Although the name refers to some type of training, Skin Cycling is a program to perform your evening beauty routine and maximize its effects. Don't panic then, we can put away Gua Sha and jade rollers because this time the only thing we need is just a calendar.

If you still haven't had the opportunity to come across one of the many videos dedicated to this trend, viral as always on TikTok and now the Holy Grail for all - absolutely all - skincare addicts, we'll tell you what this "program" of beauty and all the secrets to make it better.

Skin Cycling: What is it?

Conceived and promoted by the American dermatologist Whitney Bowe , Skin Cycling aims to make the skin "reborn" in "cycles" of just four days and to improve it with targeted phases and specific active ingredients.

Like Skinminimalism , or Skin Cycling, it plans not to excessively "overload" the skin with too many products, but to create a very simple skincare routine where the benefits of the active ingredients present in our skincare products are optimized. Often, in fact, it can happen to use too powerful active ingredients very frequently, then paying the consequences with irritation, dryness and skin sensitization.

Skin Cycling, therefore, is a skincare that provides for the use of powerful active ingredients on certain days and not daily, such as chemical exfoliants (alpha-hydroxyacids or beta-hydroxyacids) or retinoids (retinol and other Vitamin A derivatives), and a few days of "rest" to regenerate the skin. By following this programme, the skin should, on the one hand, develop greater tolerance to the active ingredients, and on the other, reduce any side effects.

We are obviously talking about an evening skincare because, as we know, chemical exfoliants and retinoids are used in the evening due to their photosensitizing properties ( it makes the skin more sensitive to UV and UVA rays) .

How does it work? Here is the program to follow:

The most popular type of Skin Cycling is based on a four-day program: two "active" and two for skin recovery; once the four days have passed, it starts all over again.

• Evening 1: Add an exfoliator to a base routine that includes a gentle facial cleanser , moisturizer and serum in oil to seal in the different treatments. You can opt for an enzymatic exfoliator , a chemical peel, or a toner enriched with alpha or beta-hydroxy acids depending on your preference.
• Night 2: Skip the exfoliation and use retinol as an anti-aging alongside the other steps in your routine. Always remember to apply the moisturizing eye contour before such a powerful active ingredient, in order to protect the eye area!

• Evening 3 and 4: These are the "recovery" nights, where you can take a break from the exfoliating and pro-aging active ingredients. Take the opportunity to make a hyaluronic acid-based moisturizing face mask to keep in place until completely absorbed.

If after a few months your skin hasn't reported irritation and you want to upgrade this routine you can:

Which skin is Skin Cycling good for?

This type of routine is suitable for all skin types but is particularly beneficial for those with particularly sensitive and reactive skin but also for those who use specific products to treat acne, hyper-pigmentation and skin aging.

While it's a very easy routine to follow, if your skin has certain issues we recommend you consult a dermatologist first, whose expertise can never be replaced by different videos on TikTok.

As we have said, "Skin Cycling" involves a four-night cycle - it is the most popular type - made up of two days of use of "strong" active ingredients and two days of recovery for the skin. After the four days it starts all over again. This cycle went viral on TikToK with dermatologists on the social network confirming its benefits and users starting to share their skin transformations.

The term, coined by dermatologist Whitney Bowe, refers to creating a cyclical routine of evening skincare products to be used making sure not to exceed with certain active ingredients that could irritate or sensitize the skin in the long run.

What does Skin Cycling teach us?

Each of us has a different skin and different needs that change with the change of years, seasons and hormonal phases; therefore, Skin Cycling shouldn't be taken as something fixed and mandatory but more as a general scheme that teaches us not to mix too many active ingredients together, especially if they are particularly powerful, and to understand what our skin really needs.