Less in the bathroom: a skincare routine with three products

This post describes a short skincare routine in three steps: cleanse, add moisture, put a protective film on top. For each step we name one example from our range and show what is on its ingredient list. It is for anyone who would like fewer products in the bathroom.

Three jobs, three products

A simple routine has three jobs. Cleansing takes dirt, sweat and excess oil off the skin. Moisture means that water and water-binding substances go onto the skin. A film of oils, butters or waxes then slows down evaporation. The guide Humectants, occlusives, emollients explains how these building blocks work together.

Many products do several of these jobs at once. A lotion from a tube, for example, brings water and fat in one step. Here the jobs are kept apart. That way you can make one step stronger or lighter depending on the day, the part of the body and the season.

The routine step by step

1. Cleanse

For hands and body you can use a bar of soap. Our Aloe Vera Soap – Lavender is a classic soap made from saponified plant oils and scented with lavender oil. Classic soap is alkaline, and every cleanser also takes some fat off the skin. So when you wash: lukewarm water, little soap, rinse thoroughly. More on this: Bar soap or liquid soap.

2. Moisture

After washing, the skin is still slightly damp. That is a good moment for a water-based product. The Aloe Vera Serum 99.6% is liquid and contains no thickener. Put a small amount in your palm and pat it onto the skin. Then wait briefly until it no longer runs.

3. Protective film

The third step goes over the serum: water-based before oil-based. For the body, the Solid Body Butter - Beeswax & Aloe Vera is a good fit. It contains no water and softens on warm skin. Stroke it directly over the skin or warm it briefly in your hands. A little is enough: if the skin still shines clearly after a few minutes, it was too much. The body butter comes in a metal tin, and there is a refill for the tin. More on the order: Combining aloe vera serum with oil or solid cream.

You can swap the third step depending on the part of the body. On the hands, the Solid Hand Cream - Beeswax takes over. On the face, it is one or two drops of a light oil, for example Jojoba Oil - pure. That still makes three steps, but four or five products. The number three describes the jobs and is not an upper limit. The differences between the forms are explained in Body oil or body butter and Salve, balm, butter, solid cream.

What the ingredient lists show

Short ingredient lists are part of our approach. You can check this against the INCI, the list of ingredients shown for every product in the shop. For this post we counted the entries (as of October 2026).

The table also shows where a short list is not possible: with the soap. It is made from oils, water and lye. Here that is five oils and shea butter, plus calendula, aloe vera, lavender oil, a pigment and vitamin E. In addition, components of essential oils such as linalool or limonene are listed individually. Ten of the 23 entries on this soap carry the note “component of natural essential oils”. The background is covered in Is there still lye in natural soap? and Essential oils and fragrance allergens.

The serum has a short list, but it is not water-free. Aloe juice consists mostly of water. That is why the serum contains citric acid and the preservatives potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate alongside the juice. Body butter, hand cream and oil contain no water and do without an emulsifier or preservative.

A short list is not automatically the better one. It is easier to take in at a glance, though, for example if you want to avoid particular substances. How to read one is explained in How to read an INCI list.

Morning and evening

In the morning, skincare should absorb quickly. A thin layer fits then: serum, followed by very little oil or cream. In the evening there is more time, and the layer can be a little richer. On normal skin the serum is often enough by itself. If the skin feels tight after a while, the film that slows evaporation is missing.

When three products are not enough

Three steps cover basic care, but not every situation. Some things are added as soon as you need them:

• Sun protection: none of the products named here has a sun protection factor. For days in the sun you need a separate sunscreen, for example the mineral Solid Sunscreen SPF50. It goes on as the last layer.
• Deodorant: soap cleanses, it does not replace a deodorant. If you use one, you have another product in the bathroom, for instance the Sensitive Deodorant Cream.
• Lips and feet: for the lips, a stick is more practical than a tin. For the feet there are creams of their own.
• Your own habits: removing make-up, shaving, an exfoliator, or a product a doctor has recommended to you. All of that has its place in a longer routine.

A longer routine is not a mistake. If you like having more steps and get on well with them, there is nothing to change. Three products are a starting point from which you add whatever you are missing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use the same three products for face and body?
The order stays the same, the products not quite. The serum suits face and body. The body butter is meant for the body. On the face, use a few drops of oil instead.

Are the three products scented?
The soap is scented with lavender oil. No scent is added to the serum. The body butter contains no essential oils; the beeswax smells faintly of honey.

What do I do if the skin stays dry anyway?
First check timing and order: the film goes onto skin that is still slightly damp. Try a new product on a small area first. If the skin stays red, cracked or painful for weeks, seek medical advice.