Created by a dermatologist and approved by her peers, “Skin Cycling” is a routine concept with defined intervals of application of active ingredients and rest of the skin to allow deep care without damaging the skin barrier.
It went viral on social media, with countless videos from users claiming it works and showing the results.
WHAT IS SKIN CYCLING?
It consists of a nighttime skin care routine that was created by North American dermatologist Whitney Bowe. Exfoliating actives and retinol or retinoids are applied on consecutive days, alternating with moisturizing and soothing ingredients.
The 4-night cycle is the most popular and includes:
1st night: chemical exfoliant (AHA, BHA, PHA)
2nd night: retinoids (retinol, retinal)
3rd and 4th nights: moisturizing creams without irritating active ingredients
Repeat the cycle again.
IS IT FOUNDATIONAL?
Yes, not only does it allow for skin renewal and rejuvenation, it also helps prevent the skin barrier from becoming compromised and keeps it healthy. In addition, it is a way to follow a simple, consistent and effective routine that preserves the skin's function.
Helps prevent and correct signs of aging, marks, blemishes and maintain healthy, glowing skin.
FIRST NIGHT: EXFOLIATION
Before applying the products, you should cleanse and dry your skin before applying the exfoliating acid. Exfoliation with active ingredients such as glycolic acid removes dirt and dead cells and improves the skin's absorption/permeability to the active ingredients to be applied the following nights. They also help improve the skin's texture, tone and luminosity.
The best exfoliants for this step are those that contain alpha hydroxy acids (AHA), beta hydroxy acids (BHA) and poly hydroxy acids (PHA), rather than physical exfoliants (which require mechanical movements and abrasion) that can damage the skin barrier. They are even more effective at removing dirt and dead cells.
SECOND NIGHT: RETINOID
On the second day, a product with retinol or retinoid is applied to accelerate cell renewal, improve the appearance of marks and blemishes and help to smooth out wrinkles and fine lines and contribute to combating sagging by stimulating collagen production.
Always apply to dry skin in a thin layer on the face, neck and décolleté.
THIRD AND FOURTH NIGHTS: REPAIR AND RECOVERY
These are the nights to restore the skin barrier and ensure that it is hydrated, balanced and healthy, without irritation.
After gentle cleansing, apply a cream and/or serum with moisturizing and hydrolipidic film-restoring ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, squalane, niacinamide, and healing and repairing ingredients such as gotu kola or panthenol.
IS SKIN CYCLING TOLERATED BY EVERYONE?
The answer is, it depends. In very sensitive or reactive skin, applying exfoliating acid and retinoid twice a week may be too aggressive and, in these cases, you may need to increase the number of “break” nights or apply only one of them in each cycle.
It would be wise to choose milder acids (lactic instead of glycolic), retinoids in low concentration and in small quantities (the equivalent of a pea for the face and neck) and applied using the “sandwich” method (moisturizer-retinol-moisturizer).
The same goes for skin that has never used retinol or derivatives.
Before applying the active ingredients, it is recommended that, for more reactive skin, a specific cream for the eye and lip contour be applied to these areas, after cleansing, to avoid irritation.
IS THE 4 NIGHT SCHEDULE ALWAYS THE BEST?
Once again, the answer is it depends: in the previous case, you have to increase the number of nights of rest, but, in skin that already uses retinol and tolerates it well, it may be necessary to do more than one night in a row or reduce the number of nights of rest for good results (1-1-1, in a 3-night regimen).
WHAT INGREDIENTS SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED?
The use of occlusive ingredients such as petroleum jelly, lanolin or paraffin should be avoided on the nights when applying acids or retinoids as they can increase their irritating potential.
WHAT PRODUCTS SHOULD I APPLY IN THE MORNING?
Always use sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher after serums or creams with vitamin C or derivatives and/or other antioxidants.
You can also add eye cream and moisturizer.
HOW LONG CAN I DO IT?
There is no established maximum period, and in principle it can be done as long as we wish. It usually works and leads to transformed skin for the better and healthier.
Results are usually visible after 2 cycles, with brighter, softer, more hydrated skin. After 3 cycles, you can expect to see smoother, firmer, and less wrinkled skin. It may take longer, depending on the program used and the initial condition of the skin, so patience and consistency are essential.
CONCLUSION:
Skin Cycling is an empirical approach, without scientific studies to support it, but based on the principle that healthy and functional skin has its barrier preserved. It is a minimalist approach that uses few products, is simple and intuitive, but requires rigor and consistency to obtain good results.
It is not for everyone, and should be excluded for individuals with damaged or injured skin, active acne and rosacea, and must be adapted to each person by a competent health or beauty professional.
