SKIN CYCLING & MY SKINCARE WARDROBE: HOW I TRANSFORMED MY SKIN

As the year comes to an end, I’ve realised something: I truly levelled up my skincare game in 2025 — and my skin is finally showing it...

Over the past couple of years, my skin took a big hit. Hormonal imbalances, stress, poor sleep, not prioritising myself…the perfect storm. My skin became inflamed, constantly breaking out, textured, puffy, and covered in stubborn pigmentation. No matter what I did, I couldn’t catch a break. The cycle of breakouts → scarring → more breakouts felt endless.

The real cure wasn’t just buying new products — it was addressing everything from the inside out. BUT, skincare absolutely helped fast-track my progress once I got strategic about it.

And that’s where skin cycling and my skincare wardrobe come in...

WHAT GOT ME STARTED: TRETINOIN + THE PURGE

The main reason I started skin cycling was because I finally bit the bullet and began using Tretinoin through Dermatica.

What is Tretinoin?

A prescription-strength retinoid (vitamin A) proven to:

• Speed up cell turnover

• Treat acne

• Fade pigmentation

• Boost collagen

• Smooth texture and fine lines

It’s considered the gold standard in skincare… but she does not play around.

The Purging Phase

If you’ve ever started tret, you’ll know the early weeks are brutal:

• peeling

• redness

• sensitivity

• breakouts (purging)

• that “why did I do this to myself?” feeling

It’s honestly disheartening, and you wonder if your skin will ever get better.

But patience is key — and finding the right approach makes all the difference.

ENTER: SKIN CYCLING

I kept seeing creators on TikTok talking about skin cycling to ease the transition into tret, so I tried it — and it changed everything.

What Skin Cycling Actually Is

A structured routine where you rotate your actives so your skin gets the benefits without wrecking your barrier.

The Basic Cycle

Night 1: Tretinoin

Night 2: Exfoliation

Night 3: Recovery (hydration + barrier repair)

Repeat.

Buffering & Sandwiching

These techniques helped massively during the adjustment phase:

Buffering: applying moisturiser before tret to reduce irritation.

Sandwich method: moisturiser → tret → moisturiser again.

After a few weeks, the purge calmed down.After a few months, my skin was glowing.And once my skin toughened up, I adjusted to a routine that suits me perfectly.

MY CURRENT 3-NIGHT ROUTINE

Night 1 – Tretinoin

Applied to bone-dry skin. After the tret has absorbed, I’ll layer hydration on top only if my skin needs it — usually a hyaluronic acid serum, a milky toner, a hydrating moisturiser or a barrier cream. Nothing too active or complicated, just products that support the skin without disrupting it further.

Night 2 – Exfoliation

Gentle acids only:

• Lactic acid when I want brightness

• Salicylic acid if my skin feels congested

  
  

Night 3 – Hydration + Barrier Repair

This is all about replenishment: layers of hydration, peptides, ceramides, milky toners and thicker creams. My whole aim on these nights is to rebuild, restore and deeply nourish.

This 3-night cycle gives me glow, clarity and smoothness without damaging my barrier — a perfect balance.

MY SKINCARE WARDROBE: WHY I DON’T USE THE SAME PRODUCTS EVERY DAY

So what do I mean by a skincare wardrobe?

Imagine wearing the same four outfits every single day. Functional… but boring, restrictive and not suitable for every scenario.

A skincare wardrobe is like a curated capsule closet — a mix of products that you can use interchangeably depending on your skin’s needs.

Why this works:

• Your skin doesn’t need the same thing every day

• Weather changes your hydration levels

• Hormones fluctuate

• Make-up days vs no-make-up days require different prep

• Tret changes your baseline moisture needs

I used to be combination/oily all year round, but tret changed things. In colder weather I now get dryness, sensitivity and flaking — especially around the nose and mouth — which shows through my make-up too.

So I adapt.

HOW I SWITCH PRODUCTS BASED ON MY SKIN

Here are some examples from my routine:

Exfoliation Night

I double cleanse with:

• Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cleanser (calming, slightly exfoliating)

• The Inkey List Fulvic Acid Cleanser (gentle glow)

Both prep my skin beautifully for exfoliating serums.

Tret Night

I keep everything simple and barrier-friendly:

• gentle cleansers

• milky toners

• buffer creams if needed

• no extra actives

Hydration/Recovery Night

This is where my skincare wardrobe shines:

• hydrating essences

• ceramide creams

• peptides

• thick moisturisers

If I want smooth, hydrated make-up the next day, I’ll add the Bubble Cosmic Silk Milky Toner or a richer cream like the Rhode Barrier Butter, even on certain tret nights.

THE RESULTS

Using both skin cycling and a skincare wardrobe has put my skin in the best condition it has ever been in.

I get complimented constantly on my glow, and people tell me I look younger than ever. (I always say I’m aiming to age like Benjamin Button — so far, so good.)

It took time, consistency and actually listening to my skin… but it was so worth it.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Skin cycling isn’t for everyone, and neither is having a huge skincare wardrobe. But if you’re a skincare lover and you want real results without destroying your barrier, these methods are genuinely game-changing.

Have you heard of skin cycling before? Would you try it?