What Is Skin Cycling? Should You Do That? 
10 min read

What Is Skin Cycling? Should You Do That?

We are addicted to social media for everything in life, from keeping up with the latest fashion trends to discovering new delicacies. When it comes to skincare products and routines, social media doesn't disappoint at all. 

So just like you, I was also scrolling down on my feeds when I heard the term on lots of posts with the hashtag "skin cycling." This caught my eye and intrigued me as well, as it had over 3.5 billion views on social media! 

So today, we'll go over exactly what "skin cycling" is and a list of the best skin care products from India that you can incorporate into this skin care regimen. So without further ado, let's get the wheels rolling.

What Is Skin Cycling?

Well, if you haven't already figured out this heavily used instagrammable word on your own, let me give you a brief introduction to it. 

The term "skin cycling" was introduced by dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe, MD of New York. She claimed that traditional skin cycling consisted of a four-night period (exfoliation, retinoids, and recovery). The first night is for exfoliation, the second is for retinoids, and the third and fourth nights are for recovery.

During this period, you concentrate on hydrating and restoring the barriers of your skin, and once the four-night cycle is over, you repeat it. 

Skin cycling encourages individuals to use products wisely so that they truly complement one another as opposed to layering additional products on top of one another. 

What Are the Benefits of Skin Cycling?

In another video on her social media profile, Dr. Whitney Bowe stated the benefits of skin cycling. She outlined how this particular skin cycle practice not only helps you get more out of your ingredients but also helps you stay away from discomfort.

Products that are used for exfoliating and include regional ingredients might irritate the skin. Hence, recovery nights are crucial for this reason. 

The recovery nights allow the skin to heal and regenerate on its own. If you keep on following this skincare routine religiously, you will see visible results on your skin. People who experience acne or uneven skin tone may also find this skin cycling program revolutionary.

But you must be wondering whether it is safe. Let's check that in the next section.

Is Skin Cycling Safe?

After watching the viral video, everyone on this planet has seemed to try this skincare routine by using the best natural skin care products. By far, there haven't been any complaints about this technique, but it's always better to be safe than sorry. 

This is why we recommend you visit your dermatologist and decide the best skin care products that will suit your skin. 

Note: Exfoliating your skin twice a day can be too irritating for some people, and you should probably let it go if you find it too uncomfortable. 

As for retinol, some skin types can only tolerate two nights of retinol per week, which makes this regimen a bit of a sweet spot for them. But if your skin type can tolerate it more, you can continue this cycle without any worry. 

Try Skin Cycling With These Easy Steps

Here's how to follow this viral skincare routine with simple steps.

Day 1: Exfoliate

Day 1 attempts to prepare your skin by removing dead skin cells from the skin's surface to improve product penetration. Wash your skin thoroughly and exfoliate your skin.

Limit exfoliating your skin to once every four days to prevent any trauma on your skin. Also, prefer using a chemical exfoliant or exfoliating pads instead of exfoliating scrubs. Lastly, apply a moisturizer after you have exfoliated your skin. 

Day 2: Retinoids

Use retinol or retinoid the day after using an exfoliating product, as retinoid is not recommended. Cleansing comes first, followed by retinol or retinoid and moisturizer. 

It's a good idea to moisturize the region first if you're particularly sensitive to retinoids, specifically around sensitive areas like the corners of your nose and underneath your eyes. If your skin is still feeling dry after applying the retinoid, you can apply moisturizer once more on top of it. 

You can find the best skin care products for dry skin if your skin is too dry. 

Day 3 and Day 4: Recovery

The third and fourth days are devoted to rehydrating and rebalancing. Put the active components for the ones that emphasize severe moisturization in storage. Retinoids and exfoliating acids should not be used on recovery nights to give your skin a chance to repair. 

Consider hydration and moisture, stay away from anything that can irritate your skin, and focus on feeding your skin's flora and repairing your skin barrier.

Thanks to the recovery nights, your skin will be prepared for when you cycle back into the actives, which will restore its barrier function, pH balance, and microbiota.

That's it! Now, let's check Cossouq's curated skin care routineproducts that you can use during the skin cycling process.

Best Skin Care Products That Deserve to Be a Part of Your Skin Cycling Routine

We've gathered several highly rated and dermatologically recommended products that you may apply for each night of the cycle for anyone who wants to give the viral skincare trend a try.

  1. Minimalist AHA BHA 10% Face Exfoliator

Minimalist AHA BHA 10% Face Exfoliator

For your day 1 of the skin cycling routine, you start by exfoliating your skin. After using multiple exfoliators, we found the Minimalist AHA BHA face exfoliator to be the best skin care product in India. It gently exfoliates your skin without drying it out. 

The formula employed in serum is a balanced combination of AHAs and BHAs to promote skin exfoliation and cell regeneration. This mild, multi-level exfoliating product penetrates easily into the skin and gently eliminates dead skin cells. 

  1. The Derma Co. 0.1% Retinol Face Serum

The Derma Co. 0.1% Retinol Face Serum

The next step is retinoids. For this stage, we have found The Derma Co. Retinol Face Serum to be the most effective skincare product. This face serum is one of the best skin care products for oily skin as well as dry skin. 

Whether you have hyperpigmentation, blemishes, blackheads, or whiteheads, this serum aids in reducing all.

Apply a pea-sized amount to clean, dry skin for smoothing and refining the texture of your skin, modifying aging cells, and increasing the brightness of your skin.

  1. LISEN Sweet Dream Overnight Recharging Mask for Plump and Dewy Skin

LISEN Sweet Dream Overnight Recharging Mask for Plump and Dewy Skin

Infused with antioxidant and vitamin-rich blueberry extract, the Lisen Sweet Dream overnight recharging mask is the perfect product for your recovery days. 

This sleeping mask, which is infused with lavender oil, promotes cellular regeneration at night. Its watery gel-based structure penetrates deeply into the skin layers and works overnight to revitalize stressed-out, irritated skin for a noticeably smoother and more youthful-looking appearance the following day.

Every skin care has a unique journey and the recovery period is one of the most crucial aspects of it.

  1. Dot & Key Night Reset Retinol + Ceramide Sleep Treatment Cream

Dot & Key Night Reset Retinol + Ceramide Sleep Treatment Cream

Another product that will be your prime choice for retinoids and the recovery period is the Dot & Key night reset retinol + Ceramide sleep treatment cream. This anti-aging lotion is created with the help of science and the kindness of nature. This cream restores the lost radiance and shine of your face and gets rid of pigmentation and dark patches.

This cream contains marula oil's fatty acids, which provide anti-aging properties, and primrose oil, which provides a brighter complexion and soothes irritability. You should definitely incorporate this cream into your skincare routine for plump and hydrated skin.

Conclusion

Skin cycling is not a radical concept. The fact that skin cycling is so popular now is due to consumers' realizing that using more products doesn't necessarily result in better or healthier skin. This is a less-is-more strategy that works and provides you with a timetable that is well-structured and makes sense. 

Although "skin cycling" is popular right now, the concept is not entirely new. Skin cycling is a well-known therapeutic strategy in dermatology. 

Lastly, depending on how your skin reacts, your dermatologist may advise modifying the procedure based on your skin type. You can buy best skin care products online on COSSOUQ for your skin cycling routine and restore the natural glow of your skin.