Skin Experts

Rich Skxn Spotlight: Skin Cycling

Skin cycling is a term coined by Dr Whitney Bowe. It went viral on TikTok, as it introduced an easy to follow routine for exfoliant and retinoid beginners. What is it? Essentially a 4-day night-time routine where you rotate between active ingredients and recovery nights.

Why is skin cycling recommended?

It allows your skin to recover between using actives. This helps to minimise irritation and keep the moisture barrier intact.

It looks like this:

Day 1: exfoliate
Day 2: Retinol
Day 3: Recover
Day 4: Recover

So, in detail. your night-time routine would look something like this:

Step 1. Oil cleanser
Step 2. Water-based cleanser
Step 3: Exfoliator (on day 1)
Step 4. Hyaluronic Acid
Step 5. (On day 2): Retinol
Step 6. Moisturiser

Are you already using retinoids and chemical exfoliants? Here’s an intermediate and advanced routine you might want to try:

An Intermediate Routine:

Day 1: Exfoliate
Day 2: Recovery
Day 3: Retinol
Day 4: Recovery
Day 5: Retinol
Day 6: Recovery
Day 7: Retinol

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 🐼 Kin W (Jay) 🇺🇸 (@skincare.ninja)

Or an advanced routine:

Day 1: Exfoliate
Day 2: Recovery
Day 3: Retinol
Day 4: Retinol
Day 5: Retinol
Day 6: Retinol
Day 7: Recovery

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 🐼 Kin W (Jay) 🇺🇸 (@skincare.ninja)

Word of Advice

These routines are a guide only. It’s important to listen to your skin. Described routines are more suitable for those with acne/oily/combination skin.

We also recommend the sandwich method for retinol nights, where you layer your retinol with moisturiser before and after. This will minimise any irritation caused by the product.

If you are new to chemical exfoliants and retinoids, start with the beginner’s guide. Sensitive and Dry skin will need more breaks in-between treatments, so adjust accordingly.

Ready to start your skin cycling routine? Here’s a few product recommendations to get you started:

Exfoliation Day