Her Campus at U Ottawa acknowledges that we are located on the stolen and unsurrendered land of the Algonquin people.
Building skincare routines has become super popular in the last few years, especially as social media has promoted videos of people showing large, complex, twenty-product regimens. It can be intimidating seeing so many products and acids that promise to fix your skin…for $300.
While I’ve tried a ton of different “trendy” skincare hacks, skin cycling has been the one I’ve stuck with this year, making it a staple in my routine. And it doesn’t involve any expensive purchases! It may be the missing ingredient to finding your perfect skincare routine.
But what is it?
Skin cycling is a simple, easy-to-follow routine that involves rotating your skin care products and allowing your skin to “rest” after each product. It uses the same key steps as most routines—exfoliation, retinoids, and moisturizing—but can be adjusted to your needs and done with the products you already have.
my routine
I begin my cycle with salicylic acid on day one, using The Ordinary’s formula. The next day, I use The Ordinary’s retinol formula. For the following two days, I focus on moisturization, with hyaluronic acid and my typical moisturizer. On these nights, I put the products on my face while it’s still damp to lock in hydration. After that, I start the cycle over—hence the name!
the benefits
Skin cycling has a ton of dermatologist-backed benefits, but the greatest benefit for my skin has been the simplicity of the routine. It’s easy to remember and doesn’t involve having to keep track of tons of different steps and products. It keeps my routine simple and down to only a few products, which deters me from feeling constant pressure to buy new ones.
thinking of trying it?
The great thing about trying skin cycling is that it involves products you already have, so there’s no risk of harming your skin with new ingredients. Similarly, it’s a cost-efficient trend to try and better than splurging on a hyped product that ends up not working for your skin.
The new year is the perfect time to try out new things, so use this article as a guide to try this new routine! Ultimately, you should use a routine that benefits you and your skin, but if you’re looking to try something new, skin cycling is my vote for my favourite skincare trend.