Skin Cycling With Sarah | Sala Studio, Auckland, NZ

Can skincare counter being in your mid 30’s?

I celebrated my 35th birthday by jumping on the skin cycling bandwagon. Optimistic that a new skincare routine can undo years of sleep deprivation (thanks baby O) and stress (thanks Sala), I am the one that'll fix everything hashtag personified.

Disclaimer: do not take this journal entry as some in-depth professionally tested skin regime. In the country, until two years ago when Monica bought me my first skin care for beginners starter pack I was washing my face with soap. Since then I’ve accumulated a draw full of Mecca beauty loop samples and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to test them all.

The basic premise of skin cycling is rotating between active and hydrating products on a four-day loop. Seeing as my skin - like my personality - is so reactive it seems perfect. It goes like this:

Night #1: Cleanse, exfoliate, moisturise.

Night #2: Cleanse, retinoid, and moisturise.

Night #3 and 4: Recovery, Prebiotics, Barrier Repairs and Hydration.

Repeat.

Here’s what I used:

Night one (exfoliation day) :

Emma Lewisham Illuminating Oil Cleanser

Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Peel Daily

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum

Antipodes Baptise H₂O Ultra-Hydrating Water Gel

Emma Lewisham Skin Shield SPF 30

Night two (retinol day) :

Emma Lewisham Illuminating Oil Cleanser

Mecca Skin Brightening Vitamin C Serum

The Ordinary Retinol

Antipodes Baptise H₂O Ultra-Hydrating Water Gel

Emma Lewisham Skin Shield SPF 30

Night three (repair) :

Dr Hauschka Cleansing Balm

Kumo PhytoDose Prebiotic Milk Toner

Kumo Phytodose Prebiotic Bi-phase Barrier Oil

Dr Dennis Gross Faceware Led mask before bed

Sansceuticals Superdose Sleep Infusion Masque (after mask)

Night Four (repair/ repeat) :

Dr Hauschka Cleansing Balm

Kumo PhytoDose Prebiotic Milk Toner

Kumo Phytodose Prebiotic Bi-phase Barrier Oil

Dr Dennis Gross Faceware Led mask before bed

Sansceuticals Superdose Sleep Infusion Masque (after mask)

The results

First of all, a huge disclaimer that a lot of these products were Mecca Beauty Loop samples, which thanks to my impulse pregnancy purchase of the Dr Dennis Gross LED facemask, I am now a level 3 affiliate (I regret nothing). However, in all honesty within only my second skin cycle (day six to be precise) I noticed an improvement. The sensitive red patches I get under my eyes were completely gone and the jawline hormonal breakout spots were noticeably clearer.

I’m not sure if my bank balance will be able to maintain this entire regime in the long term, but the beauty of this approach means you can mix and match products and brands, adjusting more easily to your budget. It’s the antithesis of what we’ve been told about skincare, which is based on routines and brand loyalty. I like this approach more, it’s like keeping your options open. It's the tinder for good skin, and I for one am swiping right.

Unprofessional opinion, 10/10. You’re Welcome.