How Long Does a Skincare Routine Take? About 90 Seconds a Day

Short version: a skincare routine that works takes about 90 seconds a day. Roughly 45 seconds in the morning, 45 at night. If your routine takes longer than brushing your teeth, it has too many steps in it and you will stop doing it.

The 90 seconds, step by step

Morning: 1, 2, 3 (about 45 seconds)

• 1. Wash: 20 seconds. Wet face, cleanser, massage, rinse. No.1 Day Cleanser.
• 2. Serum: 10 seconds. Two or three pumps, press in. No.2 Day Serum.
• 3. Moisturise: 15 seconds. Face and neck. No.3 Day Moisturiser.

Night: 4, 5, 6 (about 45 seconds)

• 4. Wash: 20 seconds. Same as the morning, this time removing the day. No.4 Night Cleanser.
• 5. Eye cream: 10 seconds. Ring finger, pat around each eye. No.5 Eye Cream.
• 6. Night oil: 15 seconds. Two or three drops, press in. No.6 Night Oil.

Put the kettle on before step 1. It has not boiled by step 3.

Why longer routines take longer than you think

A ten step routine is not ten times 10 seconds. It is finding the right bottle, reading the label, waiting for one layer to dry before the next, and deciding whether tonight is a mask night. That is five minutes, twice a day, and it is why those routines end up abandoned in a drawer. Numbering the products removes every one of those decisions. You do not choose. You count.

What if I only have 30 seconds?

Wash and moisturise. Steps 1 and 3 in the morning, 4 and 6 at night. Better than nothing, and the serum and eye cream are there when you have the other 15 seconds.

Does doing it faster make it work less?

No. These products are made to be pressed in and left, not massaged for minutes. The thing that makes a routine work is not how long you spend on it, it is whether you do it every day. Consistency is the active ingredient.

The routine built for 90 seconds

Six products, numbered 1 to 6, so there is nothing to think about. The Full Routine Set is £49.99, down from £89 (£120 if bought one by one), or £44.50 for your first box on subscription. Morning only: AM Routine Set, £50. Night only: PM Routine Set, £50.

New to all this? Start with men's skincare for beginners. Want the full breakdown? The 6 step skincare routine for men.