It seems like any and all burning beauty tips and tricks are sitting on the For You Page of TikTok these days. With each swipe, there's a hot new trend ready to break the internet and many of them are skincare related. Enter: The Glow Getter Team. This month, we investigated the hottest viral trend and, with a little debunking, are ready to give you a proper run-through on skin cycling—what it is and could you already be doing it?
If you're on TikTok or Instagram and have any remote interest in taking care of your skin (we bet you do!), then you've likely come across this newest trend: skin cycling (thank you, algorithm). Time to add this phrase to your skincare encyclopedia. Skin cycling is a skincare approach created by renowned dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe which focuses on a four-day cycling period of product rotation to give your skin just the right amount of exfoliation. With the help of TikTok user @_edan skin, a skin cycling routine can look a little something like this:
Night 1: Dedicating the first night of your 4-day cycle to exfoliating the skin using a physical or chemical exfoliant. After cleansing, you might reach for Enzyme, a gentle scrub made to exfoliate and scrub away the debris and makeup. If you're more of a chemical exfoliating user then we recommend reaching for Solution I (for dry skin) or Solution II (for oily skin). Our Solution compound is designed to gently exfoliate the skin with glycolic and salicylic acid for the ultimate glow.
Night 2: This night is all about applying your Retinol. If you're a beginner skincare user, we recommend reaching for Retinol 30—you only need a pea-sized amount for your face. As we age, our skin begins to lose collagen thus an increase in laxity. We incorporate a retinoid to reach deeply into the layers of our skin to tackle creases and sun damage. It also helps to prevent any future environmental damage, as well as tackle acne scars and texture. Our Retinol 30 & 60 are like little genies in a bottle.
Using active ingredients throughout this two-day window may cause your skin to feel dry which is why we'd recommend finishing off your skincare routine with Moisture for serious hydration or Veil for our acne-prone glow getters. Before using any active ingredients we recommend reading our guide before it's too late.
Nights 3 & 4: The last two nights of the skin cycle are dedicated to rest and slugging (IYKYK) which means ditching all active ingredients. During this window, your main focus should be on deep hydration. So, after cleansing and toning, you may reach for our Night treatment. Night is a skin barrier cream created to lock in moisture and hydrate your skin while you sleep. Plus, who doesn't love a product with hyaluronic acid?
On days 3 & 4, you may also choose to slug using Rich Moisture by lathering on two finger lengths on your face and neck. You can even follow up with Botanical Oil to pump up vital nutrients. While "oil" may feel like a bad word in the skincare world, Botanical oil is non-comedogenic and safe for all skin types, especially acne-prone skin! Many users have sworn that it has healed their acne scars and sudden breakouts.
Will this be a trend you're trying out? Maybe it's something you're already doing (lucky you!)? Let us know in the comments below.