Anyone who has ever followed an exercise routine knows the value of including rest days. So if we’re giving our bodies time to recover, why not do the same with our skincare?
It may sound strange, but the concept is called skin cycling and there may actually be method in the madness…
Some active ingredients in skincare can be quite strong, leaving our skin sensitive and potentially irritated. As such, it’s a good idea to give your skin time to adjust and heal by spacing out how often you use products with those ingredients. Skin cycling also encourages you to use your products in a strategic way to complement one another, as opposed to adding more products on top of one another.
Think of your skincare in terms of a four-day cycle where you alternate between days on which you use active ingredients, and ones on which you allow your skin to breathe.
For example, begin by exfoliating on Day 1 using a leave-on product that includes chemical acids. On the following night, use a product with retinol to reduce signs of aging, dark spots, and acne. The next two nights should be “recovery” evenings where you skip active ingredients and rather focus on moisturizing and nourishing your skin with serums that contain hyaluronic acid and ceramides.
Then, start the cycle from the beginning, but feel free to add in extra recovery days if you feel like your skin barrier needs more time to heal.