"Skin Cycling": Dermatologist-Approved Nighttime Beauty Routine

Skin Cycling is a new nightly facial routine recommended by many beauty experts and going viral on the social network. It's not an unusual or wacky beauty tip as often found on TikTok platform, but a method approved and advised by skin care experts for many years.

Thanks to a video tutorial shared by American dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe, this beauty routine is back in the spotlight today under the name "skin cycling”. A video going viral for a good reason: a minimalist method ensures clear skin and a radiant complexion.

A four-day cycle

An easy facial routine within everyone's reach: follow a four-day skin cycle, devoting the first two days to the application of specific facial treatments and letting your skin "rest" for the next two. In the morning, there is no need to change your usual ritual. According to Dr. Bowe, it's at the end of the day that it all comes together.

After removing make-up and cleansing the face on the first evening, proceed with an exfoliation or a gentle peel. This step will remove impurities and dead skin cells and will help the skin absorb the next day's skin care products, with less risk of irritation.

The second evening, we apply a product based on retinol (in serum or cream). This vitamin A derivative stimulates cell renewal and collagen production, making it an ally against wrinkles, brown spots or small pimples. However, it is important to remember that this powerful ingredient requires a skin tolerance test beforehand and, above all, that you should never exceed the recommended dose of product (a pea-sized drop) in order to avoid any adverse reaction.

As for the last two nights of the cycle, they are devoted exclusively to skin repair and regeneration, which means that no active ingredients are involved. All you have to do is clean your skin and possibly use a moisturizer if you need to.

Tolerance and effectiveness

The success of this method is based mainly on this alternating system, which includes both "training" days and "recovery" days in the manner of a sports routine. The fact of using two effective but potentially irritating products (exfoliant and retinol) two days in a row, followed by two nights of "rest", allows the skin to better tolerate the active ingredients, while benefiting from their maximum benefits.

Moreover, it is not insignificant if it is necessary to devote itself to it the evening. Indeed, all day long, the skin defends itself from external "aggressions" (pollution, UV rays, tobacco...), while it "regenerates" during the night: it is thus during our sleep that it is more apt to assimilate the treatments. Moreover, the irritating potential of retinoids can be increased tenfold during the day without the application of an SPF cream on top.

According to the expert's statements on TikTok, this routine was above all a minimalist response to the "saturated" cosmetics market that confuses its patients, lost in the middle of a plethoric offer. Unlike "layering" for example, which consists of superimposing layers of skin care products on top of each other, this solution advocates "less is more" by using the strict minimum recommended by dermatologists.

The "skin cycling" tip is recommended by Dr. Whitney Bowe especially for oily and acne-prone skin. However, it is imperative to seek the advice of your doctor before experimenting with a new treatment on your skin.

Patyka - Pro-Collagen Lift Mask with vegetable Retinol-like extracted from Vigna Aconitifolia

La Roche-Posay - Retinol B3 Serum

Drunk Elephant - A-Passioni Retinol Cream

Noble Panacea – The Absolute Intense Renewal serum based on retinol

The Ordinary - Serum with Retinol 0.2% in Squalane

Paula's Choice - 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment

L'Oréal Paris - Press-Crème Nuit Rétinol + Nicinamide Revitalift Laser

Kiehl's – Retinol Skin–Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum

Ren - Bio Retinoid Youth Concentrate Oil

Rock – Line Smoothing Night Serum Capsules Advanced Retinol