Figuring out where to start when creating skin care can be very overwhelming. Beauty brands offer hundreds of products that all claim to make your skin glow, and influencers on social media platforms like TikTok rave about a new product almost every day. If you are anything like me, you’ll feel like you need to buy every new item that is being advertised. Although these marketing tactics are undeniably lucrative business strategies for beauty brands, this overload of information makes it hard for average, uneducated consumers, like myself, to create a personalized and effective skincare routine. I became especially frustrated with the beauty industry this fall when I began to struggle with skin in ways I had never experienced before. Every time my skin cleared up a new pimple seemed to form, it was exhausting. After doing some research, I realized that it could have been a medley of different factors affecting my skin including my new birth control, my fake tan habit, or even my diet. Therefore, I decided to reset my skin and cut out any possible factors that could affect it. I went off birth control, stopped fake tanning, and began following a new routine of skin cycling. I implemented this new routine around 3 weeks ago and I swear my skin has not only cleared up but is the best it has ever looked.
So, you may be wondering what “skin cycling” means. “Skin cycling” is a process created by dermatologists that uses a minimalist approach to skincare by using simple products in an effective way. It allows for “rest days” after using products, such as exfoliators and retinol, that can be potentially irritating with high usage. For my routine, I start on Sundays by cleansing, exfoliating, and applying moisturizer. Then, on Monday I cleanse, apply a retinol cream, and moisturize. After, on Tuesday and Wednesday, I allow my skin to rest and only cleanse and moisturize. Finally, on Thursday, I restart the cycle by adding an exfoliator into my routine for the day.
Tiktok Video of a Dermatologist explaining more:
Products I use:
- Cleanser: Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser
- Moisturizer: CeraVa Moisturizing Cream
- Exfoliator: Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
- Retinol: Tretronoin
- Although this product is prescription, you can order it through Nurx, a website that allows you to order prescription products without having to go to the pharmacy
- https://www.nurx.com/