Skin Cycling 101

There's plenty of approaches to skincare. Some are fads, and some are fab. The internet has a fantastic way of spreading these regimes and routines, and you can find a number of them with the tap of your fingertips. Today we're going to get into a trend that took TikTok by storm, and see if it's a legitimate way to configure your skincare routine. Which trend is that, you may ask? SKINCYCLING I tell you! Let's get into it!

What Is It?

Credited with the coining of this approach, Dr. Whitney Bowe based in New York says the classic Skin Cycle consists of a 4 night schedule. Each night is a different focus, regarding the care of your skin. It's not really a new concept, but the simplification and coining of the term has put it on the trendy skincare map. So, the concept is simple and straightforward enough. How do you implement it into you routine? First, let's break down each night.

• EXFOLIATION

• This night is all about the scrubby dub dub, or the chemical exfoliant if that's your style. It's important to remove all of the dead skin so your skin can breathe and your pores are unclogged. The gunk and pollution of day to day life, in addition to dead skin, can clog up your pores and give you break-outs across your face. This is why it's so important to implement this night in your skin cycling routine. Now that your skin is polished and your pores are cleared out, it's time to tighten them up and increase collagen.

• RETINOID

• To reduce fine lines and increase collagen production, retinoids are an essential piece of the skin cycling routine. Retinoid is also known as vitamin A, or any vitamin A based products. It motivates the skin to turn over surface cells faster, and boosts the production of collagen to help you look younger. It's great to use after your exfoliation, because the exfoliation preps the skin for retinoids to come in and get the collagen a-cookin!

• RECOVERY

• RECOVERY

• The recovery nights are based around recovery and rest for the skin after you've polished off the dead cells, unclogged the pores, and put the collagen machines to work! Moisturizing masks, oils, and lotions should be included this night. You should use a gentle cleanser and moisturizer every night anyway, but use something a little more moisturizing these two nights. This way, your complexion has time to recover and get ready for the next set of exfoliation and retinoid.

Now that we've gone over the concept and process of skin cycling, let's get into if it actually works via some reviews...

According to Uncover The Glow, a beauty YouTuber that reviewed the product here!

She said in her piece about it:

"I seriously can’t believe how well the skin cycling method has worked for me! Of course, I can’t gatekeep any longer and want to share exactly what I’m using and how I’ve tailored this method to fit me.

The key is to really stop and listen to your skin. Some days, I’ll add an extra night of recovery, or I’ll skip the retinol night if my skin is feeling dry or sensitive. And other weeks, when my skin is super strong, I’ll skip a night of recovery and start the cycle over with exfoliation."

On Glamour's site, Fiona Embleton said this about skin cycling:

"I’ve been skin cycling for a fortnight now and so far so good. It also means that you get the best of all worlds. My skin is smooth, with no signs of tenderness or redness, and I’m swerving the retinol ‘purging’ that often makes it an unpleasant active to use. I also feel reassured that I’m not teetering on the edge of post-inflammatory pigmentation - something that an overzealous application of acid and retinol once caused."

Those are just a few of the reviews you can find online, and there's plenty of information on specific products to use. While you've read this introduction piece, remember that all skincare requires commitment, an observant record of changes, and patience. Best of luck!