REVEAL A GLOWING COMPLEXION WITH SKIN CYCLING

The viral routine that transforms skin fast

- LORRAINE SULLIVAN

SKIN-CARE TRENDS THAT TARGET THE YOUNGER SET abound on social media, but every once in a while, a new one emerges that, as a woman over 40, really piques my interest. Enter: skin cycling. Coined by New York City dermatologist Whitney Bowe, M.D., it's a four-night skin-care regimen designed to help older women introduce potent ingredients to their beauty routine to combat aging skin woes without causing irritation. So I went straight to the source to learn how and why it works, then tried it myself!

WHAT IS SKIN CYCLING?

The term first went viral on TikTok and was coined by Dr. Bowe, who is the founder of Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty. In a nutshell, she explains, skin cycling is a four-day regimen that entails exfoliation on night one, using retinol on night two, followed by nights three and four of "recovery"-just using moisturizer. The reason behind this specific daily routine? As we get older, our skin cell turnover rate slows and skin becomes thinner and more delicate overall. Skin cycling helps speed up the renewal process (shedding dead, dry skin cells) by introducing skin to active ingredients like skin-care acids and retinol, but doing it slowly so our delicate, sensitive skin can handle it.

RETINOL TIP:

Go Gradual

If you've never used retinol before, Dr. Bowe says it's best to start with gentle forms and slowly work up to stronger ones.

BENEFITS OF SKIN CYCLING