SkinCycling it is the evening skincare routine on a four night cycle that the dermatologist Whitney Bowe she conceived inspired by her patients.
«Skin Cycling works and represents a turning point for the Health from the skin – explains the dermatologist - It helps to simplify the care routine in an effective and easy to follow way. I have treated thousands of patients for over a decade as a dermatologist. One of the main mistakes, when it comes to skin care, is that the skin barrier is not restored during the night . Then many mix and match ingredients that just don't go well together or they use too many products and often in too high concentrations . That's why I developed a strategic and simplified evening skincare routine, specifically thinking about optimizing the skin barrier."
Skin Cycling has a unique approach less is more: it does not add more products one on top of the other but uses them so that they complement each other. The concept is very intuitive. Muscles and mind need recovery days, so it is logical that the skin also benefits.
The cycle of the four nights
In short We start the first night with exfoliation with chemicals and Not scrub from the mechanical effect. The second And the night of retinoids While the third and fourth are make-up.
«During the recovery nights we concentrate on nourishing the microbiome and repairing the skin barrier – explains Whitney Bowe - So we start over again . After two cycles, any spots or sensitivity should be much improved. The complexion is healthier and the skin is brighter, hydrated and softer."
Classic, Gentle or Advanced
Whitney Bowe created variations on the classic routine to customize it according to your skin's needs.
If the skin is particularly sensitive, the choice will fall on Gentle Skin Cycling, but if the skin already tolerates it too powerful assets, you can move on to Advanced Skin Cycling. For winter, for example, there is Winter Skin Cycling, while recently a Natural Skin Cycling.
Winter Skin Cycling
Ensuring that the skin barrier is healthy and intact is particularly important during the winter , when the skin's natural protective shield is most vulnerable. This is because the skin barrier must work even harder to maintain hydration when faced with temperature changes: cold air and humidity outside, hot and dry air inside buildings. The skin barrier has the great task of trapping and retaining hydration in the skin, as well as preventing the entry of allergens, irritants and pollutants. In cold months are necessary extra care. Nights 1 and 2 aim to push the skin out of its comfort zone, while nights 3 and 4 are about recovering and nourishing the skin barrier. To optimize the winter skincare routine, here are some suggestions from the dermatologist.
«Better to choose exfoliating serums which contain Soothing ingredients like aloe or postbiotics that help reduce irritation of acids – he explains – It should also be considered whether the product has been tested on sensitive skin. If so, that's a great sign because it will be gentle enough to use during the winter months. Many find that if they use retinoids too frequently or layer them with other potentially irritating ingredients, they experiment irritations and this happens more easily during the cold months. For this reason, in winter it is better to use a gentler retinoid or to predict additional recovery nights ».
If the skin shows signs of a compromised skin barrier (redness, burning, reactivity, sensitivity), applying a retinoid sandwich should be considered.
«First of all, a light moisturizing cream on the eyes, the sides of the nose, mouth and neck – the dermatologist recommends – Then a pearl-sized amount of retinoid on the face, another on the neck and two on the décolleté. Finally, the moisturizer over the retinoid, but not too occlusive."
During recovery nights, after cleansing, it goes boost hydration by choosing a fragrance-free cream with ingredients like ceramides, squalane, hyaluronic acid, prebiotics and postbiotics.
«These last two are excellent for supporting a healthy and rich microbiome – comments Whitney Bowe – The ideal is a clinically proven moisturizer to repair the skin barrier. During the winter months, you can add on top of your moisturizer an extra layer, with an oil such as rosehip or grapeseed oil, or a rich regenerating balm».
Gentle Skin Cycling
Those with sensitive skin, rosacea or eczema, have the option to choose the version Gentle Skin Cycling.
In the exfoliation night a product must be applied soothing and nourishing over the exfoliating serum but avoided a mineral oil because it can increase irritation.
In the retinoid night better to start with a delicate product and before applying it, combine a cream fragrance-free moisturizer in the more sensitive areas, like the side dish eyes, chin and neck, especially while the skin is adjusting to the routine. The fragrances in the products are however to avoid in the Gentle Skin Cycling variant. This applies to both fragrances synthetic than for many natural, including essential oils. Pleasant-smelling ingredients, whether natural or synthetic, are one of the most common causes of skin reactions in sensitive skin.
If the skin tends to be dry, it can also be overlapped another layer of moisturizer using the sandwich technique. If you don't know the effects of powerful active ingredients such as AHA, PHA, BHA or retinoids, it is best to start with just one night of exfoliation followed by three nights of recovery for two to three weeks. If after this first cycle you do not feel irritation, burning, itching, flaking, you can start add retinoids night and move on to the classic four-night Skin Cycling.
Advanced Skin Cycling
If you have been using the Classic Skin Cycling routine for a long time and have never experienced stinging, burning, sensitivity, patchiness, flaking or irritation (a sign that the skin barrier is not 100% healed), you can switch to Advanced Skin Cycling.
«Advanced Skin Cycling is not better than the Classic method at all – specifies the dermatologist - Both are based on the fundamental philosophy of the less is more approach which makes skin care more effective. Advanced Skin Cycling is a way to customize your routine, if your skin can tolerate it push products (exfoliants and retinoids) more often than the two times of the Classic Skin Cycling method. Ultimately, the skincare routine is intuitive and adapts to the specific needs of the skin, but above all based on the season."
In Advanced Skin Cycling you can eliminate a recovery night, so the routine includes a night exfoliation, one with retinoids and one recovery, then start exfoliating again for about two weeks. If there is no irritation you can also add a second night of retinoids and leave just one recovery night. So exfoliating night, two nights with retinoids and finally one recovery night. Then we start again. You can also increase the strength of the retinoid and also the exfoliant, especially if your skin responds well to two consecutive nights of retinoids. If you choose to increase the strength of both, it is best proceed gradually first with only the retinoid or the exfoliant.
«I recommend the products once again chemical exfoliants compared to aggressive scrubs and personally I opt for a mixture of acids exfoliants versus a single acid – comments Whitney Bowe - Specifically I find that products containing both glycolic acid and salicylic acid are particularly useful for lightening and evening out the skin over time. I prefer the no-rinse exfoliants because they tend to be more effective than rinse-off ones."
Natural Skin Cycling
Not all skin types tolerate chemical exfoliants or traditional retinoids well, especially those with very sensitive skin or prone to irritation.
Twelve Beauty, a natural cosmetics brand, has revolutionized the Skin Cycling routine with a kinder version and respectful but still remains very effective.
There night of exfoliation It does not involve chemical exfoliants but uses the power of natural ingredients, in a product formulated with a blend of activated charcoal, purifying kaolin clay and restorative vegetable oils.
The second night includes a natural alternative to retinol traditional with a range of equally effective, but decidedly gentler, botanical extracts.
To complete the cycle, on nights 3 and 4 Twelve Beauty offers a selection of nourishing and regenerating oils.
In this way the concept of Skin Cycling becomes accessible to all skin types, thanks to natural formulations, free from aggressive substances to obtain visible results without stressing the skin.
