In simplest terms, skin cycling is a four-night rotational skin care regimen that alternates between using active ingredients and letting the skin rest and recover.

Skin cycling is a skin-care routine that allows for “rest days” during the week, so that your skin can repair itself after using certain products. This can help prevent irritation and inflammation, says Wattenberg.

Skin cycling refers to the practice of alternating which skin care products you use in order to avoid unwanted side effects, such as irritation and dryness. The term skin cycling was coined by Whitney Bowe, MD–a board-certified dermatologist who popularized the concept on TikTok.

Skin cycling is a method of using skin care products in which you designate specific products for certain days rather than using all products every day, thus creating a cycle for your products.

“Skin cycling” is the hot term for using various skincare products on different days, giving your complexion a break from potent active ingredients to achieve optimal results. "It is essentially a 'less is more' kind of skincare practice," says Tiffany J. Libby, M.D., a derma­tologist in Providence, Rhode Island. Think start low and go slow.