Are you overwhelmed and frustrated trying to figure out what products to use when? Are you concerned about pairing your skincare ingredients properly? Is your skin easily irritated by retinol products? Are you confused about how to integrate your exfoliants? If you said yes, you need to hear about skin cycling.
What is Skin Cycling?
Skin cycling is the concept of alternating your nighttime skincare routines and products to effectively integrate potent active ingredients, like retinol and exfoliants. This can help keep your skin barrier intact and happy and prevent unnecessary irritation. Generally, the routines that are cycled look like this.
Option 1: Exfoliation Routine
Option 2: Retinol Routine
Option 3: Barrier Support and Recovery.
Why would someone want to try skin cycling?
There are some ingredients that should only be used in your PM skincare routine, like exfoliants and retinol. However, these ingredients shouldn’t be used in the same routine as they can lead to irritation if misuse or overuse. Furthermore, there are some people who may feel like they can’t use these ingredients at all because of the irritation they experience. It can just be confusing or overwhelming to know what to use and when.
So how can we use these potent, difference-making ingredients safely and effectively without irritation, overwhelm and confusion? The answer is Skin Cycling!
Because Skin Cycling follows a series of nightly skincare routines that eliminate the issues of mixing ingredients that don’t play well together and the confusion of complicated routines, it makes using stronger ingredients easy and tolerable.
How Skin Cycling Works
Night 1: Exfoliation
This kicks off the skin cycle with a routine that uses chemical exfoliants. Exfoliation can help smooth rough skin, even the appearance of the skin tone, and brighten the look of your complexion. They help remove excess dead skin and allow for meaningful penetration of the active ingredients on night 2.
• Our AHA gentle surface exfoliator visibly brightens, smooths, and firms skin overnight. Microdoses of 9 Alpha Hydroxy Acids slowly release into the skin’s top layers – melting away excess dead skin for dramatic rejuvenation, without the side effects of a traditional peel.
• Our BHA acid-packed exfoliator dives below the surface to refine the look of congested skin. Blending 2% salicylic acid with a tropical fruit complex, this formula works within the pores, dissolving dead skin cells to clear the look of breakouts, visibly smooth bumpy texture, and fade the look of hyperpigmentation.
Use the type of exfoliant that is best for your skin type and skin concerns.
Night 2: Retinol
Retinol/Retinoid Night. This is also known as the ‘push night’. This night we will reach for our Vitamin A derivative (aka our retinoid product) of choice as the serum in your routine. Choose the intensity and application method that you can tolerate the best. This is where you are getting meaningful anti-aging benefits from your retinoids/retinol, like targeting the look of fine lines and wrinkles, improving the appearance of skin discoloration, and more. It is important to note that you can do multiple retinoid nights in a row as your skin tolerates it.
A firmer, younger-looking appearance is just a serum away. Our powerful Firm & Lift Serum features innovative antioxidants like Bakuchiol, which works to stimulate collagen and give you a glow-worthy complexion.
Esthetician Tip: I love using our Niacinamide Booster on retinol nights. They are the perfect pair!
Night 3 & 4: Recovery
Barrier Support and Recovery Night. This night (or two if your skin needs additional rest) is where we use ingredients that nourish the skin and support the skin’s natural lipid barrier. Our natural lipid barrier is made of fatty acids, cholesterol, and ceramides and is crucial in helping keep skin looking healthy and hydrated. When we give it the support it needs we can avoid unnecessary redness, dehydration, dryness, breakouts, and irritation. You can’t go wrong with ingredients like Ceramides, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Hyaluronic Acid, Peptides, and nourishing omega-rich oils.
Esthetician Tip: Did you know that our Advanced Repair Eye Cream is packed with peptides?! Make sure you are using an eye cream, moisturizer, and neck cream with all of these routines.
One thing that is important to note is that this “schedule” is just a starting place and can be adjusted as needed. It is ideal for those that have had issues with tolerating retinol or retinoids, or that may suffer more easily from a compromised skin barrier or irritation.
If you can tolerate more exfoliation or retinol in your routine that is great!
Have you tried skin cycling yet? Let us know in the comments!
11 comments
I cannot use retinol? What can I use in its place?
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goPure Beauty replied:
Hello Tanya! You may use our other serums (Brighten & Even Serum, Hydrate & Smooth Serum, Niacinamide Booster Serum, or Dramatically Dewy Serum) as they work great on sensitive skin. For the moisturizer, you may use the Vitamin C Cream or the Anti Wrinkle Cream. 💚