The 3-minute morning routine for puffy, sleepy skin

We timed this on a Tuesday with wet hair and no patience, which is the only realistic test of a routine.

The four that matter

Cleanse, treat, moisturise, protect. That is the whole architecture. Everything else sold to you is a variation on one of those four or a way of making one of them feel more expensive.

Morning takes about ninety seconds: rinse, two drops of serum on damp skin, cream, then SPF as the last step. Night is the same minus the SPF, plus the mask if it is a Sunday.

The one that is optional

Masks, essences, toners and the rest are fine. They are not load-bearing. If you are short on time or money, cut from that list first and keep the four.

The most common mistake is not doing too little. It is doing too much, too fast, and then blaming the wrong product when skin gets reactive.