How to Do the Skin Cycling Method on Your Body for Baby-Soft Skin
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If your body care routine consists of body wash and maaaybe sometimes lotion, then you’re missing out on a host of active ingredients that can prevent damage and make skin below your neck smoother, softer, and brighter. With the increase in body care spending (reports show bath and body product sales were up 65 percent in 2020 and continue to grow) and the awareness that we want the rest of our skin to look as healthy as our faces do, brands have expanded their offerings to include exfoliants, cleansers, and hydrators with active ingredients that mirror formulas once reserved for the face. The trick to navigating all these new options—and making them work most effectively—is to use a method called skin cycling.
Skin cycling (a viral term coined by dermatologist Whitney Bowe, MD) calls for rotating your skincare products on a four-day cycle so you use active ingredients (like retinol or alpha hydroxy acids) some days and only hydrating ingredients on rest days. This reduces irritation and strengthens the skin barrier, explains Morgan Rabach, MD, a board-certified dermatologist. The technique isn’t new, but it is a streamlined, effective, and derm-approved way to get soft, smooth skin while also targeting specific concerns. Get the ideal body cycling routine here:
What are the benefits of skin cycling for your body?
First, everyone can benefit from skin cycling. In fact, the strategy helps target specific concerns, like eczema, sensitivity, or acne, without irritating the skin since it has built-in recovery days, says Stacy Chimento, MD, a board-certified dermatologist. (Keep reading for the body cycling routine for these particular concerns.)
Body cycling is also ideal for mature skin. As we age, the skin becomes thinner and looks crepey, especially on the tops of hands, upper arms, and the areas above the knees, Bowe says. A great treatment for thin, crepey skin is a retinol cream; however, a lot of people, especially those with sensitive skin, can’t tolerate using one daily. Body cycling helps you space out your retinol days, ideally making skin thicker and firmer without irritation.
Exfoliating with alpha hydroxy acids or physical scrubs—with the goal of smoother, brighter skin—should also be mapped out; overuse can dry out or irritate your skin. These formulas can help address skin conditions like keratosis pilaris, as well as excess dead, dull skin cells that accumulate on the elbows, knees, heels, and lower legs, Bowe says.
How to customize skin cycling to your body concerns
Skin cycling follows a four-day cycle; exfoliating on night one, retinol on night two, and recovery days (meaning no active ingredients, only hydrating ones) on days three and four. However, “body cycling, like face cycling, is a flexible framework that you can customize to meet your skin’s needs and goals,” says Bowe. It’s all about learning to listen to your skin and then adjusting that framework as needed. Here are a few ways to customize body cycling:
If you have dry, sensitive, or mature skin
First, choose the body wash and body lotion you’ll use for both active days and recovery days. Make sure they contain ceramides, hyaluronic acid, or nut butters (like shea), Rabach says. We love Dove Hydrating Body Wash and L’Occitane Almond Delightful Body Balm. Apply both every day, layering the body balm on top of your slightly damp skin post-shower. But if you have sensitive skin or are prone to eczema, use a soothing, fragrance-free lotion, like Vaseline Intensive Care Sensitive Skin Relief, instead.
Then, limit yourself to one “exfoliating day” a week (make sure it’s a day when you aren't shaving). Chimento recommends alternating between an exfoliating lotion or wash one week and a retinol cream the next week. We like AmLactin Rapid Relief 15% Lactic Acid Restoring Cream and Gold Bond Age Renew Retinol Overnight Body Lotion. If you don't experience any irritation, then you can increase your exfoliation days, but continue to alternate between the two formulas.
For oily and acne-prone skin
You will likely benefit from the classic four-day cycle. On day one and day two, reach for a body wash that exfoliates with salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or retinol, says Rabach. Differin Acne-Clearing Body Wash has salicylic acid, hyaluronic acid, and blue tansy extract to help heal existing bumps and prevent new ones from forming. This will also help treat keratosis pilaris. Then apply a lightweight body lotion, like Seaweed Bath Co. Melt-In Water Lotion.
On day three and four, use a hydrating body wash and your lightweight body lotion, above. “It’s just as important to support the skin barrier on our body as it is to support the skin barrier on our face to optimize the health of our skin,” Bowe says.
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