Asset rotation becomes fashion in skin care routine

Lauren Feiler, 34, a housewife from Dallas, Texas, took five years to reach “skin care nirvana,” a state she says is characterized by skin that even without makeup or use of filters looks like it has been “filtered” or retouched.

It’s quite a journey. After his son was born in 2017, Feiler applied up to 12 products a day, including a placenta serum (made with biomimetic, non-human or animal placenta) and a $155 mask, at the suggestion of his beautician, which he aimed to use. aim to make her feel like she was before she had the baby.

Two and a half years later, the despondency began: the placenta went to waste along with the rest of her routine, except for the cleanser and moisturizer.

Over time, Feiler incorporated prescription retinol and exfoliating pads with seven types of acid, alternating between the two every other night. There was some improvement, but she still wasn’t happy with the texture of her skin.

Eight weeks ago, she adopted “skin cycling”, an online routine of treatments that looked legit, at least compared to the “libido gummies” and collagen powder she bought because she saw it on TikTok.

The concept of the treatment is a four-day cycle that alternates between using active ingredients and “nights off”. On the first night, carvery fans apply a chemical exfoliant; in the second, a retinoid; and in the third and fourth, a moisturizer. Cleaning is always the first step.

“My skin is so soft, it feels like a baby’s bottom,” Feiler said. “I couldn’t get this texture for a long time.”

People are adopting routines similar to Feiler’s, and TikTok videos with the hashtag #skincycling are becoming increasingly popular.

But dermatologists have recommended minimal product routines that have promoted active ingredient rotation for decades, albeit with their own cycle and product recommendations. What was missing was a catchy name and a viral platform.

“People were learning about an ingredient, getting excited about it, and adding it to their nighttime routine,” said Whitney Bowe, a dermatologist in New York who coined the phrase “skin cycling.”

She has been promoting the method on her social media channels for more than a year, offering product recommendations (from her own line, Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty, and other brands), as well as advice based on skin type and budget, but only recently has the approach gained traction online.

Bowe described the philosophy as a sort of “undo”, or a response to the excess skin care in the pandemic that, for many women, has created “real problems” with the skin’s protective barrier.

The approach is consistent with the advice she gives to patients: don’t exfoliate too many times a week or mix too many ingredients in one night. On any given day, all-nighters use no more than three bedtime products and only one containing active ingredients.

Bowe also outlines some basic rules: the cycle should be done at night (exfoliants and retinoids make the skin sensitive to light and should be applied before bed) and in a specific order (exfoliating the first night, as it prepares the skin for the retinoid penetrate more effectively the following night).

Many dermatologists agree that rotation is a good approach because it can be adapted to different skin types, ages, lifestyles, and budgets. In essence, the rotation and balance of active and hydrating ingredients help keep the skin barrier intact. Also, anything that promotes skin care in moderation is a good thing.

“It’s the way I practice — it just didn’t have a name,” said Rosemarie Ingleton, a dermatologist in New York. “What we’re trying to do is not hoard every active product you can find and do it every night. You’re never going to get worthwhile results and you’re going to be irritated.”

Ingleton skin care brand Rose Ingleton MD sells four serums that target specific problems: hyperpigmentation, breakouts, hydration and texture. She said patients and clients can use a different serum each night — or use the same serum every day — but they should never be used together.

Even those who consider themselves “skinimalists” (minimalists in skin care) can exfoliate too much or accumulate too many active ingredients at once, causing irritation, including dry or inflamed skin.

“In essence — using products sparingly and alternating days or nights — this is what the dermatology community is saying, but in different ways,” said Adeline Kikam, a dermatologist in Florida and owner of Skinclusive Dermatology.

Kikam prefers a five-night cycle. Hesitant to recommend back-to-back actives, she asks people to do an extra night of recovery between exfoliation and retinol nights.

Dermatologists also like the skin caster to be brand and price agnostic.

Bowe said almost anyone can rotate cosmetics, even those who have never used a retinoid.

Routines are easy to modify for sensitive skin (add a third night of recovery) or for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding (swap the retinoid for bakuchiol, peptides or another alternative with similar effects).

For those new to active ingredients, Bowe recommends one night of exfoliation followed by three nights of recovery for two to three weeks before adding a retinoid. People with very sensitive skin can make a retinoid “sandwich” the second night, applying a retinoid-type product between a foundation and a top layer of moisturizer.

Those who want to go to a more advanced level, she said, can skip a recovery night or add a second (or third) night of retinoid, and more advanced practitioners can increase retinoid strength by switching from over-the-counter to over-the-counter. one with prescription.

Still, not all dermatologists fully trust the method.

“The best thing you can do to protect the skin barrier is not to destroy it in the first place,” said Ranella Hirsch, a dermatologist in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Translated by Luiz Roberto M. Gonçalves