Can Skincare Keep You Sane?

Writer Gina Way Says Her Multistep Regimen Got Her Through a Divorce. And Experts Think She’s on to Something.

My morning skincare routine is reminiscent of the first scene of Mommie Dearest, in which Joan Crawford prepares an ice-water face bath and then starts in on her systematic beauty ritual. First, I spend three minutes rinsing my face with cold water, then I apply a hyaluronic-acid toner, followed by a salicylic-acid serum on my nose and chin and finally an eye gel. Phase two, post-shower, involves a different serum, followed by two types of sunscreen and eye cream. Suffice it to say my regimen can last through the majority of a Law & Order: SVU episode.

I’m not alone in my ablutions. In fact, by some women’s standards, I’m low-maintenance. San Francisco style writer Jessica Egbu’s morning routine has seven steps (one involves a refrigerated rose-quartz face roller), but she says it’s streamlined compared to her p.m. program, which involves double-cleansing, toner, an essence, and a sheet mask. “Sometimes I’m touching my face for what seems like almost an hour,” she admits. Kelly Stevens, a physical therapist in Chicago, multimasks (with the clay, hydration, sleeping, and lip varieties) as part of her routine. “It’s my pampering winddown at the end of a long day,” she says.