People w/ sensitive skin like me have been doing it before it was even named "skin cycling". Just listen to what your skin needs that day/night you're doing your routine. If your skin is congested, then use a clay mask or BHA that night. If its fairly normal and resilient, use your standard retinoid. If its red and sensitive, use hydrating and barrier repair products. It doesn't really need to be so complicated lol
Hi I'm Loretta De Los Rios using Frank's account to make this comment with his permission. Yes it's TRUE! I have hypersensitive sensitive skin. I agree. 🤲🙏⚘🙂👋🎻🎸🎶
I will say…Dr. Whitney has some unique takes too that I’ve literally never read in literature or heard from any other dermatologists. Like how a retinoid used every night creates “low level inflammation” and accelerates aging. That’s very much not accepted as true in the medical community from what I understand. So…all that to say, she is selling her skincare line, and at the end of the day she’s gonna say things that’ll help her sell her skincare line. I’m sure she has some good advice but I take anything I hear from her with a massive grain of salt
Over exfoliating in general causes inflammation, but I think the key is to listen to you skin, and do what works for you. People that really don't have a clue, however, I think this is a basic starting point. Some beginners wouldn't even be able to tolerate the regime she is suggesting.
I was thinking this too! Didn't she also say that she doesn't think Benzyol Peroxide should be used for acne, when it's literally the standard treatment in dermatology?
@@karenl.salerno3885 from my own experience and many on the retinoid subreddit - a derm told us to start using tret immediately every night. Luckily, I did research prior and knew to ease into it otherwise my face will burn off. But many of course trust in their doctor which led to severe damage to their skin barrier and the worst purge of their life. I think they’re taught to go full force with prescriptions for acne meanwhile their patients are suffering with severe irritation in the process.
That is actually funny because there are like 100 methods you get in derm clinics that litterly damage and irritate the skin to reverse againg and scarring
I have personalized my own skin cycling routine. Night 1: Exfoliate Night 2-6: Tretinoin Night 7: Recovery (slugging with cerave healing ointment) It works amazing for me!
I had tried two cycles of skin cycling and felt like I wasn't using tretinoin enough since my skin tolerates it fine but I like the feeling of slugging with cerave and using an exfoliant. Might try something out similar to your schedule!
I have sensitive skin so I’ve been doing my own skin cycling before it was a thing, lol… you just have to listen to your skin and do what is best without irritation.
Girl, the trust that I place in your videos and information is ridiculous lol LOVE that you do so much research and are so informed and unbiased. Your tips and recommendations have never let me down.
I don't think skin cycling is good for sensitive skin at all. If you have sensitive skin, you shouldn't use exfoliators when introducing a retinoid. The exfoliation step will only increase the risk of irritation.
I 100% agree with what you said. I think it’s a great concept for people that are maybe early onin their skincare journey that don’t have a ton of experience with these products or haven’t found a way of using them that works well so far, but I get really annoyed when people act like it’s some brand new concept that everyone needs to follow. I was essentially doing skin cycling a couple years ago but I have very sensitive skin and found that chemical exfoliants with tretinoin was just too much for my skin so I’ve just been using tret mostly every night since then and I’ve had great results. I think it’s great that she created such a straight forward method for people to follow but I hate that people have turned it into another trend that you HAVE to follow or you’re “doing it wrong” like that article said.
I personalized my own skin cycling schedule, but use vitamin c and azalaic acid every morning, so, skin cycling only applies to my night routine. I love my vitamin c & azalaic acid combo 🥰 At night, I'll use a retinoid every other night and alternate recovery and exfoliation on the other nights. 1) exfoliate 2) retinoid 3) "recover"/ vitamin c & azalaic acid 4) retinoid 5) exfoliate 6) "recover" 7) repeat
I tried to get to nightly tretinoin usage but the closest I got was every other day. I hate having super dry skin so I backed off and I'm now at every third day with 0.05% and my skin is so happy. I feel like I can even add in lactic acid occasionally now. Everyone's skin is different and the climate we live in is also different. Adjusting to what works is the best thing you can do. That said, skin cycling is awesome for those just starting out.
If people didn’t follow every single trend when it comes to skincare, then we wouldn’t need to have a trend to help our skin recover from skin stripping trends. It’s a vicious cycle. (No pun intended)
Thank you for this!! I felt like I was doing something wrong using tretinoin every night because of what social media was saying! You’re the best Abbey thank you for researching and letting your followers know the truth on these things!!
Listening to my body/skin is something I do daily.Depending on my body’s/skin’s needs, I follow what is needed. So if my body needs stretching and lengthening, it will be yoga/Pilates. If I am needing a sweat, I will do a cardio/strength training. I cycle through. Same with my skincare.. if my skin, is needing TLC, then I will be using hydrating and repairing products. If my skin is feeling/looking dull, then I will add in some exfoliation.. What works for one person may not work for another ( there are so many variables involved: sleep, climate one in slicing in, stress, type of skin, the condition of the skin, lifestyle, way of eating, etc.. And yes, Abby, I like you have been practicing skin cycling for a long time.. so it’s nothing new. I just recently watched a video by Penn Smith discussing this topic.. I do think that there are many newbies to skincare and with the popularity of TikTok, certain trends become popular and trendy..
I did skin cycling before I even knew it was popular. But it's more a morning thing. I alternate between vitamin c or copper peptides and a day of exfoliation in the morning. And nighttime is always retinoid and heavy moisturizers.
@@AbbeyYung its the one thing my grandma always said. (imagine a heavy Korean accent here) vitamin c and 'protectives' in the morning and make face clean (exfoliate). Night time is Washing face twice for make up and sunblock removal and anti age. Oh how sunblock and hats were drilled into me
I like: Night 1 : BHA, AHA, PHA Night 2: Tret/Recovery Night 3: Tret/Recovery Night 4: Tret/ Recovery I also have different percentages of Tret so can use the appropriate percentage based on what my skin feels like that night. There are so many ways!!!
