BASIC PROTOCOL
A minimalist, barrier-supportive routine.
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f you’re just starting a skincare routine or simply want to keep things truly streamlined, this is where to begin. The Basic Ritual was designed in the spa for clients who wanted results without a dozen steps: one gentle cleanse, one intelligent hydrating serum, and one daily SPF shield that doubles as a primer.
Each step is deliberately chosen to “tick the boxes” dermatologists and estheticians agree on: cleanse without stripping, deliver water-based actives to support barrier and hydration, and finish with broad-spectrum protection. No extra noise, no competing actives—just a simple system that plays well with sensitive, reactive, or easily overwhelmed skin.
Use it as your foundational protocol for at least one to two skin cycles (4–8 weeks) to establish a healthy baseline. From there, you can layer in exfoliants, masks, or targeted treatments as needed, knowing your core routine is already doing the heavy lifting every single day.
Result: Consistent use helps reveal smoother texture, a more even tone, and a visibly brighter, healthier-looking complexion.
Each product in the Basic Ritual is housed in our low-waste, aluminum-first packaging system. Housed in a 100% plastic-free aluminum tube with an aluminum cap, designed for full recyclability and reduced environmental impact. Outer carton is FSC-certified and printed with vegetable-based inks.
INSIDE THE BASIC PROTOCOL
Gentle Cleanser – Barrier-First Cleansing
A treatment-minded facial cleanser designed to remove daily buildup, SPF, and light makeup without stripping. It uses a blend of mild surfactants and hydrating humectants to respect the skin’s acid mantle and microbiome, leaving skin comfortable, not tight.
Cica-Forward Hydration Buffer
A lightweight, fast-absorbing serum centered on centella asiatica (cica) and a multi-weight hyaluronic complex. It’s built to support barrier repair, calm visible redness, and deliver deep, water-based hydration so skin feels bouncy and resilient rather than flooded or sticky.
A broad-spectrum SPF 30 that functions as both your final skincare step and a makeup-gripping primer. Designed to sit comfortably on the skin without pilling, it helps defend against UV while smoothing the look of texture and creating a softly diffused, non-greasy finish.
HOW TO USE
Application
- AM Routine
Gentle Cleanser: Massage onto damp skin for 30–60 seconds, then rinse and pat dry.
Hydrate Serum: Apply a thin, even layer over face, neck, and décolleté while skin is slightly damp.
Shield Primer SPF 30: Once the serum has settled, apply generously as your final step before makeup or on its own.
- PM Routine
Gentle Cleanser: Use as your evening cleanse to remove daily impurities.
Hydrate Serum: Reapply as your treatment step; you can follow with a richer cream or oil if desired, or keep it minimal on warmer nights or oilier skin.
When:
Gentle Cleanser: AM and PM.
Hydrate Serum: AM and PM.
Shield Primer SPF 30: AM only, as the last step; reapply every 2 hours with sun exposure.
Layering Logic:
Think in order of weight and function: cleanse → water-based treatment (Hydrate Serum) → protection (Shield Primer SPF 30). If you add additional steps later (like exfoliants or richer creams), they will slot between serum and SPF in the AM or after serum in the PM.
- Gentle Cleanser: a nickel-sized amount.
- Hydrate Serum: Use a pearl-sized amount.Always include the neck and décolleté. Pat gently to enhance efficacy.
- Shield Primer SPF 30: Use a pearl-sized amount for face and additional product for neck and exposed areas. Under-applying SPF significantly reduces its protection.
Gentle Cleanser: A rich oil -gel that transforms into a creamy, milky fluid when emulsified with water.
Hydrate Serum: Weightless, gel serum that disappears quickly, leaving a hydrated, non-tacky surface.
Shield Primer SPF 30: Cushioned, featherweight cream that settles into a soft-focus, satin-matte finish designed to work under or without makeup.
Gentle Cleanser: A softly floral yet fresh blend of jasmine sambac, tuberose, bergamot, and fir — calming for mind, spirit, and skin.
Hydrate Serum: A subtle, naturally fresh scent with a delicate green note — quiet, cooling, and reminiscent of clean skin and air after a facial steam. It fades quickly, leaving a neutral, spa-pure finish.
Shield Primer SPF 30: Completelyscent-free
TIPS FROM THE SPA
In the spa, we created this kit for clients who either felt overwhelmed by options or were repairing their skin after doing too much. It’s the “baseline” system we return to again and again when we want to rebuild trust with the skin and simplify compliance.
Commit to the Basic Ritual exclusively for 4–8 weeks (1–2 skin cycles) before layering in extras. This allows you—and your esthetician—to clearly see how your skin responds to a gentle cleanse + hydrate + shield system without interference from too many actives.
Keep this trio together, physically, at your sink or vanity. In treatment, we’ve found that consistency beats complexity—if your products are in one place and the steps are memorized, you’re far more likely to use them daily. Two focused minutes each morning will outperform a 10-step routine you only manage twice a week.
f your skin is feeling over-exfoliated, reactive, or “angry” from trying too many new products, park everything else and use only this kit (plus a simple, barrier-supportive moisturizer at night if needed). Gentle Cleanser + Hydrate Serum + Shield Primer SPF 30 gives your skin a break from potential irritants while still covering the basics.
Once your skin is stable and you’re ready to advance, keep the Basic Ritual as your non-negotiable core and add one new product at a time (like an exfoliating treatment or a targeted brightening serum). This mirrors how we design protocols in the spa: a stable base routine with modular upgrades, so you can pinpoint what’s actually making a difference.
Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions
The Basic Ritual Kit includes three daily essentials: our Gentle Cleanser, Hydrate Serum, and Shield Primer SPF 30. Together, they create a complete minimal routine that cleanses, hydrates, and protects without unnecessary steps.
This kit is ideal if you’re just starting a skincare routine, prefer a minimalist approach, or need a simple, dependable system while you reset an overworked barrier. It’s designed to suit most skin types, including normal, combination, and mildly sensitive.
Yes, the Basic Ritual is built around barrier-supportive, hydration-focused formulas and a gentle cleanser. However, because every skin is unique, we recommend patch testing new products and introducing the kit gradually if your skin is highly reactive or medically managed.
Use Gentle Cleanser first, then apply Hydrate Serum to clean, slightly damp skin, and finish with Shield Primer SPF 30 as your final morning step. In the evening, you’ll use Gentle Cleanser followed by Hydrate Serum, optionally adding a richer cream afterward if your skin needs more moisture.
Absolutely. Think of the Basic Ritual as your foundation. Once your skin is stable, you can add targeted treatments—like exfoliating acids, brightening serums, or richer night creams—while keeping this three-step system as your non-negotiable core.
Many oily or acne-prone clients do well on this routine because it’s lightweight, non-occlusive, and focused on gentle cleansing and smart hydration rather than heavy occlusives. If you are actively breaking out or under a dermatologist’s care, check with them first and introduce the kit slowly to monitor how your skin responds.
Usage varies, but with twice-daily cleansing and serum application—and daily application of Shield Primer SPF 30—most clients find the Basic Ritual Kit lasts approximately 6–8 weeks. Consistent use during that time is usually enough to start seeing changes in texture, hydration, and overall skin comfort.