Today, it goes without saying that social media is the abode of several viral beauty fads. Videos with the most views usually have the most outrageous ideas (never forget squiggle eyebrows or snail facials). A dermatologist-developed skincare routine termed ‘skin cycling,’ which has rapidly gained popularity worldwide and doesn’t involve unusual ingredients or toxic chemicals, is on the verge of becoming a regular component of your skincare regimen instead of merely a fleeting fad.
Skin cycling is clearly a buzz, but is this just another innovative procedure or a step that your skincare regimen is missing? Skin cycling is not a spin workout for your skin, despite the name. According to board-certified dermatologist Dr Whitney Bowe of New York City, the phrase is actually used to describe how products are applied to the skin.
According to Dr Bowe, skin cycling takes your nightly skincare regimen ‘To the next level’ by being analytical and proactive about the products you use and when. It’s a simplistic but very efficient approach to skincare. According to experts, it enables you to reap the full advantages of your potent active ingredients without experiencing their drawbacks, such as sensitivity and irritability. In simple terms, adopting a skin cycling practice is said to help prevent the skin barrier from being weakened by excessive usage of active substances. Skin cycling is also perfect for establishing a dependable routine promoting healthy skin. This routine aims to keep things simple, whereas many popular skincare techniques call for as many as ten products. In its true essence, skin cycling is a skincare regimen that calls for rest days between applications of treatment products containing active ingredients to give your skin’s microbiome time to heal.
Skin cycling is a four-night process that goes a little like the following.
Night One: Exfoliate
The first session of the skin-cycle treatment involves exfoliation. Exfoliation improves the effectiveness of skincare products by removing dead skin cells to make room for fresh, healthier cells to form. All of this determines the tone for the following several evenings.
After cleansing your face with your regular cleanser and patting the skin dry with a towel, use an exfoliator. Gentle chemical exfoliators, such as alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) or beta-hydroxy acids (BHA), should be used instead of physical exfoliators. Exfoliators will improve product absorption, boost collagen synthesis, and provide your skin that looks healthier.
Night Two: Retinoid
Exfoliators should be replaced with retinol products on the second night. After cleansing with a cleanser, apply your retinol. Retinol encourages rapid cell turnover, reduces the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles, lightens dark spots, and improves skin tone. Apply a moisturising cream to the delicate areas of your face, such as the corners of your nose, marionette lines, and the undersides of your eyes, if you’re new to using retinoids or skin cycling in general. As a buffer, this will prevent dryness and irritation. Next, apply your retinoid all over your face, neck, and décolletage.
Nights Three & Four: Repair and Recovery
Now is the time to rest your skin and focus on healing and recovery. For these two nights, skip the exfoliator and retinol in favour of using your serum or moisturiser after cleansing your face and containing moisturising and repairing elements like hyaluronic acid, ceramide, glycerin, etc. The goals of nights three and four are to stop over-exfoliation and restore balance to your skin. As a result, there is less chance of irritability and more chance that the skin barrier gets repaired in the process.
The Benefits Of Skin Cycling
Skin cycling follows the paradigm of using the fewest items possible while reaping the greatest advantages. It prevents the overuse of cosmetics because each night performs a specific role for the skin. On the first night, chemical acids like AHAs and BHAs are used to remove dead skin cells and get healthier, younger skin cells. Pollutants previously tethered to your skin’s surface layer will be released, allowing items to penetrate your skin more successfully. The next night, you apply retinol, which has many positive effects on the skin but could aggravate some skin types because of its strength. When overused, it might have a negative impact. Skin cycling will restrict retinol consumption and provide instructions on how often and on which nights to apply it, preventing skin irritation by repeating the same procedure too frequently. The following two nights generously provide healing time by applying moisturising and skin-strengthening products. At the conclusion of the cycle, the skin has been renewed and restored.
Skin cycling restores equilibrium to the skin by focusing on repair and recuperation using exfoliators and retinol treatments that lower the risk of skin irritation. Recovery nights become especially helpful when the air gets increasingly dry, cold, windy, and dry since these climates can exacerbate some skin diseases like eczema by causing dry skin. To help your skin cope with the weather better, skin cycling may help keep it from drying out in the first place.
