Creating a skincare routine can be overwhelming. What products do you really need? When do you apply them? What order do you apply them in? Skin cycling is a pretty easy process to get in the swing of. Skin cycling is essentially a four-night skin care regimen that you repeatedly cycle through to simplify your routine and reduce inflammation from active ingredients.The classic skin cycling routine consists of a four-night schedule. Night one is exfoliation, night two is for retinoids and the last two nights are recovery nights, where hydration and barrier repair are top priority. Once you finish the cycle, you repeat the process.

The four-night cycle:

Night 1

This is exfoliation night! First, cleanse with a gentle face wash and pat your skin dry. Use a gentle physical exfoliant with a light scrub or a leave-on chemical exfoliant, like a serum that includes alpha- or beta-hydroxy acids. Lock everything in with a moisturizer before bed.

Night 2

This is retinol night!. Retinoids are products that can help treat mild acne, fade hyperpigmentation and scarring, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Cleanse your face first and then make sure it’s 100% dry before applying the retinoid. A pea-size amount of product for your entire face is plenty.

Apply your retinoid, and finish with another layer of moisturizer on top. This technique creates a protective buffer to help reduce things like peeling and dryness.

Nights 3 and 4

These are recovery nights. You can simply cleanse your face and apply any hydrating serums or moisturizers that don’t include active ingredients like the ones mentioned above—and that’s it! Add a thicker layer of Aquaphor on top to seal it all in (this is called “slugging”).