"Skin cycling is a way to really take your nighttime skin care routine to the next level and achieve great results by creating a strategy and being deliberate about what products you use and when"
If you’re a full time TikTok user like me, you know it is full of wellness advice – some being great snd some not so much. But occasionally it happens to certain trends to go viral and introduce us to new things and tips that are genuinely helpful, which seems to be the case here. Recently, a new skin care method got really popular on the platform and the users who tried it are all about how good it is: meet skin cycling.
Skin care is a big part of ones day-to-day routine nowadays, and as much as we’ve made a lot of progress in that topic, it can still be hard to keep track of so many beauty trends and new products and get it right, so simply taking care of your skin can be a real task sometimes, even taking a lot of time from us. And that’s where the new skin trend comes: created by Dr.Bowe and presented by herself to the world, skin cycling is supposed to help you get more out of your nighttime skin-care routine by being strategic and avoiding using a lot of different products all at once. If you are new to this idea and to the concept of skin cycling or maybe if you just need a little more help understanding it, stay here with me as I’ll tell you what it is, how to do it, and why it’s good for you.
According to the creator and presenter of the technique, Dr,Bowe, the rise of people’s interest in skin care happenned mostly druring the times of lockdown when the pandemic hit the world and loads of people were stuck in quarantine. She says it was the time she starter to notice a shift away from makeup towards skin care, and she believes the reason behind it was because people were spending more time at home, applying less makeup, and having to see themselves during Zoom calls all the time. It was also by that period of time that she noticed that many people, including beauty and wellness influencers online, were either using too many skin care products, or the ones that were wrong for their skin needs. People tend to add layer after layer onto their everyday skin care routine and experiment with ingredient and product combinations that can irritate and damage their skin, even in a time where people seem to know more about skin care than ever before – and still their skin is super sensitive and has a lot of break outs, which can be caused by that more-is-better approach.
Skin cycling is a way to really take your nighttime skin care routine to the next level and achieve great results by creating a strategy and being deliberate about what products you use and when. It's actually a very simple twist on skin care but it’s promissed to be incredibly effective – that's the only thing we can assume by seeing the huge success it now is for thousands of users on social media. In the words of Dr.Bowe, the technique allows you to in fact get all the real benefits out of the actves and ingredients in the products you use, without the downsides, such as irritation and sensitivity. The process of skin cycling goes on for four nights – and repeat – and it goes like this:
Exfoliation for night one: wash and exfoliate your face A good tip for the first step of the process is to opt for chemical exfoliating products over the harsh physical scrubs. Not only this type of exfoliation gives your skin an immediate, beautiful glow it will also prepare you to get the most out of night two.
Retinol for night two The night after you exfoliate, you use retinol on your face before bed. Keep in mind that even though retinoids are one of the most powerful ingredients to include in your skin-cycling routine, you’ll probably end up with inflammation rather than results if you try to use them too frequently, or layer them with other agressive ingredients. To avoid that, it's best to use actives such as retinol on its own as the only resurfacing ingredient in your routine.
Nights three and four are for recovery Now it’s really important to let your skin rest, a very much needed step to protect your natural moisturer barrier. It’s time to hold off on the acids and retinoids and give your skin a chance to breath and recover naturally. On recovery nights, it’s all about focusing on nourishing the skin microbiome and repairing its barrier, so just think hydration and moisture. The best option for recovery nights are products with hyaluronic acid, glycerin and ceramides. After night four, just go back to the beginning and repeat all the steps starting from night one again – that's why it’s called a cycle, you see.
That’s the best thing about skin cycling: it is usually a really effective method because it gives your face a chance to naturally heal in between treatments. Exfoliating serums and retinoids are powerful, highly effective products and that’s why they are so popular, but they can also be very irritating for many people if used too frequently and applying too much of these products too often can lead to sensitive, tight, or dry skin; and specially people with darker skin tones have a higher risk of hyperpigmentation with the overuse. The practice of skin cycling allows you to reap the benefits of these products with a lower risk of unwanted side effects – which is a really great thing when you remember these are some ofter expensive products. Think of your skin care routine almost the same way as your fitness routine: haiving ‘work days’ and ‘rest days’ gives time for improvements without the potential irritation or damage you may experience from overdoing it every day.
Another great thing – there are many – is that you don’t have to do much and buy a lot of new things to start skin cycling, and it’s generally safe — so you can try it with no fear even if you have trust issues caused by one too many wrong choices of products. This is actually an easy routine and it’s particularly useful for people who can’t tolerate harsh ingredients on a daily basis. And even though anyone can try skin cycling, your may need to be adjust you cycling to your personal needs over time and make your schedule meet your skin where it is. If you are experiencing irritation and sensitivity, maybe try to increase your recovery nights and go back to the basics: gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF – an absolute must in your morning routine, everyday; but if you are well-adjusted and want to go a litthe harder, you can start to try a three-night cycle. People with specific skin conditions – like severe acne, eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea- and people who use prescription skin medications should always check in with a professional before trying out a new routine, that way your doctor will be able to personalize the skin cycling method to best suit you.
The results tend to be quick so you may start to see results in your skin after two full cycles, which is only eight days. By that time you can already expect to see a more healthy glow and an overall radiance to your skin. The truth is that skin should, in general, look and feel more hydrated and feel softer to the touch than we’re used to see, and maybe skin cycling will be the answer to our prayers. Just like any other kind of selfcare, it takes consistency, so the longer you skin cycle, the more of a difference you'll notice.