Skin care
Jul 16, 2026
2 min read
Most routines have two steps too many. How Hana decides what stays on the shelf.
Hana Sato
Medical facials
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Iris Calloway
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Bring your products to your first facial. Most people can stop using at least two of them.
In short
Several actives at once irritate faster than they help.
A cleanser, a moisturiser and a sunscreen are most of it.
Add things back one at a time, four weeks apart.
Layers that cancel out
Several actives at once irritate skin faster than they help it. We keep one and pause the rest for a month.
Two exfoliating acids in the same routine
A retinoid on the same night as an acid
A toner that only repeats your serum
Bring everything, even the ones you stopped using.
What stays
A gentle cleanser, a moisturiser you like and a sunscreen you will actually wear. That is most of a good routine.
Anything else has to earn its place. If you can’t say what a product is for, it is usually the first to go.
Nobody has ever come back to tell me they miss their seventh step.
Hana Sato, medical facials
A facial is a good time to see what your skin does with less.
What to add back
One thing at a time, four weeks apart, so you can tell what is doing the work. If your skin reacts, you will know which product caused it.
When to come in
If your skin stings with products you have used for years, stop adding and come in. It is usually a simple fix.
General information, not medical advice. Your clinician will confirm what suits your skin.
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