I don't use ticktock but I can say that hearing about skin cycling on TH-cam was perfect for me as someone that has suffered with hormonal breakouts for years and started my skin care journey over a year ago using different products and then trying Differin. I now think I also have sensitive skin because I have a lot of redness despite the fact that my breakouts have lessened considerably. So this topic of skin cycling although not knew was a welcome reminder for me on how I could structure myself better and relax a bit on the use of products, instead of being results driven to my own skins detriment. I agree though there's no hard and fast rules for what everyone should be doing when it comes to skincare.
I use adapalene every night and a vitamin c/azelaic acid serum every day. Like you, if I notice my skin is acting up or irritated, I'll take a night off and just use calming and barrier-repair ingredients until my skin is less reactive before going back to adapalene nightly. I think skin cycling is a great way to build a habit for someone who is new to their skincare journey or for someone that has extra sensitive or reactive skin. But thank you for reaffirming that I'm not doing anything wrong by using my actives daily/nightly because my skin can tolerate it!
I saw another TikTok derm stich her skin cycling video saying if you tolerate your retinoid nightly to skin cycle by doing an exfoliation night sunday, recovery night monday, then Tret Tuesday-Saturday and I have been loving it!
Amen sister! Treat for 4 yrs. NOT messing w progress! Thank you! Please keep us updated when dr Whitney puts out her new plan. ❤️❤️❤️ ya hugs from Tampa
I was prescribed Retin-A micro almost 7 years ago for acne. It has completely changed my skin and my life. I still use a pea sized amount in my nightly routine. You do what works for you, that's it.
I think social media really tends to forget that everyone’s skin is different. I feel like for the past couple years, it’s been really pushed on people to use like 7 products every single day in your routine or else you’re not doing it right and now it’s kinda opposite with the whole skin cycling thing. You have to find out what works best for you! I’ve been doing my own form of “skin cycling” for the past 4 years or so. I don’t necessarily have sensitive skin but it’s not really tough either. Would I be able to use retinol every night? No. Would I be able to use a chemical exfoliant every night? Absolutely not. It’s just easier and better for my skin personally to keep it more simple. At night, I’ll rotate between using retinol 2 times a week, salicylic acid 2 times a week, and the other 3 nights I’ll use some sort of serum that targets whatever skin concern I have (dark spots, discoloration, large pores, etc). For me personally, it’s all about balance and making sure my skin barrier isn’t damaged while still treating my specific skin concerns. Everyone’s skin is different!
I’m with you! It took me six months to work up to nightly tret use and I’m not going back! My skin is happiest when I apply tret and then pile on the hydrating creams.
Great information! I've learned my skin over time and give it what it needs, when it needs it. I was just in the hospital for an emergency hysterectomy. I didn't use any skin care for about three days. My skin needed to be rehydrated first, now just getting back to tretinoin. Many blessings! 💖💖💖
I just wanna say that your videos and recommendations literally saved my skin and hair. I never really struggled with serious acne until I got into my late teens/early twenties so I didn’t know how to take care of my skin and it was so overwhelming to start from square one with no knowledge about skincare ingredients or what worked for my skin. I’m also so embarrassed to admit that in I used to not only wash my hair every single day but I barely ever used conditioner so you can imagine the state it used to be in. Videos like yours and Cassandra Bankson are a big part of why I went to school for a chemistry degree and why I hope to work in skincare! So thanks for all the hard work you’ve been doing over the years and for continuing to educate people!
Oof - I have to say, I kinda love the idea of skin cycling. I was way too overzealous with my skincare, and legit, burned my skin. My skin barrier is wrecked - and now I feel lost. I think, more than anything, skin, like everything else is so personal! I still love my trentioin, but I like the idea of having something to follow so I don’t lose my progress. Thank you for reaffirming that skincare isn’t a one size fits all!
Dr. Bow’s most recent post on her blog is about Advanced Skin Cycling…so she’s now got Classic, Gentle, and Advanced Skin Cycling information on her blog.
This Skin Cycling is for people whom are just getting into skin care . I use Differin 6 nights a week , exfoliate with gentle AHAs such as Mandelic and Lactic 10% and Salicylic Acid both twice a week . Skin is different and it's nothing new . I'm typing this at the start of video . 👏😊♥️🇬🇧🌈
I think if you are new to Tretinoin and skincare routines it might be helpful. The use of “discernment” is always a good when getting advice from quick videos and social media in general. This is like exercise for your skin. If you need to modify a weight or position, that is exactly what you should do. Listen to your body, practice consistency, & allow for recovery time. Thank you for sharing your experiences Abbey!
I loved this ! I found your video to be one of the most informative and unbiased. I was not familiar with this and last week 3 patients came in asking about skin cycling so I knew something new was circulating. Doctors and the community in general do not give enough merit to transdermal absorption of medication ( retinoids are meds) and like any other medication steady state levels are required for optimal benefits. Im concerned that using the retinoid every 4 days will never allow for that level to occur and results will be significantly reduced and require a long time to be seen.
I feel like the market and social media has confused people to the point where they have to have an exact calendar/equation with their skincare routine in order for it to not be all over the place. This trend is good from the perspective of incorporating the "less is more" approach, but apparently beauty magazines and so forth finds ways to even make that complicated. Great vid!
I feel as though I've been inadvertently skin cycling for a while, as I tend to damage my skin barrier when I use too many chemicals in a row. I had been on accutane for the a year (I stopped in March), and since then I feel I only need to use my retanoid 1-2 times a week. Totally agree with you that it doesn't necessarily have to be a trend
I did skin cycling before it was popular. I did it when I started using tretinoin and serums with acids but I have my own twist that benefits my routine. Thank you Abby
I’m so so happy to see you doing a video about this! It’s so easy for everyone to want to jump on the bandwagon when trends come around, and I thought I was seriously missing out but couldn’t actively get myself to only use my tret twice a week. It’s just not for me and my skin! And I think that’s what people need to realize, just because these things are popular doesn’t mean EVERYONE should be doing it.
