Posted by Laura Porter
on April 10, 2026
I hear this all the time.
You’re standing in front of a wall of products at Boots, or scrolling through a sea of serums, and you genuinely have no idea where to start.
It’s not because you don’t care about your skin. It’s because nobody has ever explained the logic.
That’s exactly why I built the FAB numbered system.
After 15 years treating clients in my salon, women who arrived confused, overwhelmed, and often using completely the wrong products in completely the wrong order, I realised the problem wasn’t the products themselves. It was the absence of a clear structure.
The FAB range runs from No.1 to No.8. Each number tells you exactly where that product sits in your routine and why.
No guessing. No conflicting advice from 12 different influencers.
Just a logical, practitioner-designed sequence that works, because I built it around real skin, real concerns, and real results.
Here’s how it all fits together.
Why most skincare routines fail (and it’s not the products)
The number one mistake I see is layering.
Women arrive at my treatment room having bought genuinely good products, but they’re applying them in the wrong order, using them at the wrong time, or combining things that actively work against each other.
Your skin has a barrier - a protective layer that regulates moisture and keeps irritants out.
When you apply products incorrectly, you either prevent them from absorbing properly or you damage that barrier without realising it. You keep buying more products trying to fix problems that your routine is actually creating.
The second mistake is skipping steps.
Not because people are lazy, but because nobody explained why those steps exist. Once you understand what each product is doing at a cellular level, and why the sequence matters, skipping stops making sense.
A good skincare routine isn’t about having the most products. It’s about having the right products in the right order, used consistently. That’s it.
The four pillars: prepare, treat, restore, protect
Every effective skincare routine, regardless of skin type, age, or concern, follows the same four-pillar logic. This is how I teach it to every new client, and it’s the architecture the FAB numbered system is built on.
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Prepare Clean skin is the foundation of everything that follows. If you apply a serum or moisturiser to skin that still has traces of SPF, makeup, pollution, or overnight skin secretions on it, those products cannot absorb properly. Preparation is not glamorous. It is non-negotiable. |
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Treat This is where you target your specific skin concerns - ageing, pigmentation, dryness, breakouts, loss of firmness. Treatment products are the most active part of your routine. They need clean, receptive skin to work. Apply them after preparation, before protection. |
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Restore Weekly exfoliation or treatment masks that accelerate cell turnover and remove the build-up of dead skin cells that accumulate even with daily cleansing. Restoration is what keeps your skin looking fresh rather than dull, and it makes your other products work harder. |
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Protect Sealing in everything you’ve applied, and shielding the skin from the environmental damage that undoes the work of your entire routine. Protection means both a quality serum and daily SPF. Every single day. Not just in summer. |
The FAB numbered system: what each product does and why the order matters
Here is the full FAB system, in sequence. Every product was developed to do a specific job at a specific point in the routine. The numbering isn’t incidental, it’s the instruction.
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No.1 PREPARE |
An oil-based pre-cleanse that dissolves makeup, SPF, and the day’s pollution before your main cleanse begins. Sunflower seed oil, apricot kernel oil, and caprylic work together to melt away everything that your water-based cleanser can’t shift alone. Use this first, always. |
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No.2 PREPARE |
The second cleanse. A gentle, creamy formula with echinacea and ginger root extract that calms sensitivity, reduces bacteria, and balances skin without stripping it. Works every skin type, morning and evening. This is the cleanser I reach for myself, every single day. |
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No.3 RESTORE |
A weekly at-home peel that accelerates cell turnover to reveal brighter, smoother skin beneath the surface layer. Formulated to deliver real exfoliation results at a concentration that’s safe to use at home without professional supervision. Use this once a week, in the evening, on clean dry skin. |
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No.7 TREAT |
The treatment layer. A daily serum designed to address dullness, fine lines, and loss of radiance - the concerns I see most often in women in their 30s and 40s. Applied after cleansing on slightly damp skin for maximum absorption. The 30-second window between cleansing and serum application makes a significant difference to how much your skin absorbs. |
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No.8 PROTECT |
Moisturise + Protect SPF 15 — £31 The final step in your morning routine. A daily moisturiser with built-in SPF 15 - because no treatment serum in the world will deliver its full results if you’re not protecting your skin from UV damage every day. Non-greasy, suitable for all skin types, and works beautifully under makeup. |
The minimum viable FAB routine — three products, real results
I am not going to tell you that you need to buy the entire range on day one. You don’t.
If you’re starting from scratch and you want to know the absolute minimum that will make a visible difference, it’s this:
- No.2 Daily Cleanser - twice daily, morning and evening
- No.7 Youth Elixir Serum - every morning and evening after cleansing
- No.8 Moisturise + Protect SPF 15 - every morning, final step
That’s Prepare, Treat, Protect. Three products, consistent use, visible results within four to six weeks. Everything else in the range builds on this foundation.
The complete FAB morning routine, step by step
Your morning routine is about protection and preparation for the day ahead.
- No.1 Before You Cleanse - massage onto dry skin, remove with a warm cloth
- No.2 Daily Cleanser - massage onto damp skin, rinse
- No.7 Youth Elixir Serum - apply immediately to slightly damp skin, press in gently
- No.8 Moisturise + Protect SPF 15 - final step, always
Total time: under four minutes. The consistency matters far more than the complexity.
The complete FAB evening routine, step by step
Your evening routine is about repair, renewal, and undoing the day.
- No.1 Before You Cleanse - always, if you’ve worn makeup or SPF during the day
- No.2 Daily Cleanser - the second cleanse
- No.3 Chemical Peel - once a week in the evening, after cleansing (skip on other evenings)
- No.7 Youth Elixir Serum - your daily treatment, morning and evening
- No.8 Moisturise + Protect SPF - not needed in the evening, swap for a richer treatment on evenings when you’re not peeling
On non-peel evenings, you can layer the No.4 Collagen Mask over your serum as an overnight treatment for an additional hydration and firming boost.
Build your routine around your skin concern
Not everyone needs to start in the same place. Here’s where I’d direct you based on what’s bothering you most right now:
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YOUR CONCERN |
WHERE TO START |
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Dullness and uneven skin tone |
No.2 + No.3 Chemical Peel (weekly) + No.7 + No.8. The peel accelerates cell turnover; the serum addresses radiance daily. |
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Fine lines and loss of firmness |
No.1 + No.2 + No.7 + No.5 Bakuchiol Eye Cream + No.8. The Youth Elixir Serum is the primary treatment layer here. |
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Dry, tight, dehydrated skin |
No.2 + No.4 Collagen Mask (nightly or weekly) + No.7 + No.8. The collagen mask delivers intense overnight hydration. |
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Breakouts and congestion |
No.2 Foaming Cleanser + No.3 Chemical Peel (weekly) + No.6 Overnight Spot Treatment + No.8. The peel clears congestion; No.6 treats active spots. |
Frequently asked questions
What order should I apply skincare products?
Thinnest to thickest, always. Cleanser first, then serum, then moisturiser with SPF. Thinner formulas need direct contact with the skin to absorb. Heavier products applied first create a barrier that prevents thinner products reaching where they need to go.
How many skincare products do I actually need?
Three to five, consistently used, will outperform ten used sporadically.
How long before I see results from a new skincare routine?
Skin cell turnover takes approximately 28 days. You’ll likely notice a difference in hydration and texture within two weeks. Visible improvements in fine lines, tone and radiance typically appear between four and eight weeks of consistent use. Consistency beats complexity every time.
