How To Build a Skin Cycling Routine That Actually Works For You
You know that old adage, "Look good, feel good? " It certainly is the case when I'm taking care of my sensitive skin. Regardless of someone's skin type, a great skincare routine helps to calm rosacea, eczema, and acne. But sometimes, with so many trends on social media, you might not know what will work for you. And sometimes this faithfulness to one routine can make it ineffective. Enter: a skin cycling routine, meaning using only some products on any given day.
Why I wanted to try a skin cycling routine
I love a proper skincare moment, from anti-aging products to wild and trendy experiments. So, between scrolling through Instagram and TikTok posts, it was hard not to want to try skin cycling myself. It was even harder, though, not to build up my expectations. Dewy, glowy, super-smooth skin, here I come!, I thought. Spoiler alert: it pretty much was that easy. In fact, skin cycling was great for my acne-prone skin since it didn't expose it to so many ingredients that could affect my skin barrier.
What is skin cycling?
I’m all about giving credit where credit is due, and this credit goes to a formidable skin expert. Dr. Whitney Bowe, a dermatologist in New York City, popularized the term “skin cycling,” reports Today. Dr. Bowe’s Instagram bio also states she is “the creator of the viral #skincycling program,” which is a strategic way of alternating your skincare products to help reduce irritation.
Although many skincare pros have mentioned that the trend has been here way before TikTok fame.
Does skin cycling work for acne?
That said, skin cycling did prove to be savior for many people. Australian digital creator Belicia Arnold tried one round of skin cycling back in January; she has claimed that this routine produced no new breakouts, it balanced her skin, and made her skin barrier look good as new. Similarly, on TikTok, there are posts like the one by Erica Nicole, who says consistently skin cycling helped her eliminate the small breakouts.
How to skin cycle
In order to follow her regimen, Bowe recommends having a four-night schedule. On night one, exfoliate with an exfoliating product—perhaps something with glycolic acid or other chemical exfoliants, to help remove dead skin. On the second night, reach for products with active ingredients like retinoids. You’ll have recovery nights on the last two days. These are all about hydration and tending to your skin barrier, so keep your hyaluronic acid and occlusives handy.
Skin Cycling - Before and After
I had a pretty minimalist skin-care routine prior to starting this experiment with skin cycling. My morning routines would include washing my face, applying a toner, a serum, a moisturizer, and, of course, sunscreen. My nighttime routine would have all that plus a retinol. Every. Single. Day. I was piling products on top of one another and was always surprised when I'd break out. Finally, I finally decided to see whether the skin cycling hype was for real. I cleared two weeks to experiment with this fad.
In less than two weeks of skin cycling with retinol, I found my skin less dry than it has been. First, my skin was pretty calm and hydrated, which could be depicted by the less amount of products used at one time. Second, on my exfoliating days, my skin would be smoother, and on the recovery days, my skin would look plump and dewy. Last but not least, having some extra time due to not having to go through a long night-time routine was a big plus.I would definitely recommend this skin care technique to my friends struggling with dull skin, breakouts, or really any type of skin concern. It’s gentle enough on your face since it doesn’t put one active ingredient over another over another, but it’s also quite effective since you’re letting each product do its thing.
Best skin cycling products
1. The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 8% Exfoliating Toning Solution
For all things affordable and effective in skincare, one can't go wrong with The Ordinary-which is anything but, honestly. This exfoliating product is great to use for nights one and two of the skin cycling routine, since it contains alpha hydroxy and glycolic acids but leaves out oils and alcohols. Plus, it has over 500,000 likes on Sephora, so you know it's good.
2. Elf Holy Hydration Face Cream
3. Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Pro+ 0.3% Night Cream
Another affordable brand is Neutrogena, which has been producing effective creams since way back. This is a stand-out product for beginners because its retinol concentration is pretty low, while its ingredient list also features hydrating ingredients such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid.
*This post contains some affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I'll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting my small business by shopping through my affiliate links—I'm super grateful!
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