I'm so confused as to why this is a "thing"?? Surely it's common sense/ noticing the changes in your skin? That said, if it helps people then I'm all for it! But I use retinol on exfoliant night too 🤷🏼♀️ another great video xx
Hey Girl took me 2.5yrs to get to every night Tretinoin not going to change that for anyones “opinion” I may throw an exfoliating in there every 3 months but when you use Tretinoin at night Lactic Acid in the morning with VitC you really don’t need to exfoliate much. There are so many band wagons you can’t jump on everyone. I started with way too much and so scaled down to what works for me. You do you baby. I like the let your skin tell you what it needs
Well said! I’ve also modified the skin cycling in the past couple of weeks after trying it out for a month like Dr. Bowe recommends. It’s a great starting point for people like myself that tend to jump into the deep end and go a little too heavy on actives… 😅
That’s what happens so often on social media- things get taken out of context. Also when you have uneducated people writing articles lol. Nothing is that black and white. Some people have very sensitive skin and can’t handle doing a retinol plus an exfoliant even on alternating days. And some can maybe only handle it once per week…. And like you said some can handle a retinoid every single night so there’s no need to take a break…
I'm really glad you addressed this because you have this uncanny knack for explaining things in a way for MANY to understand. People are going to watch this and do a mental head slap while saying 'ah, okay, I get it now!" ❤️ When I heard of skin cycling I thought oh brother, people really blew that up into its own monster - it's simply the name of skin regimine. Definitely not a one size fits all. Thank you so much!!!
Hi I'm Loretta De Los Rios using Frank's account to make this comment with his permission. 🤲👍🙏⚘👋🎻🎸🎶🙂 I do believe we need to take a break once in Awhile on our skincare. Like a day or two. This can also show us how our skin is doing without the products on our facial skin. I think many of us have done some skin recycling in our skin care ! Not precisely what this dermatologist stated! But in our own way. I have hypersensitive sensitive skin and what I have been doing Is working. .
I actually love a salysillic acid wash before my tretenoine. It is just so good at killing bad bacteria and often gently take the head off a breakout while making sure it does not get infected. You just have to be careful to use it in the shower because then the heat and the often longer time tents to mean it just exfoliates a bit too well and I get a bit of a flare up of irritation with just mostly being a bit extra flakyness. But even that passes quickly with proper moisturizer
Yaaas, girl!! I’m someone who has basically used Tretinoin every night for the last 20 years. I would rather give up red wine and chocolate than my daily Tret. and I LOVE red wine and chocolate. I can’t imagine why anyone would back off of Tret . use if you can tolerate it.
Insightful and informative video. You are by far….one the best content creators on TH-cam. I always look forward to your videos and value your thoughts, opinions and recommendations. Thanks for putting out quality content and helping us navigate the skincare world🥰♥️
I use .1% Tretinoin every single night with no problems whatsoever. I also use Good Molecules glycolic acid Galactomyces toner, Peach Slices AHA toner, The Ordinary Lactic acid, The Ordinary Salicylic acid, The Ordinary Azeliac acid, The Ordinary Argiriline serum, and SPF….all of this, every night, and every morning, without any problems whatsoever. My face is baby smooth, and it’s fading my hyperpigmentation pretty quickly. So I agree with you Abby, skincare is a personal experience. People need to just do what works best for themselves.
I don't exactly "skin cycle" but I do have randomly sensitive skin that sometimes I can't predict. So sometimes I just have to listen to my skin and do what it needs rather than follow some made up schedule of when to use actives in my routine. My biggest improvement in my skin is when I actually do a full skincare routine morning and night (sometimes the morning is just wash with water but still followed with moisturizer and spf).
I agree with your assessment that nightly tretinoin is the goal, if your skin can tolerate it. The only thing I'm confused about is chemical exfoliation as in, do I need to do it at all and if so, which one at what strength and how often? 🤔
I don’t think that skin cycling is something that Dr. Whitney Bowe created or coined. Lab Muffin has been doing this for years, as have other reputable creators. It’s important to use retinoids and other prescriptions as directed by your own doctor who knows you. Like Abbey, I use my .1% tretinoin every night and have amazing results for my acne. Whitney Bowe also has some weird takes that aren’t based in science at all that other derms on social media have debunked, such as the idea that benzoyl peroxide causes skin aging/oxidative damage. It really only causes oxidation on the surface of the skin to kill anaerobic acne bacteria, and doesn’t cause free radicals deeper in the skin such as something like UV radiation.
Tretinoin has transformed my skin like no other but something I do struggle with is the flaking and how it affects my make-up. I always wonder if I should be using an acid now and then to reduce this or it just means I'm using too much. I have no idea, but it makes it really hard to apply makeup flawlessly, because I can't buff makeup and even if I don't, sometimes the peeling skin is really emphasized by complexion products. Would love to see your advice on this!
I use tret every night and bha once or twice a week, and my skin does well with that so I most definitely am not going to step back and do skin cycling 🥰
I've been telling people this exact thing! I'm just not a skinfluencer or a dermatologist so no one wants to listen. Thanks for putting this out there!
I’m sticking to my every night schedule for retin A- I’ve worked too hard to get here! But when I step it up to 1% next month I will be slowing down till my skin gets used to it. But what exactly is a chemical exfoliate? I have a 70% glycolic acid that I occasionally use ( put it on a cotton pad rub all over my face then immediately rinse off because stings like hell). So I guess that is a chemical exfoliant.
I just heard about skin cycling a month ago from a friend and now I hear it everywhere lol. Every night I use my curology w/ tret. Morning I kind of do my own skin cycling with either an exfoliant or VIt C or just moisturizer & sunscreen. But I think about what I feel my skin needs and things like if I’m going to be in the sun a lot that day. But yeah people probably started to treat their skin kindly, saw that it worked better, and then made it THE rule.
