A few days ago, your skin was all oily and prone to breakouts, but today it’s feeling dry and irritated? When your skin decides to have a little party of its own, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re using the wrong skincare products or indulging in unhealthy snacks. In fact, our natural female cycle has a say in the state of our skin. Let’s dive into the Cycle Syncing Calendar, which spills the beans on when we might be more prone to pesky pimples during period.
You might think that post-puberty, women are done dealing with those pesky pimples. But alas, that’s not the case! Hormones continue to dance their way through our bodies, influencing our skin every month like clockwork. Your skin’s behavior changes along with your cycle, and that’s where Neal’s Yard Remedies, the British natural skincare wizard, comes in. They’ve concocted a Cycle Syncing Calendar to give us the lowdown on what our skin goes through in an average 28-day cycle. With this calendar, you can predict your skin’s mood swings and take the right measures.
Skincare Routine Before Period: Greasy and Prone to Breakouts
Every woman has probably noticed the extra blemishes that pop up around that time of the month. According to the Cycle Syncing Calendar, about a week before your period (around the 22nd day of your cycle) and the first four days during your period (cycle days 1 to 4), your skin gets particularly oily, breakouts become party crashers, and it becomes more sensitive to allergies. Dark under-eye circles might even make an appearance. During this time, a solid skincare routine is a must: thorough makeup removal, gentle cleansers, toners, and a light moisturizer morning and night are your best pals.
Cycle Syncing Tip: Get moving! Sweating opens up those pores and helps dislodge dirt and impurities. Just remember to wash your face thoroughly after exercising. And while you’re at it, skip the greasy snacks during this phase.
Skincare Routine During Period: Dry Skin
One day your skin was all oily, and the next day it’s suddenly as dry as a desert, making your face feel like it’s auditioning for a skin-care commercial. According to the Cycle Syncing Calendar, from cycle day 5 to about day 10, your skin enters the next phase, becoming dry and possibly even flaky. Gentle care is key, involving a mild exfoliant to shed those dead skin cells and a rich moisturizer to quench that thirst. Keep in mind, you don’t want to irritate your skin further.
Cycle Syncing Tip: Hydrate like there’s no tomorrow and load up on healthy fats found in fish or avocados in your diet.
Luteal Phase Skin Care: Normal and Radiant Skin
Around the time of your ovulation, you’re supposed to be extra alluring to the opposite sex, and guess what? Your skin is also in its prime during this phase. Between cycle day 11 and day 21, your skin is at its purest, healthiest, and most radiant. However, it’s also more likely to react with redness and spots due to stress—often triggered by premenstrual syndrome (PMS). So, it’s crucial not to provoke your skin unnecessarily and instead focus on light makeup and a good skincare routine.
Cycle Syncing Tip: Yoga, conscious relaxation, and a good night’s sleep can lower stress levels and keep your skin looking its best.
