Building a simple skincare routine: cleanse, hydrate, protect

Most people do not need a long routine. Three things done consistently — cleansing, hydrating and protecting — cover what everyday skin asks for. The rest is preference.

Why a shorter routine often works better

Every product you add is another chance for something to disagree with your skin, and another thing to run out of. A short routine is easier to keep up, and consistency matters more than the number of bottles on the shelf.

It also makes problems easier to spot. If something stings or your skin looks unhappy, with three products you can work out which one it was.

In the morning

Start with a gentle wash to remove what built up overnight. Follow with something hydrating while the skin is still slightly damp — a serum or a light moisturiser, depending on how your skin feels that day.

Finish with sun protection. This is the step most often skipped and the one that matters most over years rather than weeks.

In the evening

Wash off the day first. Then apply your richer step — a cream, if you use one. The AnsaSkin Beauty Cream label asks for a thin layer about two hours before sleep, washed off the next morning with facewash, so read the directions on whatever you use rather than assuming.

Giving it time

Skin turns over slowly. Give any routine several weeks before deciding whether it suits you, and change one thing at a time so you can tell what did what.