Yeah it was weird for me a skincare nerd seeing this skin cycling be trending and I was like… isn’t that what all of use are doing? Obviously the 4 day skin cycling is a specific routine, and I think is amazing for beginners and people just entering the world of skincare and who need a no-fail easy guide. So it’s great. But for me I think is a little too gentle. My skin can pretty much handle everything (except around my eyes that zone reacts all the time to certain sunscreens), that’s actually probably why I get ingrown hairs. Exfoliants don’t seem to touch my skin and I never experienced any irritation with tretinoin, though I was careful to introduce it slowly and use with a healing cream too. For me, the goal is to use me day tretinoin at 0.05% and one night exfoliation without a break, alternating bha and ahas/pha, or just a product that has both. And vitamin c or antioxidants in the morning. I ‘m at 0.025%, but I’m also still young so I’m in no rush to go higher in concentration. I would like to try a gentle some Regino I’d around my eyes but I think I’m a little scared of it. Maybe next papering when the cold and dry of winter is gone. Obviously I take breaks whenever my skin is feeling a bit raw or irritated. And I always use moisturizing and recovering ingredients in the other steps of my routine.
Hi Abbey! Love your videos! I noticed in your video of your routine you use tretinoin at the same time as copper peptides. But I read that they can decrease the effectiveness of eachother… Thoughts?
Thanks Abby! You're a rockstar! I watch whatever you put out there because I love supporting you (mom style) haha EVEYYTIME though.... I learn something new.! OK.... I looked below... I need that shirt you're wearing! Also, I bought that wacky hair stuff CER-100 and Holy Beeeeep! I love it! Its on YESStYLE too ( you introduced.) One more thing... we want to meet your Mom on here! Your sister! More Vlogs?
I would love yo know how you did your hair in this video. It's probably simple but I can't see it fully 😄 it just looks like a cute easy hairstyle for later in the week when my hair isn't lookin too hot lol
It doesn't help my skin. I take two days off. My face is a pizza face again. As a 32 year old with hormonal acne and trying to age gracefully. I need my acids.
My skin no longer gets irritated or doesn’t feel dry after using tretinoin ,I just peel like a lizard even after using lactic acid or glycolic acid, serums and a moisturizer. (Serums and acids not at the same time). Please help with any suggestions! Thank you!
Same here! I’ve been on tretinoin for a year now, and really no redness or irritation but feel like my skin is constantly peeling! Doing all the moisturizers, barrier stuff, occasional AHAs and haven’t figured out anything yet to stop the peeling:(
Question: If you miss a couple nights of your tret, does your skin ever react when you get back into it as you normally would? I was sick a few weeks ago and just couldn't be bothered to even mess with skincare aside from washing my face at night and applying some basic moisturizer. I think I missed three nights of the tretinoin. I applied as normal for the next three nights, and then about a week after the first normal application, I peeled. Badly. I had to back off and go down to every other night again for a couple of weeks. I'm back to normal now, but I'm just curious if that's normal for most people. It kinda freaked me out.
No dear,if your skin has become tolerant to tretinoin,it wouldn’t react after taking a break from it.I always take breaks whenever I feel needed(up to 2 weeks,even more)and I those time I focus on the barrier repair.also don’t forget sunscreen at daytimes,which is a must!!!
Hi Abbey, I've never heard of Skin Cycling! Thanks for your opinions on this topic. I already use Vitamin C in the morning and Dermatology Needless Serum in the evening! When is it best to incorporate Retinol into my skincare routine to get more results from this? I'd love to know your thoughts 😘! Thanks for this video and enjoy the rest of your weekend 💕!
So should I exfoliate while using Tret? I am still working my way up to more nights a week. Currently at 3 nights a week. But should I exfoliate in between those nights? Or no to exfoliating?
I'm brand new to tretinoin but my skin is completely adjusting with zero dryness or other side effects. When should I transition to .1% from .05%? Another question I have: if you're using tretinoin regularly and you stop, say for a week of vacation or if you run out and you're waiting for your next prescription, how long can you go without using it before you have to go through the process of your skin adjusting back to it?
If your skin becomes tolerant and I say ‘IF’,then it never irritates getting back on tretinoin after short intervals of break.but you really have to get to the ‘no irritation’ level tolerance!!!
People w/ sensitive skin like me have been doing it before it was even named "skin cycling". Just listen to what your skin needs that day/night you're doing your routine. If your skin is congested, then use a clay mask or BHA that night. If its fairly normal and resilient, use your standard retinoid. If its red and sensitive, use hydrating and barrier repair products. It doesn't really need to be so complicated lol
Hi I'm Loretta De Los Rios using Frank's account to make this comment with his permission.
Yes it's TRUE! I have hypersensitive sensitive skin. I agree. 🤲🙏⚘🙂👋🎻🎸🎶
I will say…Dr. Whitney has some unique takes too that I’ve literally never read in literature or heard from any other dermatologists. Like how a retinoid used every night creates “low level inflammation” and accelerates aging. That’s very much not accepted as true in the medical community from what I understand. So…all that to say, she is selling her skincare line, and at the end of the day she’s gonna say things that’ll help her sell her skincare line. I’m sure she has some good advice but I take anything I hear from her with a massive grain of salt
Over exfoliating in general causes inflammation, but I think the key is to listen to you skin, and do what works for you. People that really don't have a clue, however, I think this is a basic starting point. Some beginners wouldn't even be able to tolerate the regime she is suggesting.
I was thinking this too! Didn't she also say that she doesn't think Benzyol Peroxide should be used for acne, when it's literally the standard treatment in dermatology?
@@karenl.salerno3885 from my own experience and many on the retinoid subreddit - a derm told us to start using tret immediately every night. Luckily, I did research prior and knew to ease into it otherwise my face will burn off. But many of course trust in their doctor which led to severe damage to their skin barrier and the worst purge of their life. I think they’re taught to go full force with prescriptions for acne meanwhile their patients are suffering with severe irritation in the process.
That is actually funny because there are like 100 methods you get in derm clinics that litterly damage and irritate the skin to reverse againg and scarring
Yep! Starting to feel the same way about Dray.
I have personalized my own skin cycling routine.
Night 1: Exfoliate
Night 2-6: Tretinoin
Night 7: Recovery (slugging with cerave healing ointment)
It works amazing for me!
I had tried two cycles of skin cycling and felt like I wasn't using tretinoin enough since my skin tolerates it fine but I like the feeling of slugging with cerave and using an exfoliant. Might try something out similar to your schedule!
i’m on this routine too!
