The latest beauty trend – Skin Cycling
Being a sucker for a good skin care session, I just had to get involved, and as always, when I have tried and tested something, I want you to know about it too! Skin cycling, have you ever heard of it? I hadn’t until the trend started blowing up on all your favourite social networks.
What is skin cycling?
I’m going to break it down for you. If you will, skin cycling takes you and your skin a cycle for four days. This is a very deliberate routine that results in glowing, radiant skin. Please take my word for it, team, I have tried it, and it works!
The concept is on point for everything your body needs, so why not take your skin through a cycle too? Your muscles need recovery days, and your mind needs to recover, so sending the same recovery benefits to your skin makes sense.
Skin cycling applies to a nighttime routine involving active ingredients on certain days followed by rest days and then repeating. The idea is that adopting a skin cycling routine can help prevent the skin barrier from breaking down due to the overuse of active ingredients. Plus, who else is a creature of habit? Maintaining a consistent and effective routine is excellent for overall skin health.
What do you need?
Here is a list of all the Glow Lab products you need for your four-day skin cycle regime.
Age Renew Resurfacing Cleanser
Age Renew Recovery Night Cream
How does it work?
At its most basic, skin cycling is an easy-to-follow evening skincare routine designed to prevent the irritation and sensitivity that can come from the overuse of particular actives, such as retinol, and over-exfoliation. It is designed to lessen the risk of worsening skin concerns or creating new ones!
Night One
EXFOLIATION
It’s all about exfoliating, baby. The Glow Lab brightening exfoliator is perfect to start. Gentle, filled with natural rosehip seed, and great for sensitive skin types like me.
Alternatively, the Age Renew resurfacing cleanser is a dual-action AHA cleanser that resurfaces the skin without rough exfoliants – it’s up to you. I used both during my cycle and followed up with sensitive gel moisturiser after patting my face dry.
Night Two
RETINOL
Cleanse, cleanse, cleanse your face, and pat it dry again. Damp skin is not ideal when applying retinol, so you want to make sure your face is dry.
Retinoids can be harsh, I learned the hard way when one day I slapped it on like moisturiser. Glow Lab’s Age Renew Retinol Booster oil contains Bakuchiol, a gentler option for those with sensitive skin yet still works to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation. It is recommended to use it in small amounts to start.
This oil can be incorporated into your skin cycling routine without worrying about irritation or retinoid prescriptions. It also goes a long way, so one bottle will last a good few cycles when used in small amounts.
Nights Three & Four
RECOVERY
Do the mahi, get the treats, and recovery. Your recovery nights allow your skin to recover from harsh exfoliants and all the actives used in nights one and two.
These nights are all about hydration and moisturising products after cleansing. Think Hydrating booster, toner, rosehip oil, and a firm fave in my bathroom vanity, the Age Renew Recovery night cream. All of the above will help repair your skin’s barrier resulting in a beautiful natural glow come sunrise.
Cleanse your face, apply your toner & then boosters for an extra glowy finish, and end with a night cream before you fall into a deep relaxing sleep.
What are the benefits?
The process of skin cycling allows you an all-access backstage pass to understanding and getting in sync with your skin.
You can manage the signs of sensitivity and irritation that may have been previously caused by harsh or excessive exfoliating or piling on too many active ingredients.
Simply put, this is the perfect alternative to overdoing it. Trust the process, and forget about moving fast. This is a slow process but a quicker way to reach your skin goals.
You know your skin and what your skin needs, so if you need to take your recovery days in between the exfoliator and retinol nights, you do that. For my sensitive skin people, especially, listen, watch, and feel what is happening so you can get the best results!
Pop through the link below or to your local supermarket, pick up your fave Glow Lab products, and let me know how your four-day skin cycle goes!
Notes of a Northerner 