Korean Beauty For Skin-Cycling

What is Skin Cycling? 

"Skin Cycling "is a skincare technique that uses exfoliating products on “active” days and hydrating or barrier repair ones on “rest” days. A typical "cycle" lasts for four days; two days “on” and two days “off”. The idea behind it is to give your skin a break from ‘harsh’ or ‘stripping’ ingredients on some nights of the week to avoid over-exfoliation. 

A Typical Skin Cycle Routine 

Skin-Cycling Night One: Exfoliation

Night one is for exfoliation, using either a physical or chemical exfoliant.

While some people find physical scrubs harsh on the skin, Korean beauty has great options, including scrubs made of sugar crystals. These dissolve in water, allowing you to manually control your exfoliant. If you're looking for the most gentle scrub, make sure you wet your face first before applying the scrub to it. This helps to naturally dissolve the sugar crystals first for a less abrasive exfoliation. 

Skin-Cycling Night Two: Retinol

The second night of your skin cycling routine is when you will apply your retinol.

This can either be a prescription from from the doctor, or a gentler version.

If this is your first introduction to retinol then start out with a small thin layer over the face. Make sure to avoid areas such as under eyes and nose creases, which are prone to dryness and sensitivity. You can even use the retinol sandwhich method, applying hydrating skincare underneath and over the top to reduce the likelihood of your skin drying out. Try this toner and sleeping mask combo! 

Skin-Cycling Nights Three and Four: Hydrate

These are the nights to focus on hydrating your skin and fortifying your barrier. 

After cleansing, apply serums and essences with barrier repairing ingredients, as well as moisturisers that are incredibly hydrating.  

TL;DR: Skin Cycling With Korean Skin Care

If you've previously tried retinol but found your skin ended up either dry or sensitive then skin cycling might be a good option for you. The idea is to reap the benefits of Vitamin A (aka retinol) without over-exfoliating or damaging your skin. When it comes to the products you use on hydrating nights, Korean skincare products are a natural fit because they focus on gentle nourishment and hydration. 

Questions About Korean Beauty?

As always, if you have any questions about your skincare routine or if you are just looking for tips on how to achieve your skincare goals please reach out to us. 

Alternatively, you can tune into our top rated Korean Beauty Show podcast to learn more.