I have sensitive skin so I’ve been doing my own skin cycling before it was a thing, lol… you just have to listen to your skin and do what is best without irritation.
I do the same thing
This is my routine too! 🙌🏻 Great results here!
Girl, the trust that I place in your videos and information is ridiculous lol LOVE that you do so much research and are so informed and unbiased. Your tips and recommendations have never let me down.
❤️❤️❤️ thank you so much for watching!
I don't think skin cycling is good for sensitive skin at all. If you have sensitive skin, you shouldn't use exfoliators when introducing a retinoid. The exfoliation step will only increase the risk of irritation.
I 100% agree with what you said. I think it’s a great concept for people that are maybe early onin their skincare journey that don’t have a ton of experience with these products or haven’t found a way of using them that works well so far, but I get really annoyed when people act like it’s some brand new concept that everyone needs to follow.
I was essentially doing skin cycling a couple years ago but I have very sensitive skin and found that chemical exfoliants with tretinoin was just too much for my skin so I’ve just been using tret mostly every night since then and I’ve had great results. I think it’s great that she created such a straight forward method for people to follow but I hate that people have turned it into another trend that you HAVE to follow or you’re “doing it wrong” like that article said.
I personalized my own skin cycling schedule, but use vitamin c and azalaic acid every morning, so, skin cycling only applies to my night routine. I love my vitamin c & azalaic acid combo 🥰 At night, I'll use a retinoid every other night and alternate recovery and exfoliation on the other nights.
1) exfoliate
2) retinoid
3) "recover"/ vitamin c & azalaic acid
4) retinoid
5) exfoliate
6) "recover"
7) repeat
I tried to get to nightly tretinoin usage but the closest I got was every other day. I hate having super dry skin so I backed off and I'm now at every third day with 0.05% and my skin is so happy. I feel like I can even add in lactic acid occasionally now. Everyone's skin is different and the climate we live in is also different. Adjusting to what works is the best thing you can do. That said, skin cycling is awesome for those just starting out.
Where in your skincare routine do you incorporate your Tretinoin. Thanks 🙂
If people didn’t follow every single trend when it comes to skincare, then we wouldn’t need to have a trend to help our skin recover from skin stripping trends. It’s a vicious cycle. (No pun intended)
Thank you for this!! I felt like I was doing something wrong using tretinoin every night because of what social media was saying! You’re the best Abbey thank you for researching and letting your followers know the truth on these things!!
❤️❤️❤️ thanks for watching!
Listening to my body/skin is something I do daily.Depending on my body’s/skin’s needs, I follow what is needed. So if my body needs stretching and lengthening, it will be yoga/Pilates. If I am needing a sweat, I will do a cardio/strength training. I cycle through.
Same with my skincare.. if my skin, is needing TLC, then I will be using hydrating and repairing products. If my skin is feeling/looking dull, then I will add in some exfoliation..
What works for one person may not work for another ( there are so many variables involved: sleep, climate one in slicing in, stress, type of skin, the condition of the skin, lifestyle, way of eating, etc..
And yes, Abby, I like you have been practicing skin cycling for a long time.. so it’s nothing new. I just recently watched a video by Penn Smith discussing this topic..
I do think that there are many newbies to skincare and with the popularity of TikTok, certain trends become popular and trendy..
I did skin cycling before I even knew it was popular. But it's more a morning thing. I alternate between vitamin c or copper peptides and a day of exfoliation in the morning. And nighttime is always retinoid and heavy moisturizers.
Yes so true I’ve always thought of it as a morning thing too!
@@AbbeyYung its the one thing my grandma always said. (imagine a heavy Korean accent here) vitamin c and 'protectives' in the morning and make face clean (exfoliate). Night time is Washing face twice for make up and sunblock removal and anti age.
Oh how sunblock and hats were drilled into me
I like:
Night 1 : BHA, AHA, PHA
Night 2: Tret/Recovery
Night 3: Tret/Recovery
Night 4: Tret/ Recovery
I also have different percentages of Tret so can use the appropriate percentage based on what my skin feels like that night. There are so many ways!!!
I don't use ticktock but I can say that hearing about skin cycling on TH-cam was perfect for me as someone that has suffered with hormonal breakouts for years and started my skin care journey over a year ago using different products and then trying Differin. I now think I also have sensitive skin because I have a lot of redness despite the fact that my breakouts have lessened considerably. So this topic of skin cycling although not knew was a welcome reminder for me on how I could structure myself better and relax a bit on the use of products, instead of being results driven to my own skins detriment. I agree though there's no hard and fast rules for what everyone should be doing when it comes to skincare.
I use adapalene every night and a vitamin c/azelaic acid serum every day. Like you, if I notice my skin is acting up or irritated, I'll take a night off and just use calming and barrier-repair ingredients until my skin is less reactive before going back to adapalene nightly. I think skin cycling is a great way to build a habit for someone who is new to their skincare journey or for someone that has extra sensitive or reactive skin. But thank you for reaffirming that I'm not doing anything wrong by using my actives daily/nightly because my skin can tolerate it!
I saw another TikTok derm stich her skin cycling video saying if you tolerate your retinoid nightly to skin cycle by doing an exfoliation night sunday, recovery night monday, then Tret Tuesday-Saturday and I have been loving it!
Amen sister! Treat for 4 yrs. NOT messing w progress! Thank you! Please keep us updated when dr Whitney puts out her new plan. ❤️❤️❤️ ya hugs from Tampa
I was prescribed Retin-A micro almost 7 years ago for acne. It has completely changed my skin and my life. I still use a pea sized amount in my nightly routine. You do what works for you, that's it.
I think social media really tends to forget that everyone’s skin is different. I feel like for the past couple years, it’s been really pushed on people to use like 7 products every single day in your routine or else you’re not doing it right and now it’s kinda opposite with the whole skin cycling thing. You have to find out what works best for you! I’ve been doing my own form of “skin cycling” for the past 4 years or so. I don’t necessarily have sensitive skin but it’s not really tough either. Would I be able to use retinol every night? No. Would I be able to use a chemical exfoliant every night? Absolutely not. It’s just easier and better for my skin personally to keep it more simple. At night, I’ll rotate between using retinol 2 times a week, salicylic acid 2 times a week, and the other 3 nights I’ll use some sort of serum that targets whatever skin concern I have (dark spots, discoloration, large pores, etc). For me personally, it’s all about balance and making sure my skin barrier isn’t damaged while still treating my specific skin concerns. Everyone’s skin is different!
