You must have heard about the trend of skin cycling on the internet, especially those of you who are skincare enthusiasts. Indeed some of you have tried various skincare steps recommended by influencers or experts to get the skin goals you want. In addition, the range of skincare products is now very varied in terms of functions and claims, so the skincare steps we use are increasing.
It is said that this skin cycling method can help you get skin goals with fewer products.
What is skin cycling?
Skin cycling is a beauty trend that has been viral by a dermatologist named dr. Whitney Bowe MD claims its use can make clear skin easier to get. The skin cycling method has 4 procedures that are applied for 4 nights with 4 different steps, then return to the first procedure. The steps are the first day we focus on skin exfoliation. Here, we use products that can remove dead skin cells (exfoliate). On the second day, focus on skincare products that contain retinoids (retinol). Then, on the third day, use skincare that focuses on soothing skin. On the fourth day, focus on skincare that provides hydration.
First day
Dr. Bowe advises us to choose chemical exfoliation products rather than physical ones. The reason is that the ingredients in chemical exfoliants are AHAs, such as Glycolic Acid, which can have a glowing effect on the skin. Physical exfoliants are also widely claimed to make the skin more sensitive because some products have coarse scrub grains.
The second day
Then on the second day, you can look for skincare products that contain retinoids. For those of you who can't use retinol due to irritation or allergies, you can use alternative retinol instead. Dr. Bowe also suggested that the use of retinol should be used interchangeably with other ingredients to avoid skin inflammation because the effect is quite harsh on some skin types.
Third and fourth day
Soothing and hydrating skincare has a similar effect: hydrating and soothing the skin. Adequate hydration can repair the skin barrier and provide nutrition so that the skin is not easily irritated and causes other problems. For this reason, the last 2 days of this skin cycling cycle are recovery nights to compensate for using active ingredients, which were quite harsh in the previous two days. Even though the hydration schedule is in the last 2 days, after using exfoliation and retinoids, it is also mandatory to use a moisturizer or skincare that provides enough hydration to minimize irritation effects on the skin!
Benefits of skin cycling
Apart from getting glass skin or clear skin, which is everyone's goal, consistently doing skin cycling also provides these benefits:
- Protects the skin from skin problems such as acne and dry skin
- Repairing skin barriers
- Reducing the use of too many active ingredients and minimizing daily skincare steps
This technique can be applied to almost all skin types. But if Ladies have other skin problems, you can add one skincare step that suits your skin's needs. How about it, Ladies? Do you want to try skin cycling too?