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

By Mikayla Cherneski RN

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.

Reshare

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

SkinCeuticals Epidermal Repair

SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore

SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Masque

Gentle Cleanser

Next is the follicular phase (approx. days 7-14), where estrogen levels slowly begin to rise back up. We see this in our skin as increased hydration, collagen production, and cell turnover. This phase is when we may feel our skin “comes back to life,” and we are leaning toward reviving and maintaining our skin quality. We want to focus on supporting the skin’s natural function with exfoliating products and reintroducing any antioxidants or exfoliants we may have taken a break from the week before. Recommended products include:

+ SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense
+ SkinCeuticals Retinol
+ SkinCeuticals Antioxidant

The third phase of the cycle is the ovulatory phase (approx. days 14-21). Typically, this is when we feel our absolute best, and our skin shows it too! Estrogen is peaking, and progesterone is beginning to rise, which means our skin is hydrated, subtle, and radiant. The skincare focus of this stage is stimulating our skin cells for action and preventing future breakouts in the weeks to come. Using your exfoliating products and antioxidants will keep the skin healthy and pores free from oil build-up. Booking yourself in for a facial to “deep clean” your pores before the week ahead may also be a good idea! Recommended products include:

+ SkinCeuticals LHA Toner
+ SkinCeuticals Metacell B3 Renewal
+ SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense
+ SkinCeuticals Retinol
+ SkinCeuticals Antioxidant

The last phase of our cycle, the luteal phase (approx. days 21-28), is more commonly known as the “PMS” (premenstrual syndrome) week. Many changes occur in the body during this time, and our skin is a key player. In this phase, estrogen declines after ovulation and progesterone peaks. Progesterone becoming the dominant hormone means increased oil production with an increasingly vulnerable skin barrier, which is the perfect storm for new breakouts. During this stage, our goal is to control the skin’s sebum production and prevent bacteria from getting into the pores and causing acne. Recommended products include:

+ SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective gel
+ SkinCeuticals Metacell B3 Renewal
+ SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense
+ SkinCeuticals LHA Cleanser Gel
+ SkinCeuticals Clarifying Clay Masque

Adjusting our skincare routines to be more in tune with our body’s normal functions can promote healthy skin, no matter what phase we are in. Of course, if your skin is not affected by hormonal fluctuations, stick with your routine and always listen to your body. We see beautiful, harmonious results when we learn to work with our body rather than against it!

Product Recommendations

Our skin expert has listed in this blog some of the best skin cycling products for 2023