Guess I’ve been doing skin cycling this whole time without knowing it! I got this idea from Dr Dray when I was first getting into retinol and AHAs
I’m with you! It took me six months to work up to nightly tret use and I’m not going back! My skin is happiest when I apply tret and then pile on the hydrating creams.
Great information! I've learned my skin over time and give it what it needs, when it needs it. I was just in the hospital for an emergency hysterectomy. I didn't use any skin care for about three days. My skin needed to be rehydrated first, now just getting back to tretinoin. Many blessings! 💖💖💖
I hope you’re recovering okay ❤❤
Thank you!💖
I do
Mon/thur: benzoyl peroxide
Tuesday/Friday: adapalene
Wednesday: exfoliate
Sat/sun (sometimes exfoliate): healing
I just wanna say that your videos and recommendations literally saved my skin and hair. I never really struggled with serious acne until I got into my late teens/early twenties so I didn’t know how to take care of my skin and it was so overwhelming to start from square one with no knowledge about skincare ingredients or what worked for my skin. I’m also so embarrassed to admit that in I used to not only wash my hair every single day but I barely ever used conditioner so you can imagine the state it used to be in. Videos like yours and Cassandra Bankson are a big part of why I went to school for a chemistry degree and why I hope to work in skincare! So thanks for all the hard work you’ve been doing over the years and for continuing to educate people!
Oof - I have to say, I kinda love the idea of skin cycling. I was way too overzealous with my skincare, and legit, burned my skin. My skin barrier is wrecked - and now I feel lost. I think, more than anything, skin, like everything else is so personal! I still love my trentioin, but I like the idea of having something to follow so I don’t lose my progress. Thank you for reaffirming that skincare isn’t a one size fits all!
Dr. Bow’s most recent post on her blog is about Advanced Skin Cycling…so she’s now got Classic, Gentle, and Advanced Skin Cycling information on her blog.
that's so funny because I've been doing that forever 🤣
This Skin Cycling is for people whom are just getting into skin care . I use Differin 6 nights a week , exfoliate with gentle AHAs such as Mandelic and Lactic 10% and Salicylic Acid both twice a week . Skin is different and it's nothing new . I'm typing this at the start of video . 👏😊♥️🇬🇧🌈
I think if you are new to Tretinoin and skincare routines it might be helpful. The use of “discernment” is always a good when getting advice from quick videos and social media in general. This is like exercise for your skin. If you need to modify a weight or position, that is exactly what you should do. Listen to your body, practice consistency, & allow for recovery time. Thank you for sharing your experiences Abbey!
I loved this ! I found your video to be one of the most informative and unbiased. I was not familiar with this and last week 3 patients came in asking about skin cycling so I knew something new was circulating. Doctors and the community in general do not give enough merit to transdermal absorption of medication ( retinoids are meds) and like any other medication steady state levels are required for optimal benefits. Im concerned that using the retinoid every 4 days will never allow for that level to occur and results will be significantly reduced and require a long time to be seen.
I feel like the market and social media has confused people to the point where they have to have an exact calendar/equation with their skincare routine in order for it to not be all over the place. This trend is good from the perspective of incorporating the "less is more" approach, but apparently beauty magazines and so forth finds ways to even make that complicated. Great vid!
So true! Thanks for watching!
I feel as though I've been inadvertently skin cycling for a while, as I tend to damage my skin barrier when I use too many chemicals in a row. I had been on accutane for the a year (I stopped in March), and since then I feel I only need to use my retanoid 1-2 times a week. Totally agree with you that it doesn't necessarily have to be a trend
I did skin cycling before it was popular. I did it when I started using tretinoin and serums with acids but I have my own twist that benefits my routine. Thank you Abby
I’m so so happy to see you doing a video about this! It’s so easy for everyone to want to jump on the bandwagon when trends come around, and I thought I was seriously missing out but couldn’t actively get myself to only use my tret twice a week. It’s just not for me and my skin! And I think that’s what people need to realize, just because these things are popular doesn’t mean EVERYONE should be doing it.
I'm so confused as to why this is a "thing"?? Surely it's common sense/ noticing the changes in your skin? That said, if it helps people then I'm all for it! But I use retinol on exfoliant night too 🤷🏼♀️ another great video xx
Hey Girl took me 2.5yrs to get to every night Tretinoin not going to change that for anyones “opinion” I may throw an exfoliating in there every 3 months but when you use Tretinoin at night Lactic Acid in the morning with VitC you really don’t need to exfoliate much. There are so many band wagons you can’t jump on everyone. I started with way too much and so scaled down to what works for me. You do you baby. I like the let your skin tell you what it needs
Love your shirt, Abbey. That colors looks so nice on you!!❤️
Well said! I’ve also modified the skin cycling in the past couple of weeks after trying it out for a month like Dr. Bowe recommends. It’s a great starting point for people like myself that tend to jump into the deep end and go a little too heavy on actives… 😅
That’s what happens so often on social media- things get taken out of context. Also when you have uneducated people writing articles lol. Nothing is that black and white. Some people have very sensitive skin and can’t handle doing a retinol plus an exfoliant even on alternating days. And some can maybe only handle it once per week…. And like you said some can handle a retinoid every single night so there’s no need to take a break…
Exactly skincare is definitely not universal!
It is sooooo not a new trend, just a new name for taking care of your barrier! I NEED my daily Buffet + Cu, and my nightly tretanoin 💗💗💗
I'm really glad you addressed this because you have this uncanny knack for explaining things in a way for MANY to understand. People are going to watch this and do a mental head slap while saying 'ah, okay, I get it now!" ❤️ When I heard of skin cycling I thought oh brother, people really blew that up into its own monster - it's simply the name of skin regimine. Definitely not a one size fits all. Thank you so much!!!
