This skincare routine might ruin your old one
like a Virgo with a spreadsheet
If you're like me, you started to hear about your skincare routine a few years ago when like the k-beauty 12-step routine was really, really popular. You do these 12 steps. You have to do it every single day. Cleanser, toner, essence, serum, another serum, maybe a sheet mask, moisturizer, oil, SPF, thoughts & prayers, etc
I constantly felt like I was either doing too much or not enough. My skin was either irritated or just… unbothered. So when I heard about Skin Cycling, I was curious. It felt like the opposite of hustle culture for your face and lazy girl approved.
I was in.
P.S. There’s an interview with the dermatologist and founder of Skin Cycling herself at the end of this email!
📰 In case you missed it…
In this column you’ll find:
👑 I finally finished the Meghan Markle* show on Netflix
🏡 The best gift for new parents (10/10 recommended)
🌀 Skin cycling 101 for glowing skin
🎙 Exclusive interview with skin cycling’s creator, Dr. Whitney Bowe
⬆️ This week’s highs:
I finally finished the Meghan Markle, ahem, Sussex*, show and I have SO many thoughts. I think I’ll write about it for Saturday’s column — and yes, I finished it all… I’m not a quitter.
⬇️ This week’s lows:
I’m coming to the realization I may *actually* be a quitter… at least when it comes to books. I don’t think I’m ever going to finish Wedding People (my current audiobook) but I’ll give it one more week and then it’s going into the abandoned pile.
I’ve been obsessed with this viral foundation from the first time I tried it and you know that! It’s been my go-to foundation for my everyday look. I wear a super light layer for the daytime and multiple layers for the evenings. I’m repurchasing for a third time today because it was on sale for 30% off bringing it under $16.
I didn’t expect my Instagram reel to go super viral over the weekend (but I guess I should have) because this is a parenting hack 101. This is truly one of my favorite gifts for new parents (or for yourself and your home!) The House of Noa mats are *perfect* because they look like rugs but are super soft, wipeable, easy to clean and padded for tumbles. We have THREE in our house and they last forever! You can use this code “SABRINAMOLU” for 10% off.
I’ve had a robot vacuum and still prefer this one. Dare I say, it makes it fun? I looked into so many options, but my goal was to have a lightweight vacuum that still has all the bells & whistles. It’s on sale today.
Using an eye cream before I apply concealer during my makeup routine has been a game changer. My skin is super hydrated and the concealer creases less. This is the one that I use, I grabbed it on Amz.
Can you do me a favor? If you like this, will you hit the heart ❤️ at the bottom of your email? I pinky promise it helps me and will only take you a second!
Make my skincare easy pls
I used to take my skincare routine a little too seriously. Triple cleansing. Four serums. A toner I couldn’t pronounce, and a moisturizer that cost more than an hour of therapy. And still, my skin couldn’t seem to get it together. How are you dry but also breaking out? Ma’am, pick a lane.
Enter: Skin Cycling— the four-night routine that made me realize my skin didn’t need more, it just needed a chance to breathe.
WTF is Skin Cycling?
First, some definitions. So usually your skincare products go into two categories, actives and your non-actives.
Actives are your retinols and chemical exfoliants—these are the ingredients that treat your skin.
Non-actives include things like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and moisturizers—these ingredients support and protect your skin barrier.
What skin cycling does is give your skin time to both absorb the actives and recover from them. It’s a four-day cycle:
Treat, treat, protect, protect.
This structure allows the active ingredients to actually work while also giving your skin days to rest and repair.
Instead of applying everything every night, you rotate. And the result is healthier, more balanced skin with less irritation and more consistency.
So what do I do?
If you missed the Skin Cycling wave when it went viral on TikTok in 2022, here’s the classic cycle:
Night 1: Exfoliate
Night 2: Retinol
Nights 3 & 4: Recovery
Okay, I’m interested, tell me more
The first night, I used a chemical exfoliant and alternate between two favorites. An AHA (if my skin is looking dull) and a BHA (if my skin is breaking out). This helps sloth off extra layers of dead skin before applying actives like retinol. I apply some to a cotton pad and swipe it across my face.
The second night, we get into the good stuff. I started with beginner-friendly retinol and now rotate between that and a stronger one. I sandwich it between moisturizer like it’s a tiny skin burrito. So go moisturizer, retinol, moisturizer. This to prevent dryness and support your skin’s barrier. Retinol helps with fine lines, texture, and cell turnover — it’s truly a holy grail product, but you need to work your way up. Use a pea sized amount for all over your face and even your neck.
Nights 3 & 4: These are my favorite nights. I pat on an essence, follow with a barrier repair serum, and lock everything in with a thicker cream. My skin feels softer and more hydrated by morning—and honestly, looks glowier than ever.
This system is dermatologist-approved, lazy girl-friendly, and honestly feels like skincare with boundaries. (We love boundaries.)
Because I have a pretty cool job…
I got the chance to interview Dr. Whitney Bowe, the dermatologist who created the Skin Cycling method. We talked about how to customize the cycle for different skin types, how to layer products, and what changes if your skin is sensitive or maturing. You can catch the full QA below!
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