What is Skin Cycling? - Best Skin Cycling Products for 2023

Have you ever felt that your skin was unmanageable or that certain products didn't work well with you, and you weren't sure why? People who have menstrual cycles go through regular daily hormone fluctuations, and just as our energy and mood changes throughout our cycles, our skin changes too. These fluctuations can reflect in our skin as increased sensitivity, disrupted skin barrier function, increased sebaceous (oil) gland activity, and acne.

We should always include the basic steps in our skincare routines, such as cleansing, hydrating, and protecting with SPF. However, making timely substitutions may be what your skin is asking for! Skin cycling or cycle syncing is the process of switching up our daily habits to align and complement the menstrual cycle phases. Different phases require different attention. There are 4 phases of the menstrual cycle: Menstrual, Follicular, Ovulatory, and Luteal.

To understand how skin cycling works regarding our skincare, we must understand the relationship between hormone and our skin. Here is a quick breakdown of how 2 essential hormones in the cycle affect our skin: Estrogen is responsible for skin hydration, wound healing, increased collagen production, and improved skin barrier function. Progesterone stimulates sebum production in the skin - it can cause the skin to swell slightly, decreasing the appearance of pore size. However, too much of it can lead to clogged pores and acne.

The menstrual phase (approx. days 1-7) signals the beginning of the cycle, when the uterine lining sheds itself, aka menstruation. This occurs due to the dramatic drop in estrogen and progesterone in the body, plus an increase in prostaglandins, which are substances that increase inflammation. What does this look like in our skin?

Because estrogen has skin barrier protective properties, we see increased sensitivity/irritation, dullness, dryness, and an overall lack of radiance. This is when we want to treat our skin with extra care, focusing on nourishing and repairing. We may incorporate gentler hydrating & restorative products and, depending on skin sensitivity, avoid procedures such as exfoliating, extracting, lasers, etc. Because the skin barrier can be disrupted during this phase, gently cleansing your skin is crucial to prevent bacteria from causing breakouts. If your skin is extremely sensitive, try swapping out potentially irritating products like Retinol or Salicylic acid for something milder. It's ok to keep the routine basic this week! Recommended products include:

+ SkinCeuticals Epidermal Repair
+ SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore
+ SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Masque
+ SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser