A short routine in three steps

Most mornings do not need ten products. They need a face that feels clean, comfortable and soft by the time you leave the house, and a routine short enough that you actually do it.

Ours has three steps and takes about two minutes. Here is what each one does, and how to make it work for your skin.

Cleanse, briefly

Wet your face with lukewarm water, massage a hazelnut-sized amount of Gel Cleanser over it for thirty seconds and rinse. In the morning, water alone is fine if your skin feels dry; in the evening, the gel takes off the day.

• Lukewarm water, not hot
• Thirty seconds is enough
• Pat dry with a clean towel, do not rub

Pat in the essence

While your skin is still a little damp, pour a few drops of Milk Essence into your palms and press them over your face. No cotton pad: your hands waste less, and the essence goes where you put it.

“If a routine takes longer than your coffee, you will skip it by Thursday.”

Clara Wendt, founder

Press in the cream

Warm a pea-sized amount of Daily Cream between your fingertips and press it in, from the center of your face outward. Give it a minute before anything else goes on top. On cold or windy days, add two or three drops of Face Oil over it.

Morning and evening

The steps are the same twice a day; only the amounts change. In the morning, a little less cream so makeup goes on easily. In the evening, the full pea-sized amount, and the oil if your skin feels tight after a long day indoors.

• Morning: water or the gel, a few drops of essence, a little cream
• Evening: the gel, the essence, a pea-sized amount of cream, oil if you like

If you are starting out, buy the three together as The Daily Set, which costs $10 less than the three on their own. When the cream runs out, the jar takes a refill; here is how.

Quick answers

Can I skip the essence?

Yes. It makes the cream spread more easily and adds a little more moisture, which most people notice in winter. Cleanse and cream are the two steps we would keep.

Can I use other products with these?

Of course. Put watery products before the cream and thicker ones after it, and give each a minute to sink in.