Hi I'm Loretta De Los Rios using Frank's account to make this comment with his permission.
🤲👍🙏⚘👋🎻🎸🎶🙂
I do believe we need to take a break once in Awhile on our skincare. Like a day or two. This can also show us how our skin is doing without the products on our facial skin.
I think many of us have done some skin recycling in our skin care ! Not precisely what this dermatologist stated! But in our own way. I have hypersensitive sensitive skin and what I have been doing Is working.
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I actually love a salysillic acid wash before my tretenoine. It is just so good at killing bad bacteria and often gently take the head off a breakout while making sure it does not get infected. You just have to be careful to use it in the shower because then the heat and the often longer time tents to mean it just exfoliates a bit too well and I get a bit of a flare up of irritation with just mostly being a bit extra flakyness. But even that passes quickly with proper moisturizer
Yaaas, girl!! I’m someone who has basically used Tretinoin every night for the last 20 years. I would rather give up red wine and chocolate than my daily Tret. and I LOVE red wine and chocolate. I can’t imagine why anyone would back off of Tret . use if you can tolerate it.
Dr Whitney didn’t really create skin cycling, it’s not a novel concept (like most things).
Insightful and informative video. You are by far….one the best content creators on TH-cam. I always look forward to your videos and value your thoughts, opinions and recommendations. Thanks for putting out quality content and helping us navigate the skincare world🥰♥️
Thank you so so much! ❤️❤️
Fully agree with the above! You are amazing!!!!
Great information! Thank you for sharing this video!
Thank you for doing this video Abbey
Thank you for clarifying this. It makes sense.
Social media social media’ing
😭😭😭😭 yep
I use .1% Tretinoin every single night with no problems whatsoever. I also use Good Molecules glycolic acid Galactomyces toner, Peach Slices AHA toner, The Ordinary Lactic acid, The Ordinary Salicylic acid, The Ordinary Azeliac acid, The Ordinary Argiriline serum, and SPF….all of this, every night, and every morning, without any problems whatsoever. My face is baby smooth, and it’s fading my hyperpigmentation pretty quickly. So I agree with you Abby, skincare is a personal experience. People need to just do what works best for themselves.
Every time you post, Boom, I’m here. Love to hear your thoughts on skincare especially
I don't exactly "skin cycle" but I do have randomly sensitive skin that sometimes I can't predict. So sometimes I just have to listen to my skin and do what it needs rather than follow some made up schedule of when to use actives in my routine. My biggest improvement in my skin is when I actually do a full skincare routine morning and night (sometimes the morning is just wash with water but still followed with moisturizer and spf).
Beautiful job as always, Abbey!❤❤
Thank you ❤❤
You’re welcome!
I agree with your assessment that nightly tretinoin is the goal, if your skin can tolerate it. The only thing I'm confused about is chemical exfoliation as in, do I need to do it at all and if so, which one at what strength and how often? 🤔
I don’t think that skin cycling is something that Dr. Whitney Bowe created or coined. Lab Muffin has been doing this for years, as have other reputable creators. It’s important to use retinoids and other prescriptions as directed by your own doctor who knows you. Like Abbey, I use my .1% tretinoin every night and have amazing results for my acne. Whitney Bowe also has some weird takes that aren’t based in science at all that other derms on social media have debunked, such as the idea that benzoyl peroxide causes skin aging/oxidative damage. It really only causes oxidation on the surface of the skin to kill anaerobic acne bacteria, and doesn’t cause free radicals deeper in the skin such as something like UV radiation.
The content ive been waiting for!!!
Thanks for watching 😊
Excellent. Very clear. Kudos for this video.
Could you make a concrete am and pm routine and show us how you apply everything? 😍😍😍
Thank you so much for this information!!
Of course!! Thanks for watching 😊
Hi Abbey...off topic, but I love the tee/top you are wearing!! Can you please share brand / designer?
Yes, please share...
Tretinoin has transformed my skin like no other but something I do struggle with is the flaking and how it affects my make-up. I always wonder if I should be using an acid now and then to reduce this or it just means I'm using too much. I have no idea, but it makes it really hard to apply makeup flawlessly, because I can't buff makeup and even if I don't, sometimes the peeling skin is really emphasized by complexion products.
Would love to see your advice on this!
Can you please do a video on your skin barrier routine that allows you to use tretinoin every night?
My sensitive skin prefers retinol, rest, exfolient, rest, repeat.
I like this concept because it would remind me to actually exfoliate and use retinol lol!
Your skin is looking amazing!!
I use tret every night and bha once or twice a week, and my skin does well with that so I most definitely am not going to step back and do skin cycling 🥰
I've been telling people this exact thing! I'm just not a skinfluencer or a dermatologist so no one wants to listen. Thanks for putting this out there!
Of course! Thanks for watching
I hate that! You're like.... ok then.... don't wear sunblock! Ahhhhhh!
I’m sticking to my every night schedule for retin A- I’ve worked too hard to get here! But when I step it up to 1% next month I will be slowing down till my skin gets used to it. But what exactly is a chemical exfoliate? I have a 70% glycolic acid that I occasionally use ( put it on a cotton pad rub all over my face then immediately rinse off because stings like hell). So I guess that is a chemical exfoliant.
What’s funny about skin cycling is it’s super intuitive for me, I already was doing this because I listen to my skin!
I just heard about skin cycling a month ago from a friend and now I hear it everywhere lol. Every night I use my curology w/ tret. Morning I kind of do my own skin cycling with either an exfoliant or VIt C or just moisturizer & sunscreen. But I think about what I feel my skin needs and things like if I’m going to be in the sun a lot that day. But yeah people probably started to treat their skin kindly, saw that it worked better, and then made it THE rule.
I love the bodysuit you are wearing.
Yeah it was weird for me a skincare nerd seeing this skin cycling be trending and I was like… isn’t that what all of use are doing? Obviously the 4 day skin cycling is a specific routine, and I think is amazing for beginners and people just entering the world of skincare and who need a no-fail easy guide. So it’s great. But for me I think is a little too gentle.
