Morning routine is taking so long!

[LifeInAHamsterWheel]

I'm not sure if I can skip any steps or add products without waiting for each one to fully dry?

First thing I wash my face (with a facecloth) and then apply the following but wait for each to dry/sink in before adding the next:

• L'Occitane Immortelle Essential Water
• Vitamin C serum
• Hydrating serum & eye cream
• Moisturiser
• SPF

And then I do my makeup!! It's taking ages and I'm getting fed up with it. Does everyone use all these products? Do you wait for each layer to sink in before adding the next? Or am I doing it all wrong?

My routine has a similar number of steps and I always let it sink in between layers. I put one layer on, go away and do something, repeat.

I have a similar amount of products I think, it doesn't feel long, although like you I'm letting each layer sit before applying the next one.

The thing is that I'm doing stuff in between layers. Such as preparing coffee, getting dressed, arranging my fringe, putting pyjamas in the laundry basket etc...

Not everyone has so many steps - I just wash my face and then put on either moisturiser or SPF.
But that probably isn't very helpful, as presumably you use these products for a reason! Maybe put on a bit less of each, so they soak in easier?

HOw long are you waiting? I apply product 1 (sometimes a moiusterising serum, sometimes I skip and go straight to vitamin C), then apply deodorant. Then apply next product, then put my HRT gel on. Then moisterise. I don't use a separate SPF as I buy moisteriser with SPF in it.

I also don't wash my face in the morning - just splash with water in shower. And I have no idea what your first product is.

I've just bought one of the wide vacuum push pots for my face creams (like drunk elephant style). One for Day cream and one for night cream. I add all the serums to a squirt of cream on the saucer bit, mix them up to a super cream and add one layer and put on eye cream afterwards. I brush my teeth or put on body lotion whilst the face cream is soaking in.

You mix them all up @EveryDayisFriday ? That's interesting! I have in my mind that they should be applied in a certain order and allowed to sink in but maybe that's just something I've misinterpreted or recalled.

@MrSeptember the first product is a facial toner.

I do busy myself in between, but only because I'm waiting for the products to sink in iyswim, I'd prefer to just lob them all on and go! Maybe I should try it and see if there's any difference in how my makeup sits and how my skin looks after a month.

I try and do something quickly in between.

So - apply Vit C. Then choose what I'm going to wear that day.

Apply serum. Apply deoderant and body moisturiser.

Apply face moisturiser. Get dressed.

Apply eye cream and perfume. Do hair.

Apply SPF. Clean teeth. Do makeup.

I probably only spend 1-2 minutes between applications, but it seems to be enough? The only one that sometimes takes ages to sink in is SPF, and then I might go down and have my breakfast then do my make up later.

Personally I rub some Olay beauty fluid in and get on with my day so obviously not your intended audiences.

Can't you move the skin care stuff into the kitchen, do each layer whilst making a tea, eating breakfast etc and then go back to the bedroom when you need to do your make up.

Can any of it be moved to the evening instead?

I use face wash in the shower then slap on moisturiser with added SPF when I've dried my face. Takes no time at all and I have great skin at age 62. You don't need all that expensive stuff. It's only the cosmetics companies that are winning.

I think the trick is just to do things you're doing anyway - applying body cream, brushing teeth, taking meds etc - between your face things. That works for me and I don't think they have to be perfectly dry either.

I'd skip the toner - not sure it's needed.

So relieved to see your post! This is exactly what I do but feeling a bit worried after reading how much everyone else uses!

Do you really need 2 different serums? I would apply one at the same time as eye cream and get a moisturiser with SPF in it.

I alternate VitC one day, hylauronic acid serum next day
Also have moisturiser with 40 spf so that's only one step

Do you really need a hydrating serum and a moisturiser? It sounds like a marketing con. My routine is:

• Wash with flannel and pat dry
• Vit c drops (clean teeth)
• Moisturiser

Yes this is what I do

100% this. Best case scenario you're losing time and money daily, worst case scenario you're adding cancer-causing agents to your skin.

I'd prefer to use a separate SPF as I use tret at night so need to make sure I'm properly protected.

@ApolloandDaphne Phew! Me too, and I'm 46 with really good skin. I use face wash (Clinique gentle liquid soap) in the shower then the basic yellow Clinique moisturiser, or Ultrasun if I'll be out in the sun or snow.

DM and DMIL, both with lovely skin taught me that the less highly synthetic, fragranced gloop you put on your face, the better. Dermatologists will tell you it's 99.9% marketing gimmick.

OP- honestly, give healthy minimalism a try. Your skin will thank you for it!

I wouldn't use a moisturiser with spf in it either, but you could use a moisturising spf. Avene invisible cream spf50 for sensitive skin is fairly heavy duty. Not the fluid. I still use a moisturiser first though as my skin is very dry, but you might get away with it. I use a good half teaspoon as per guidelines.

For hydrating I use cosrx snail power essence, that sinks in quickly.

Do you really need the make up? Would a tinted SPF do it? I'm fairly sure the avene comes in tinted. La Roche Posey have lots of tinted sun screen too.

There's also a possibility that you could get enough spf by using a moisturiser with spf followed by a primer with spf, I used to use a bare minerals one that i think was called prep step, and lastly a makeup with SPF.

I used to use a heliocare mineral spf that was kind of similar to the bare minerals primer.

Yes to this.

The only thing you really need is sunscreen. Your skin will thank you decades later.

My routine is fairly similar, I do:
face wash
vitamin c serum
moisturiser
SPF (because retinol)

The toner has hyaluronic acid in, so probably doing the same job as the hydrating serum, so you could try skipping that step and see what happens. You could also try alternating your serum so M/W/F do vitamin C and T/T/S do hydrating serum.

Same

I use cleanser then apply moisturiser, then brush my teeth and then apply sunblock. When I use make up, work from home so don’t bother with make up most days, I have breakfast while the sunblock dries. Then apply make up.

I don't let my products drys down I just go for it .
Vit c
Peptide serum
Snail mucin
Moisturiser
And SPF.

But the time I've applied them to my face, put the lid on the first one and opened the next it's pretty much good for the next layer.
I've never noticed any adverse effects doing this

And me - getting ready only takes a couple of minutes