Do you feel like your facial products are working? Does it seem like no matter how many days a week you apply your retinol, exfoliator or vitamin C, you’re not seeing the desired results? Could it be because you’re applying too many or too little products at the same time? The latest TikTok skin care trend called skin cycling claims to target these issues of over or under using your skin care products to produce the maximum results.
Steps for #Skin Cycling
What is skin cycling? Skin cycling is the method in which you rotate your nighttime skin care products throughout the week to optimize results without irritation or damage to the skin. For example, the first night will be an exfoliating serum night. The second night will be a retinol night. The third and fourth night will be a recovery night only using moisturizing and skin barrier building products. Then repeat the process. Usually reserved for the night time routine, this strategic usage of various active products as well as hydrating products, allows for the skin to transform and rebuild its skin barrier while avoiding any of the harsh side effects and irritation of using active products. If you’re constantly layering active over active, without giving the skin time to rebuild and rebalance, you could end up with even more irritation and damage to your skin! Still a little confused? Think of it like this. When you develop a workout routine, one day you work on your upper body muscles. The next day you work out your leg muscles. You avoid working out the same muscle area twice because you need that area to recover to avoid burnout and injuries to that muscle group. With skin cycling, it’s the same concept! Our skin is a highly active organ. Let’s not make it work overtime!
#Skin Cycling recommended by TikTok Derms
Dr. Whitney Bowe, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, is mostly credited for developing the concept of skin cycling. Introducing the skin care method to TikTok and Instagram, #skincycling now has over 15 million hashtag views. Dr. Bowe believes skin cycling is the key to achieving your long-term skin care goals. According to the dermatologist, patience is the key. Results don’t happen overnight, no matter how much we wish and pray to the skin care gods. It just doesn’t happen that way. It is a process. And we just have to trust the process!
I've treated thousands of patients for over a decade as a dermatologist,
and I find that one of the top mistakes people make when it comes to their skin
is that they don't build in nights for their skin barrier to recover.
Who does #Skin cycling work for?
Skin cycling works for all and every skin type. It can be customized to fit the needs of all beauties because of course, you know your skin the best! Skin cycling allows the skin to better tolerate active ingredients and boost its efficacy on your skin. It helps make the most use out of your skin care products while continuing to build a healthy skin barrier. This viral beauty trend is also aimed to help beauties learn to simplify their routines and be more deliberate and strategic of what they are putting on their faces. Bottom line is, we all just want super smooth, super clear and super glowing skin! If skin cycling can help us achieve that, I am all on board. And helping me save a little bit of coin by only using what my skin needs, is just another added bonus to this skin cycling viral trend!
