The face care essentials come down to four steps, in this order: wash, mist, gel, then serum or oil, with sunscreen on top in the morning. Each step does one job, and each takes less than a minute. This is the same sequence as our Facial Must Have Bundle, and below we walk through what goes on at each step, how much to use, and which steps you can drop on a rushed day.
Step one: wash with a cream, not a foam
Run a little warm water over your face and press the Rose Face Wash Cream into damp skin. It melts and spreads like a lotion, then rinses away clean. The point of a cream wash is that skin feels clean afterward without feeling tight.
Its base comes from our own soapmaking, softened with glycerin and sorbitol, with rosehip seed oil, shea butter, finely milled oat, calendula and Kalahari melon seed oil. A light note of rose sits on top. It was made for dry, normal and sensitive skin, and it is gentle enough to use morning and night.
How much: enough to cover your face in a thin layer. Massage, rinse, and pat dry, leaving skin slightly damp for the next step.
Step two: mist with rose water
Hold the Rose Petal Mist Face Toner at arm's length and press. A fine, cool cloud settles over your face. It begins with rose flower water, the water left behind when damask rose petals are steam-distilled, and the formula is kept short on purpose.
As a step, the mist is the gentle pause between cleansing and serum. Skin feels fresh, supple and a little dewy within a breath, and looks lightly hydrated and ready for the next layer. It is made for normal, dry and sensitive skin.
How much: a few spritzes. Keep the bottle nearby for a midday refresh, too.
Step three: a thin layer of gel
Smooth a thin layer of Detox Gel over face and neck. It is a light, clear aloe gel that melts in within seconds and leaves skin feeling fresh and lightly hydrated, never tacky. Shea butter adds a little cushion and tea tree oil gives it a crisp, herbal scent.
The gel sits between toning and moisturizing. Its job is to give the serum something fresh to glide over. Our product page puts it simply: gel first, serum second.
How much: a thin layer, not a mask. The 4 oz jar is large, so there is no need to ration it.
Step four: serum or oil
While the gel is still fresh, warm four to six drops of The Royal Kalahari Face Serum between your fingertips and press them into face and neck. This is the serum that won People's Star Beauty Award for Best Facial Care Product. It is a blend of plant oils led by Kalahari melon seed oil, a light oil rich in linoleic acid that helps skin hold moisture, with baobab, camellia seed, passion fruit seed, tamanu and mongongo oils and vitamins C and E. It has no added fragrance and sinks in without a greasy feel.
If you would rather wear a single pure oil, any of our five face oils can take this step. Squalane is the lightest, rosehip suits a dull or tired-looking complexion, and marula, plum and sea buckthorn give more cushion to dry skin. Use the same pressing motion, and follow the amount on each bottle, usually two to six drops.
Sunscreen in the morning
None of these four products is a sunscreen. In the daytime, finish with one, as the last layer after the serum has sunk in. At night, the routine stops at step four.
What to drop on a busy day
Not every morning allows four steps, and the routine still works when you shorten it. If you only have time for two, wash and serum. If you have three, add the gel before the serum, which is the order in our Dream Routine: wash, gel, serum. The mist is the easiest step to skip and the nicest one to come back to.
On the other hand, if your skin is very dry, nothing stops you from adding one step at the end. A few drops of Marula Face Oil pressed over the serum at night help keep the evening's moisture in.
Sets that follow these steps
We put the steps together in sets so you can start the routine in one order:
- Facial Must Have Bundle: all four steps, wash, mist, gel and serum.
- Dream Routine: three steps, wash, gel and serum.
- Royal Kalahari Face Serum & Detox Gel Bundle: steps three and four, for anyone who already has a cleanser they like.
The wash, mist, gel and serum are all made by hand in our Williamsburg workshop.
Questions about a four-step face routine
Do I really need all four steps?
No. Wash and serum are the core. The gel and the mist make the serum spread more easily and add light hydration, so add them when you have the time or when skin feels dry.
How many drops of the Royal Kalahari Face Serum should I use?
Four to six drops, warmed between your fingertips and pressed into face and neck, morning and night.
Is the routine the same morning and night?
The four steps are the same. In the morning, add sunscreen as the last layer. At night, you can finish with a few drops of a richer face oil such as marula if your skin is dry.
Does it matter whether the gel goes on before or after the serum?
Gel first, serum second. The gel leaves skin fresh and slightly damp, and the serum is pressed in while the gel is still fresh.
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