How Many Steps Are Excessive in Your Skincare Routine?

An artfully arranged shelf of serums and tonics may photograph well, but a routine that photographs well is not necessarily one that performs. In Dr. Hannah Kopelman’s view, once a routine exceeds five or six steps, especially when it involves multiple actives, it often begins to work against itself. This kind of overload may leave the skin dry, reactive, and prone to flare-ups, including stinging and unexpected breakouts. “Patients double up on exfoliating acids and then wonder why their skin barrier is completely wrecked,” remarks Kopelman.

But the issue isn’t only excess. Ingredient interaction can be just as harmful. Some ingredients, when combined, cancel one another entirely. Kopelman uses benzoyl peroxide (the acne-busting antibacterial) and retinol (the gold-standard anti-aging and acne treatment) as an example, because benzoyl peroxide acts against retinoids. Other combinations, such as pairing a vitamin C serum with niacinamide, can compromise each other’s results depending on the formulation and timing. What we don’t want is a chemical stalemate.

And in the absence of an obvious reaction — no peeling, no redness, no rash — subtle sabotage may still be underway. Kopelman reminds us that dullness and clogged pores can be indicators that you are “just wasting time and money on steps that aren’t actually necessary.”

In this age of overconsumption, it might come as a shock that a well-constructed routine doesn’t begin with 12 steps. For Dr. Hannah Kopelman, the essentials are trifold: “cleansing, moisturizing, and sun protection.” These are non-negotiable. “Once you have those locked in, then you can think about adding treatments for specific concerns, like acne or pigmentation.”

But even then, additions should be made with precision; layering on is only worthwhile when it serves a deliberate function. Kopelman tells her patients, “Be intentional. Every product you use should have a clear focus,” and any other steps should be selected with care, not out of habit, nor out of hype. “Good skin is a marathon, not a sprint,” she reminds us, “and honestly, sometimes less really is more when it comes to skincare.”