Have you ever heard about Skin Cycling or 4 day skincare routine that will do magic on your face? Skin cycling is the newest viral beauty trend that recommends switching up the products in your nighttime skincare routine, and if you use TikTok, you’ve probably heard of it.
Skin Cycling – Viral 4 Day Skincare Trend that will totally Transform your skin!
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It can be challenging to find reliable skin care advice online. What products do you actually require? How often do you use them? What sequence do you use them in? That is a lot. Fortunately, skin cycling is a relatively simple process to master. You just need to repeat a four-night cycle if you’re new to this. According to dermatologists, skin cycling is a technique to avoid over-exfoliating your skin by switching up your skincare products throughout the week.
Skin cycling includes four-night night routine which consists of exfoliation, retinol and recovery. The skin is given time to recover and repair while still receiving the maximum benefits of exfoliation and retinol. Would you benefit from skin cycling? Let’s examine each phase skin cycling regimen.
Day1: Exfoliation Day
First night of Skin cycling is dedicated to exfoliation. Basically, dermatologists advise using a product that actually works as a chemical exfoliant after cleansing. Do not be alarmed by the word “chemical”; exfoliants containing chemicals can be a safe and useful addition to your skincare regimen. Acids found in chemical exfoliants typically remove blackheads and dead skin cells, leaving you with skin that is more even in tone and texture.
These are the most popular chemical exfoliants: AHAs(Alpha-hydroxy acids) and BHAs(beta-hydroxy acids).
AHAs: In order to reduce wrinkles and fine lines, plant-derived acids exfoliate extra skin cells and promote the production of collagen. Many skincare products contain glycolic acid, a typical AHA.
BHAs: Oil-soluble acids that fight acne can help to unclog pores by reducing excess oil production in the skin. Salicylic acid, which is frequently found in products for acne, is the most prevalent BHA.
AHA-focused product may be your best bet if you’re looking for texture support and anti-aging benefits. Exfoliants with a BHA might be a better fit for your routine if you’re worried about acne or acne scarring.
A moisturiser should be applied after using an exfoliant on clean skin. It is not advisable to combine retinol with chemical exfoliants. My favorite exfoliant is The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Exfoliating Peeling Solution.
Day2: Retinol
The second night of skin cycling routine’s focuses on applying retinoids. The most well-known and thoroughly studied anti-aging substances are retinoids, which are topical treatments derived from vitamin A that may reduce wrinkles and fine lines. Retinoids are effective at treating acne, boosting collagen production, lightening age spots, and increasing skin cell turnover. One of the most potent ingredients to include in your skin cycling routine are retinoids.
Once more, after cleansing your face, make sure it is completely dry—not even slightly damp—before applying the retinoid. Also protect sensitive areas of skin(under eyes, neck, corners of your mouth, base of your nostrils) with Vaseline or any moisturizer. For your entire face, a pea sized amount of product is sufficient. After that, apply your retinoid, followed by another layer of moisturiser. As your skin develops some tolerance, this “sandwich” technique creates a protective buffer to help minimise things like peeling and dryness.
My favorite retinol serum and cream are CB Clair Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol Moisturizing Facial Serum and Paula’s Choice RESIST Intensive Repair Cream with Retinol.
For detailed information about the use of retinol , read this article use of Retinol for face wrinkles.
Day 3 and 4: Recovery
Okay, your skin has worked very hard. You should now have recovery nights. After cleansing your face, all that you need to do is apply any hydrating serums or moisturisers that don’t contain active ingredients like those listed above. Look for products that have ingredients that can repair the skin, such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and ceramides. It’s acceptable for your skin to be slightly damp because you want to seal that moisture in your skin. After that layer your serums with any moisturizer.
This recovery period is to give your skin to recover after using acid exfoliants and retinoids.
After 4 days, repeat this four day cycle beginning with exfoliation.
Benefits of skin cycling
Skin cycling has a lot of potential for success because it gives your face a chance to recover between treatments. Retinoids and exfoliating serums are potent, extremely effective products that I use in my skin care routine. However, if used excessively, they can become very irritating for some people.
Excessive use of these products, especially by those with darker skin tones, increases the risk of hyperpigmentation and can result in sensitive, tight, or dry skin. Thus, skin cycling may enable you to benefit from these (often expensive) products while minimizing the possibility of annoying side effects as “Less is more when it comes to skin care.”