My skin can pretty much handle everything (except around my eyes that zone reacts all the time to certain sunscreens), that’s actually probably why I get ingrown hairs. Exfoliants don’t seem to touch my skin and I never experienced any irritation with tretinoin, though I was careful to introduce it slowly and use with a healing cream too. For me, the goal is to use me day tretinoin at 0.05% and one night exfoliation without a break, alternating bha and ahas/pha, or just a product that has both. And vitamin c or antioxidants in the morning. I ‘m at 0.025%, but I’m also still young so I’m in no rush to go higher in concentration. I would like to try a gentle some Regino I’d around my eyes but I think I’m a little scared of it. Maybe next papering when the cold and dry of winter is gone. Obviously I take breaks whenever my skin is feeling a bit raw or irritated. And I always use moisturizing and recovering ingredients in the other steps of my routine.
Hi Abbey! Love your videos!
I noticed in your video of your routine you use tretinoin at the same time as copper peptides. But I read that they can decrease the effectiveness of eachother…
Thoughts?
I'm happy it works for some people but it REALLY doesn't work for me
Abbey! Have you seen the brand “The Outset” ?? Just curious what your thoughts would be on this brand! ❤❤❤
Wait at the end did u say she is coming out with a even newer HIGH IMPACT CYCLING???
Thanks Abby! You're a rockstar! I watch whatever you put out there because I love supporting you (mom style) haha EVEYYTIME though.... I learn something new.! OK.... I looked below... I need that shirt you're wearing! Also, I bought that wacky hair stuff CER-100 and Holy Beeeeep! I love it! Its on YESStYLE too ( you introduced.) One more thing... we want to meet your Mom on here! Your sister! More Vlogs?
Thank you so much for watching! ❤️ and yesss so glad you love it!
I would love yo know how you did your hair in this video. It's probably simple but I can't see it fully 😄 it just looks like a cute easy hairstyle for later in the week when my hair isn't lookin too hot lol
Lol I am on a 0.05 isotretinoin every night and my body as well ! And I am a dermatologist
Thank you for the info I was s confuse about all the information around! I love the color of your top! Where is it from?
can I add another recovery night? I get some irritation around my nose but it makes my skin look super nice and healthy everywhere else.
how long did it take for you to be able to use tret every night? I still can't use it every other night, even when I use the sandwich method!
It took me about 3 months, but I'm only using .025% maybe the strength is the isuue🤷♀️😁💗I'm sure I'm not the expert 💗
Great information! Your voice sounds scratchy - hope you are feeling okay!
Can you make a video on how you got your teeth so darn white?
would using retinol, like an OTC brand such as Cerave or Paula's Choice, even be frequent enough to benefit from it?
It doesn't help my skin. I take two days off. My face is a pizza face again. As a 32 year old with hormonal acne and trying to age gracefully. I need my acids.
My skin no longer gets irritated or doesn’t feel dry after using tretinoin ,I just peel like a lizard even after using lactic acid or glycolic acid, serums and a moisturizer. (Serums and acids not at the same time). Please help with any suggestions! Thank you!
Same here! I’ve been on tretinoin for a year now, and really no redness or irritation but feel like my skin is constantly peeling! Doing all the moisturizers, barrier stuff, occasional AHAs and haven’t figured out anything yet to stop the peeling:(
Other question 🙃 where is your shirt from? I can't seem to find ones with a neckline and fabric like the one you are wearing!
I'm wondering that too. :)
@@josie4peace I thought maybe Skimms (if that is correct) saw them wearing these shirts too..
Question: If you miss a couple nights of your tret, does your skin ever react when you get back into it as you normally would? I was sick a few weeks ago and just couldn't be bothered to even mess with skincare aside from washing my face at night and applying some basic moisturizer. I think I missed three nights of the tretinoin. I applied as normal for the next three nights, and then about a week after the first normal application, I peeled. Badly. I had to back off and go down to every other night again for a couple of weeks.
I'm back to normal now, but I'm just curious if that's normal for most people. It kinda freaked me out.
No dear,if your skin has become tolerant to tretinoin,it wouldn’t react after taking a break from it.I always take breaks whenever I feel needed(up to 2 weeks,even more)and I those time I focus on the barrier repair.also don’t forget sunscreen at daytimes,which is a must!!!
@@zakiazainab1170 I wear SPF every single day without fail. Even if I can't get to the sink to wash my face, I still spread SPF everywhere. XD
you looks so pretty🧡🧡🧡🧡
Thank you ❤❤
Hi Abbey, I've never heard of Skin Cycling! Thanks for your opinions on this topic. I already use Vitamin C in the morning and Dermatology Needless Serum in the evening! When is it best to incorporate Retinol into my skincare routine to get more results from this? I'd love to know your thoughts 😘! Thanks for this video and enjoy the rest of your weekend 💕!
Retinol after DRMTLGY needle-less ❤
@@AbbeyYung Thanks you so much for clarifying that for me
So should I exfoliate while using Tret? I am still working my way up to more nights a week. Currently at 3 nights a week. But should I exfoliate in between those nights? Or no to exfoliating?
What brand and color is that shirt? :)
I use Lactic 10% AM .
The way I was already doing this without knowing that routine had a name lol
So weird how this is a “trend”. Like were people just putting on everything everyday?
I'm brand new to tretinoin but my skin is completely adjusting with zero dryness or other side effects. When should I transition to .1% from .05%?
Another question I have: if you're using tretinoin regularly and you stop, say for a week of vacation or if you run out and you're waiting for your next prescription, how long can you go without using it before you have to go through the process of your skin adjusting back to it?
If your skin becomes tolerant and I say ‘IF’,then it never irritates getting back on tretinoin after short intervals of break.but you really have to get to the ‘no irritation’ level tolerance!!!
@@zakiazainab1170 so far, so good! I've had zero irritation since day 1 🥰
Kinda thought we all did this “skin cycling”? Just didn’t know that was the word for it kinda common sense
I basically do this skin cycling, but for no other reason than I’m not very consistent with my skin care habits. 😂