rinse with water and a konjac sponge if your skin is dry. Apply one treatment step, usually a hydrating moisturiser with a little Vitamin C to brighten. Then, without exception, sunscreen. In Malaysia, daily sun protection is the single highest-impact anti-ageing step there is.
Evening: cleanse, treat, seal
Cleanse properly at night to remove sunscreen and the day. Apply your active treatment, whether that is a facial oil, a gentle exfoliating step a couple of nights a week, or an eye serum. Then seal with a moisturiser or a few drops of oil so your skin repairs overnight.
Add slowly, subtract quickly
Introduce one new product at a time and give it two to four weeks. If your skin reacts, take the newest thing out first. Most "my skin hates everything" spirals come from adding three actives in the same week and losing track of which one is the culprit.
Let the season lead
Air-conditioning and travel dry the skin; humidity and heat load it with sweat and oil. A good routine flexes: a richer oil in a cold office, a lighter gel-cream on a humid weekend. You do not need two full shelves, just the sense to reach for the right one.
If you would like a routine mapped to your own skin, our Routine Builder walks you through it in a minute, and every recommendation is something you can also just ask us about.
Rachel LaiFounder & Formulator, Nova
