The lip balm was bought, tried and disappeared somewhere between hand cream and hair ties. You don’t think of it when you’re brushing your teeth. Only later in bed do you realize that you actually wanted to use them.

A small action needs a place in the day. Something that already happens regularly can help – for example, the moment when the toothbrush is back in the cup in the evening.

What Habit Stacking means

James Clear describes in The 1% Method how a new habit can be combined with an existing action. He calls this “habit stacking” and refers to BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits method for the approach. One familiar action serves as a trigger for the next. Our overview of the 1% method and self-care places this idea into the series.

For lip care, your sentence could be: “When I put my toothbrush back in the evening, I apply my lip care.” The sentence describes a concrete situation. “I take more care of myself in the evenings,” on the other hand, still leaves a lot open.

Check the moment in the real bathroom

It’s worth going through this little process mentally. Are you still standing at the sink after brushing your teeth? Is the facial care already finished? Then the lip care can follow well. If you wash your face afterwards, it might just wash off again. In this case, the end of your facial routine is a better trigger.

A shared bathroom also changes the process. If someone is already waiting for a free seat in the morning, you might prefer to choose the quieter evening. Or your working hours change while changing clothes before bed takes place reliably. The right moment must be part of your day.

You don’t need a long schedule for this. If even the new individual step sounds complex, you will find examples of a smaller start in the two-minute rule for starting skincare .

A lip step, very specifically

As an example, the Torriden SOLID IN Lip Essence fits. The lip balm comes in a small tube. Torriden names, among other things, ceramides, jojoba oil and shea butter. Place the tube next to your toothbrush and apply a small amount to your lips after brushing. This gives lip care a permanent place without you having to remember another appointment.

You can also use a lip balm that you already like. What is crucial for this example is that you want to use it and are comfortable with it. Our article on lip care for dry lips explains how balm and lip mask differ in everyday life.

A solid, clean storage area outside of the spray area is practical. The closed tube can remind you of the agreed step. For more ideas on arranging your grooming, check out a bathroom that makes the process easier.

One connection is enough to try

A whole evening with ten newly linked actions would be quite a lot to try out. Stick with one connection at first and look back after a few opportunities: Did I notice the trigger? Could I continue straight away? Where did I have to look for something?

These answers will help with improvements. If the care regularly travels to work in your handbag, it may need another permanent place. If you are still cooking most of the time at the chosen time, a later time is better. This can be changed without giving up the whole idea.

You can be similarly specific for other everyday habits: After you have closed the last work file, put your cell phone aside and stretch briefly. Only choose this if it is comfortable for you and this is actually what your end of work looks like. The examples are a selection for customization, not an additional to-do list.

The technical order of your facial care is not changed by habit stacking. Today you are simply looking for the connection where your chosen action fits into everyday life.

Lee’s fact note

Clear introduces habit stacking as an advisory technique and cites BJ Fogg as the origin of the linking approach. Our skincare examples are a practical translation. A fixed trigger can be a reminder. How easily a process succeeds remains individual.

Sources: James Clear: Habit Stacking with reference to BJ Fogg ; Torriden: SOLID IN Ceramide Lip Essence . Reviewed on September 10, 2026.