I Can Confirm That Skin Cycling is Good
Another promising trend!
My skin has been forced to sprint on the hamster wheel of skincare since I was a teenager. I’ve washed my face with Phisoderm and shredded it with St. Ives Apricot Scrub. I’ve implemented a 10-step skincare routine, religiously used peel-off masks, and mixed apple cider vinegar with bentonite clay to put on my face. I’m a marketer's dream, a skincare guinea pig willing to try almost anything at least once.
Hormonal acne has plagued me throughout my teenage years and continues to well into adulthood. I’m eager to try whatever because I’m desperate for manageable skin. Before I started skin cycling, I would cleanse with a salicylic acid wash every morning and apply niacinamide, arbutin, and azelaic acid. At night, I would use niacinamide and tretinoin. When I saw TikToks about skin cycling, my face was beginning to sting from the excessive regimen. So I thought, “Why not? It couldn’t hurt.” I’d let my skin rest for a few days and give it a shot.
I’m very, very glad I did.
Skin cycling is a method of product application popularized on TikTok by Dr. Whitney Bowe, a board-certified dermatologist. Her recommendation for a four-night schedule is as follows:
Night 1: Exfoliation using a chemical exfoliant like lactic, salicylic, or mandelic acid
Night 2: Retinoid application
Night 3 and 4: Moisture/Rest
In the mornings, Bowe recommends gentle cleansing, if you’re acne prone, a Vitamin C serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen. (Here’s a good explainer on the subject since I’m not here to describe the application process but the science behind it and to sing its praises.)
Skin cycling is one of the better trends I’ve seen go viral. While there’s no specific scientific literature on the skin cycling process, a lot is out there that validates the individual practices within the cycle. For example, chemical exfoliants, when applied correctly and at the proper strength (put that T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial bottle the fuck down!), will remove dead skin cells from the top layer of your skin and prepare it for retinoid application the following night. I don’t think we need another explainer on the wonders of retinoids. And the rest nights offer your skin barrier a chance to recover while still receiving the benefits of consistent exfoliation and retinoid application.
I opted for a three-day schedule with only one rest night since my skin can handle a lot of wear. As a result, my product lineup is as follows:
Night 1:
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Acne Face Wash
The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA
COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All-In-One Cream
Night 2:
Eucerin Hydrating Cleansing Gel
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (It’s worth noting that 10% is a high concentration for niacinamide; while it has worked for me, it could be irritating. Experts recommend sticking around 5% concentration.)
Altreno 0.05% tretinoin
COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All-In-One Cream
Night 3:
Eucerin Hydrating Cleansing Gel
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid
COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All-In-One Cream
A nice layer of Aquaphor
And, in the mornings, I use:
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Facial Cleanser
The INKEY List 15% Vitamin C and EGF Serum
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Face Moisturizer (Unscented, for extra-dry skin)
Whatever sunscreen I’m using at the moment
My skin was doing excellent within two weeks of switching to this more spaced-out regimen. The stinging was gone, and I noticed I looked a lil glassy! (Another caveat, I hate this notion that people should be pursuing perfect skin when no such thing exists. At the same time, my skin looked fabulous.)
I’ve been skin cycling for about six weeks now, and even though my skin is purging a bit, the texture is fucking immaculate, and my breakouts are much more manageable than before. Of course, clearing up the scarring will take a bit of patience, but I’m loving where I’m at right now. And, of course, there’s no burning.
What do you think? Are you likely to try skin cycling? Drop a comment below!