the routine that actually stuck

Right so I've tried telling clients about skincare for years and honestly the ones who make it work are the ones who keep it dead simple. Spring is a decent time to reset because your skin is usually a bit confused anyway — heavier winter products, then suddenly warmer days and more humidity. Basically what I'd say to anyone starting from scratch: cleanser, moisturiser with SPF, done. That's it to begin with. You don't need five serums. The research on SPF is genuinely rock solid — UV damage accumulates even on overcast Cardiff days, and we fool ourselves into thinking cloud cover protects us. Mind you, I'd add one thing if your skin tends to be a bit dull going into spring: something with vitamin C in the morning. Not because it's trendy — there's decent evidence for ascorbic acid supporting collagen synthesis and offering some antioxidant protection alongside your SPF. I use a serum, nothing fancy. I do also add collagen to my morning smoothie and I'm not going to claim it's transforming my skin dramatically, but it fits into what I recommend for clients working on skin elasticity from the inside. The evidence is still building on that one, to be fair. Seriously though — don't overcomplicate it. Cleanser, vitamin C, SPF. Give it six weeks before you decide it isn't working.