As a lover of skincare, I am always interested in new and exciting ways to upgrade my skincare routine and ingredients that will boost a healthy glow. Whilst scrolling through the beauty world on social media, I came across a new trend – Skin Cycling.

Skin cycling is the latest beauty trend to take over social media. At first, I thought this was the latest quick trick online, but skincare experts and dermatologists are also supporting this newly discovered skincare secret.

Skincare has a new trend and now it’s time to break it all down to find out if skin cycling is a hit or miss for our skin.

What is Skin Cycling?

While the term ‘skin cycling’ is new, the idea has been long practiced by dermatologist Whitney Bowe MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Dr Whitney Bowe Beauty, who popularised the term on social media.

She explains that skincare became more of a priority during the pandemic and noticed that many people were not only using too many skincare products but the products were not suited to their skin type or skin concerns.

In an interview with SELF Dr Bowe explains,

“People were adding layer after layer after layer to their skincare routines and experimenting with ingredient combinations that were irritating and damaging their skin… their skin was blotchy, sensitive and breaking out because they were taking a more-is-better approach.”

Skin cycling goes against this “more is better approach” and instead focuses on creating a simpler routine that aims to repair your skin barrier and get the best out of your skincare products and active ingredients. This is a 4-day skin cycle (specifically our night routine) that incorporates rest days during the week so your skin can repair itself and restore your healthy and natural glow.

How to Skin Cycle

Night 1: Exfoliation

Exfoliation is important as it removes all the dead skin cells and that clog our skin and contribute to breakouts. Dermatologists recommend using chemical exfoliants over harsh physical face scrubs that will damage and cause micro-tears in the skin. The best chemical exfoliants will include AHAs, BHAs, and PHA ingredients.
Pro Tip: Don’t layer multiple products with a mix of those ingredients. Instead, find one product that has it all.
Dr Bowe warns "Don't DIY your acid combination. The acids need to be formulated in a way that makes them stable together."

Night 2: Retinol

Retinoids are one of the most powerful skincare ingredients and are at the top of most dermatologists' skincare favourites. Retinols do the job of exfoliators, so there is no need to use chemical exfoliants (AHA BHA PHA) when using a retinol product.

After cleansing your face, wait for your face to dry before applying a pea-sized amount of retinol to your skin. If you haven’t used retinol before, then Dr. Bowe suggests applying a light layer of moisturiser around your eyes, mouth, and on your neck, applying your retinol, and then sealing all this in with moisturiser. This technique will create a protective barrier to help build tolerance and prevent irritation.

It is important to take your time with retinol. Do not use them too frequently or layer them with ingredients that may be harsh or irritating on your skin – your skin needs to build a tolerance, so it is recommended that you start with a lower retinol percentage 1-2 times a week. Retinols will increase cell turnover, help treat mild acne, and stimulate collagen production, further promoting a healthy and youthful appearance.

 Night 3: Moisturiser

This night is all about repair and recovery. There is no need to apply exfoliating acids or retinol because we need to give our skin a break and nourish the skin barrier. It's important to choose a moisturiser that focuses on barrier repair and hydrating the skin. Dr Bowes recommends using fragrance-free products with ingredients such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, or niacinamide to ensure the skin is hydrated all night long. 

Pro tip: leave the skin a little damp when applying serums/ moisturisers to help your products fully absorb into the skin and lock in moisture.  

Benefits of Skin Cycling

Even for those of us that have been in the skincare game for some time, it can be easy to fall into the trap of buying lots of products and overcomplicating our routine.  The practice of skin cycling allows you to simplify your routine and helps your skin reap all the benefits of your skincare ingredients. Dr Bowe says,

"There are two groups of people who will benefit most from skin cycling: those who are overwhelmed by all the products out there and not sure where to start, and those who are already using great products but reaching a plateau in results," 

Using exfoliating ingredients, retinol products, and hydrating serums every so often won't do much for your skin, whilst constantly layering products will only irritate and compromise your skin. Anyone can benefit from skin cycling, especially those with sensitive skin, as this routine will restore balance and health to your skin. 

Remember to always customise your skincare routine for your skin. We all have different skin types, so products that work for others might not work for you. The takeaway from skin cycling is to keep your routine simple. Have patience as it can take around 6 weeks before you notice a difference, but once it happens you will be glowing inside and out.