I wanted to talk to you today about an intriguing concept I recently came across in the world of skincare and healthy living - skintermittent fasting. Now before you roll your eyes and think it's just another fad diet relabeled for your face, hear me out. I was skeptical too at first, but the science and potential skin health benefits have me intrigued enough to give it a shot.
What is skintermittent fasting?
Skintermittent fasting essentially applies the concept of intermittent fasting - restricting eating to set times rather than grazing all day - to your skincare regimen. Just as giving your body a break from constant eating may have health benefits, giving your skin a break from constant product application may also offer advantages.
The idea is to consolidate your serums, moisturizers, and other skincare products into an 8 to 12-hour period each day, and give your skin a break from any actives the rest of the time. I know, wild right? But hear me out on why this might just work.
Let your skin focus on cellular renewal
Our skin is constantly renewing itself - new cells are created in the lower layers and slowly make their way up over a period of 28-45 days until they reach the surface and slough off. Now this process slows as we age, leading to a buildup of dead skin cells and dull complexion. The hypothesis is that by giving your skin a break from the onslaught of products each day, you allow more resources to go towards this critical cellular renewal process.
It's similar to how giving your body a break from digesting food by intermittent fasting allows it to focus on other repair and rejuvenation tasks. By consolidating products into a shorter daily window, you reduce inflammation and let the skin re-allocate its efforts into generating gorgeous, glowing new cells. And who wouldn’t want quicker cellular turnover for fresh, radiant skin?
When to do your skincare
Most skintermittent fasting protocols suggest doing your full beauty routine within an 8-12 hour window, leaving a 12-16 hour break overnight until the next morning. For many, skincare from around 8 am to 8 pm works well, while others might consolidate an evening routine from 5 pm to midnight.
Finding the right eating window for body intermittent fasting took me some experimentation balancing lifestyle, preferences, and results - and I suspect skintermittent fasting will be similar. You'll likely need to try different skincare windows firsthand to see if morning-only, evening-only, or a full split routine works best for your skin's needs and your schedule.
What about moisturizers during the fast?
Now I know some of you with dry skin are panicking at the thought of going 8+ hours without hydration. No worries, gentle moisturizers are generally fine to apply during your skintermittent fasting break. Since they ideally don't contain active ingredients, moisturizers won't be taxing cellular functions in the same way.
However, some dermatologists still recommend going entirely product-free during your overnight break for maximum cellular benefits. So if you decide to try skintermittent fasting, experiment both ways - with and without lightweight nighttime moisturizers - and see which makes your skin happiest. Listen to what your skin tells you!
Potential benefits of skintermittent fasting
Convinced yet? Or still skeptical about what good it could really do? Some theorized and observed skin rejuvenation benefits of consolidating your skin care regimen may include:
Enhanced cellular renewal & turnover: by reducing product overload and inflammation, skin can direct more energy internally towards generating fresh new cells
Increased absorption & efficacy: rather than constantly slathering on products, you give each active time to fully absorb and work its magic without disruption
Reduced sensitivity & irritation: many people find that constant product use irritates and aggravates their skin over time, especially with potent actives - a solid break gives skin relief
💧Improved hydration: moisturizers soak in better when skin isn't already saturated, and natural hydration mechanisms function optimally after a break
Brightened, glowing complexion: with faster cellular turnover, skin looks luminous with fewer dead skin cells and surface buildup
Smoothed appearance: increased cell generation plumps skin from beneath the surface for a filled-out, smoothed look
Faded dark spots & hyperpigmentation: rapid cell turnover helps clear discoloration and reveal fresh new skin
Wrinkle reduction: boosted collagen and elastin production helps smooth & fill in lines when skin can direct energy internally
An intriguing list right? Of course how much skintermittent fasting actually helps likely depends greatly on your genetics, exact approach, consistency, and other lifestyle factors. But the potential is absolutely worth exploring!
Tips for trying skintermittent fasting
If the possibilities above have you intrigued enough to test out an intermittent skincare routine yourself, here are a few tips:
Start with a manageable 10-12 hour eating window (i.e. 8 am to 8 pm) to observe impacts without shocking your skin's system
Pay attention to how your skin feels with more of a break - lean into what leaves it feeling best
Continue nourishing from within too with a skin-friendly diet, supplements like collagen, and lifestyle factors like sleep
Adjust your skincare regular or eating window duration to balance visible results with personal sustainability
Be patient - skin health changes occur gradually so allow 6-12 weeks to notice differences
Have reasonable expectations - your mileage will vary based on many individual factors
The key is finding the sweet spot that works for you. Skintermittent fasting may very well become my latest skin health obsession with time. But I’m entering into it cautiously, avoiding unrealistic expectations, and above all listening to my body - things I wish I had known when I first started skincare years ago!
Also read: Why Self-Care is Important in Relationships
Bottom line
Skintermittent fasting is an interesting concept that applies time-restricted eating principles to your daily skincare regimen. By consolidating products into an 8-12 hour window and skin's cellular repair and renewal at night, it aims to rebalance inflammation and vital processes for enhanced absorption, cellular communication, and internally-generated glow.
Is it a magic bullet for flawless skin? Of course not - our complexions thrive with a holistic approach spanning topical skincare, internal nutrition, lifestyle factors, mental health care, and genetics. But for many, skintermittent fasting may be one piece of unlocking your most radiant, healthy possible complexion from the inside out. It’s certainly worth chatting with your dermatologist about to see if it may have a place in your overall skin health journey!
I don’t know about you, but I’m intrigued enough to give this whole skintermittent fasting thing a try for myself. Anything that might help my skin look more fresh and vibrant without irritating actives sounds good in my book! I’ll report back after a few months of tweaking my routine. In the meantime, let me know what you think or if you plan to experiment with intermittent skincare windows too! *As always, you should consult your dermatologist before making any major changes to your skincare routine.
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