Skin cycling: Our favourite skin cycling routine and products to use

It is arguably life's greatest truth that taking care of yourself is the biggest investment you can make today. Perhaps it is why skincare has been acknowledged by many throughout the years.

Irrespective of who you are and where you are from, it is always right to look after yourself. Taking good care of your skin and acknowledging the new trends in skincare are big. Yes!

Speaking of trends, if you follow some of the skincare influencers on Instagram and TikTok, you will know that skin cycling is one of the trendy topics right now. But what is it? Let’s take a look!

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What is skin cycling?

Skin cycling is a skincare routine for rest days during the week. It is done so your skin may repair itself after using certain products. It may help safeguard against inflammation and irritation. If you are looking to get started with a skin cycling routine, here are the things you would need:

• A Retinoid
• An Exfoliator
• A Moisturiser

Having these ingredients in hand, all you need is good timing. The classic or generic skin cycling regimen is a four-night cycle. The first is the exfoliation night, and the second is the retinoid night. The third and fourth nights are known as the recovery nights. And then you repeat the cycle.

Beginner-friendly skin cycling routine

A skin cycling routine is essential to minimise inflammation and maximise the results. Here is a beginner-friendly routine:

• The exfoliation night

After cleansing the skin, you must apply an exfoliating product containing one or a mix of exfoliating acids such as AHA and BHAs. Speaking of which, if you are looking for something that contains these exfoliating acids, the Overnight Exfoliating AHA BHA Radiance Mask is a must for you! It is built with a perfect combination of Caviar Lime Extract AHA, Olive fruit extract, Australian Tasmanian Mountain pepper, and Encapsulated Salicylic acid BHA.

Anyway, during this night, you will cleanse the skin and pat it dry. After that, you must exfoliate. By doing that, you may remove the dead skin cells from the surface layer of your skin.

Quite honestly, there is a good reason why this step comes first. With the exfoliation, your other products will work more efficiently. While it is true that exfoliation may improve your look, you should always avoid over-exfoliation. Too much of it may have harmful impacts, such as irritation in the skin.

• The retinoid night

This night is all about the retinoids. Retinoids are something that can be considered as Vitamin A derivatives. It can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. These include prescription medications. Retinoids are nothing but one of the strong ingredients to include in your skin cycling routine. However, one should know that these can be a little irritating if you use them for the first time.

Prior to applying them to your skin, make sure to pat and cleanse your skin dry. For people who are particularly sensitive to retinoids, it is a great idea to first moisturise around the sensitive areas. If, in any circumstances, your skin is still feeling dry, you may moisturise again on top of the retinoid. Speaking of moisturising, why not choose the best for your skin with Waterlight Gel Moisturiser 72 Hour Hydration by The Pink Foundry?

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• The recovery nights

The night 3 and night 4 is all about recovery. Steer clear from both exfoliation and retinoids during these two nights. On these nights, you should cleanse your skin right before you apply moisturiser. Also, you are not required to pat your skin dry on these nights.

Also read: Moisturiser Uses and Misconceptions: How to use Face Moisturiser?

What are the benefits of skin cycling?

The dermatologists suggest that there can be several benefits that may come from skin cycling:

• Repair the skin barrier

Over-exfoliating and utilising retinoids might harm your skin barrier to the littlest extent. However, it is where the rest of the days come in handy. The recovery nights usually focus on nourishing and repairing the skin barrier.

• Reducing the negative product side effects

Skin cycling is something that reduces a boatload of side effects of other active ingredients. In addition to that, it has been observed that with the right skin cycling products, you may safeguard your skin from many seasonal issues.

Who should do skin cycling?

If you want to introduce a retinoid or an exfoliant to your skincare routine, skin cycling is for you! Additionally, it could be beneficial for those who have sensitive skin.

Also read: Skin Cycling: A Refreshing Approach to Nourish Your Skin

FAQs:

• What is skin cycling?

Skin cycling is a skincare routine for rest days during the week. It is done so your skin may repair itself after the utilisation of certain products. It may help safeguard against inflammation and irritation.

• What are the 3 phases of skin cycling?

The three phases of the skin cycling routine are:

1. Exfoliant night

2. Retinoid night

3. Recovery nights

• What is the recovery night in skin cycling?

The night 3 and night 4 is all about recovery. Steer clear from both exfoliation and retinoids during these two nights. The recovery nights usually focus on nourishing and repairing the skin barrier.

• Which acids are a must in an exfoliation product?

The AHAs and BHAs are a must in an exfoliation product.

• Why should I use retinoids in skin cycling?

The retinoids can help in reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.