Week two is where most people with deeper skin get hurt by other routines: a new acid, used nightly from day one, and a face full of fresh marks by day ten. The Ritual avoids that by going slower than feels necessary.
The exfoliant
Three nights this week, not consecutive. After cleansing, before serum. A few drops pressed over the whole face, no rinse. The PHA molecule is too large to penetrate fast, which is why it does not sting, but your skin still needs to learn it. If the three nights go cleanly, move to four next week, then nightly by week four.
The mask
Once, on a night you are not exfoliating. Ten minutes, thin layer, rinse while it is still slightly damp. The first mask often brings a small amount of congestion to the surface over the following two days. This is the clay doing what it does, and it settles.
The pre-cleanse oil
If you have not started it, start now, every night before the powder cleanser. Most people notice the difference immediately: the cleanser foams more evenly and the skin feels cleaner without feeling stripped.
What to look for
Texture is the first thing to change, usually by the end of week two. Skin feels smoother under the fingers before it looks different in the mirror. Tone has not moved yet. Marks have not moved yet. Keep writing it down.