If your skincare routine feels overwhelming, or your skin feels irritated, dry or dull, you're not alone. More isn't always better. That's why skin cycling has taken the skincare world by storm.
This simple method, popularized by dermatologists, helps your skin reset and recover while still getting the benefits of powerful ingredients. And you can build a complete skin cycling routine with nourishing, natural products from Simple Glow.
What is skin cycling?
Skin cycling is a 4-night routine that balances active ingredients with rest nights. The goal is to avoid over-exfoliation, calm inflammation and support your skin barrier. It works like this:
- Night 1: Exfoliation
- Night 2: Retinoid, or a gentle retinol alternative
- Nights 3 & 4: Recovery and repair
This rhythm gives your skin time to respond to products without becoming irritated, which makes it a great fit for sensitive, dry or mature skin.
Why skin cycling works
Too many actives, too often, can strip your skin and lead to breakouts, redness or flaking. Skin cycling adds structure and balance so your skin can build strength and glow naturally. It's especially helpful for:
- Minimizing irritation from retinol or exfoliants
- Supporting a damaged moisture barrier
- Simplifying your routine without sacrificing results
Your Simple Glow skin cycling routine
Night 1: Exfoliation
Start your cycle by clearing away dead skin cells so the next night's actives absorb better.
- Cleanse with Green Tea & Sake Cleansing Balm.
- Apply Papaya-Honey Skin Smoothie, with papaya enzymes and gentle PHAs for smooth resurfacing. For a deeper treatment, apply a thicker layer as a 20-minute mask, then rinse.
- Finish with Chamomile-Lavender Face Cream to hydrate and calm.
Night 2: Retinol alternative
Deliver actives that target fine lines, uneven texture and breakouts.
- Cleanse.
- Apply Bakuchiol-B3 ClearSkin Emulsion, a plant-based retinol alternative with bakuchiol, niacinamide and peptides that's gentle on sensitive skin.
- Seal it in with IMMORTAL Face Cream or your favorite moisturizer.
Nights 3 & 4: Recovery
Give your skin a chance to rest and rebuild with soothing, replenishing ingredients.
- Mist with Organic Rosewater Toner for hydration.
- Apply Blue Tansy Serum to calm and hydrate, or skip it if your skin wants simplicity.
- Finish with IMMORTAL Face Cream, rich in ceramides, for overnight nourishment.
Bonus: daily add-ons
During the day, keep your skin protected and glowing:
- Wear mineral SPF every day, like our tinted Natural BB Cream.
- Refresh with Rosewater Toner throughout the day.
- Nourish lips with Organic Lip Butter.
- Add Matcha-Rose Eye Balm if your eyes feel puffy or dry.
Customize it for your skin
Everyone's skin is different. Here's how to tweak your routine:
- Oily skin: use an oil-free gel moisturizer like GlowFace Oil-Free Moisturizer on recovery nights.
- Dry skin: add a few drops of Glow Elixir Radiance Face Oil on recovery nights.
- New to exfoliants? Start with one exfoliation night every 7 to 10 days.
- Sensitive skin: patch test new products, and stretch recovery to 3 or 4 nights if needed.
Try it: the Simple Glow skin cycling challenge
Ready to glow? Try skin cycling for two weeks with your favorite Simple Glow products, and keep track of how your skin's texture, tone and hydration change. You'll find everything you need in our Healthy Skin collection.
Simple routines. Glowing results. Naturally.
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