My Routines
My current skincare routine, written out properly. These change — I update this page when something shifts, with a note on what changed and why. Everything here has survived at least three months of real use.
Morning
4 steps · about 5 minutes-
1
Gentle Skin Cleanser
Cetaphil
Quick, in the shower. I use a small amount on damp skin, rinse without much thought. I don't use a separate morning wash on dry or sensitive days — just water. Nothing to overthink here. It's been my morning cleanser since 2022 and I have no plans to change it.
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2
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
The Ordinary
A few drops, pressed in. I leave it for about a minute before moving to the next step. I've been using this since December and it's one of the things I'd be genuinely reluctant to stop — my skin has been calmer and less reactive since starting it, and I think this is at least partly responsible.
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3
Moisturising Cream
CeraVe
A small amount — just enough to hydrate without creating a heavy base under the SPF. I used to skip this in summer and I shouldn't have. Even a light layer makes a visible difference to how my skin sits throughout the day.
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4
SPF 50+ Fluid
Altruist
The last step. Always last. The most important step in any morning routine, full stop — and this one costs less than three pounds a tube. I apply it generously over my moisturiser and let it absorb before I do anything else with my face. There is no acceptable reason to skip SPF, whatever the weather.
Every single day
Note: I dropped the vitamin C serum from my morning routine in March 2026. My skin has been less reactive since. I'm not attributing this entirely to the vitamin C, but I'm not rushing to add it back.
Evening
5 steps · about 8–10 minutes-
1
Deep Cleansing Oil
DHC
First step, applied to dry skin. I massage it in for about two minutes — around the nose, over the eyes, along the hairline. Then I add a little water, emulsify, and rinse. Removes everything from the day without effort. I stopped double cleansing for a while but kept this one, because the Cetaphil alone doesn't do the same job in the evening.
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2
Gentle Skin Cleanser
Cetaphil
Second cleanse, on wet skin this time. Light lather, rinse. The job here is to remove any residue from the oil cleanser and to leave a properly clean base for whatever comes next. Roughly thirty seconds. No drama.
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3
2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Paula's Choice
Monday and Wednesday evenings only. Applied to completely dry skin after cleansing, using a cotton pad — a small amount spread thinly. I leave it to absorb fully before layering anything else, which usually means about five minutes. More than twice a week is too much for me; I learned that the hard way.
Mon & Wed only -
4
Tretinoin 0.025%
Prescription
Tuesday and Friday evenings — not on BHA nights. A pea-sized amount, spread as thin and far as it will go. I apply it to slightly damp skin and follow immediately with a generous amount of moisturiser. I've been on this since March. Still in the cautious phase, still adjusting frequency based on how my skin responds each week.
Tue & Fri only -
5
Moisturising Cream
CeraVe
Every night — and more on tretinoin nights. I apply it generously over the tretinoin, which is called "sandwich method" and has genuinely helped with the adjustment period. On regular nights, a normal amount. On tretinoin nights, a lot. My skin has thanked me for this.
Weekly treatments
2 treatments · monthly-
S
Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
COSRX
Once a month, on a Sunday. Applied generously and left as a treatment mask for fifteen minutes, then gently tissued off. Consistently leaves my skin looking better the next morning. I was sceptical about the concept for longer than I should have been. It's now a fixed part of my routine — the one thing I do that feels genuinely restorative rather than preventive.
Once a month, Sunday -
G
Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
The Ordinary
Once a month, on a separate occasion from the snail mask. Applied on a cotton pad over cleansed dry skin, left for twenty minutes. I do this infrequently because I'm already using the Paula's Choice BHA twice a week — layering acid treatments too often is counterproductive, and I've learned to err on the side of less.
Once a month