Why we stop at three steps
Cleanse, treat, moisturise. What each step does, and when a fourth is worth it.
Most skin does well on three products: a cleanser, one treatment and a moisturiser. The routine builder is built around those steps.
Cleanse to take off oil, sunscreen and dirt. In the evening this matters most. In the morning, if your skin is dry, water is often enough.
Treat with one serum, gel or oil aimed at one thing: dullness, shine, dryness or redness. Using one at a time makes it easy to tell what is working. Give it four to eight weeks.
Moisturise to keep water in. The drier your skin, the richer the cream.
The fourth step
In the morning, the fourth step is sunscreen. We do not make one: sunscreens are regulated as drugs in the US and need testing that a small workshop cannot do well. Buy one you like and use it every day, after your moisturiser.
Layering
Thin to thick: gel or serum before cream, oil after serum. Wait a minute between steps if things start to pill.