📅 Daily — Morning (Non-Negotiable)
Cleanse → Serum (Vitamin C or niacinamide) → Moisturise → SPF 50. This takes 3–4 minutes. Every day, no exceptions. Protects your skin from daily UV and pollution damage. ☀️
📅 Daily — Night (Non-Negotiable)
Cleanse (thoroughly — double cleanse if using SPF or in polluted city) → Treatment serum → Moisturise. The night cleanse is arguably the most important skincare step of the day. Removing the day's damage — sunscreen, pollution, oil — allows your skin's overnight repair to function properly. 🌙
📅 2–3x per Week — Active Treatments
Retinol Nights (2–3x/Week) 🌙
Apply retinol after cleansing, 2–3 nights per week when starting (not consecutive nights). As skin adapts over months, can increase to nightly. Never use retinol in the morning. 📅
AHA Exfoliation (2–3x/Week) ⚗️
Glycolic or lactic acid toner or serum, on nights when not using retinol. Space between retinol and AHA use — don't apply same night when starting out (too much exfoliation). Or use your BHA serum on these nights if you have oily/acne-prone skin. 🔄
📅 Once per Week
Clay mask (Sundays work well): 10–15 minutes on clean face. Absorbs excess oil, clears pores, removes surface impurities. Follow with serum and moisturiser. 💚
Sheet mask or hydrating mask: if you have dry or dull skin, a hydrating sheet mask once a week provides a noticeable boost. Good before events or important meetings. 💧
📅 Once per Month
Inventory check: are your products running low? Are any products past their PAO (period after opening) date? Replace expired products — oxidised Vitamin C or old retinol is ineffective.
Progress assessment: take a photo monthly in consistent lighting. You'll see improvement more clearly than daily mirror checks. 📸
⚠️ Scheduling Mistakes to Avoid
Using retinol and a strong AHA on the same night. Using a clay mask daily. Exfoliating in the morning without SPF. Using a scrub and a chemical exfoliant in the same routine. More is not better. 🎯
🎯 Your Weekly Cheat Sheet
Monday: AM routine + Retinol night. Tuesday: AM routine + AHA/BHA night. Wednesday: AM routine + Niacinamide night. Thursday: AM routine + Retinol night. Friday: AM routine + AHA/BHA night. Saturday: AM routine + Niacinamide night. Sunday: AM routine + Clay mask + Niacinamide night. Consistent. Simple. Powerful. 💪