{"id":4827,"date":"2025-04-24T21:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T13:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/24\/low-energy-cycle-skin-care-products\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T20:10:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T12:10:16","slug":"low-energy-cycle-skin-care-products","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/24\/low-energy-cycle-skin-care-products\/","title":{"rendered":"Low Energy Cycle Skin Care Products"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n\tHow to cite: <\/b>Wong M. Skin-Saving Skincare Products for Low-Energy Cycles. Lab Muffin Beauty Science. April 24, 2025. Accessed March 11, 2026.\n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n

I don’t know about you, but over the past few years with the flu and the stress of climate change, working from home and an ADHD diagnosis, my daily routine has gone out the window. I keep losing track of when I last changed my sheets, what time it was lunch, when I should go to bed and if I showered. So most of the time, I just didn’t really have the energy to do a proper skin care routine.<\/p>\n

Luckily, I’ve found some great products to do when I’m too tired to think, or when I need to play around with my skin care.<\/p>\n

The video is here, keep scrolling for the text version (the video was originally sponsored by Bioderma – I’ve been using their micellar water, and these are my honest opinions).<\/p>\n

Bioderma Micellar Water<\/span><\/h2>\n

I have talked about it Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water<\/strong><\/em> so much – it’s one of my favorite products, and it’s become a staple in my skin care routine over the past few years.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

This was the world’s first micellar water, and it started the whole micellar water trend. It’s a truly non-irritating cleanser that’s effective at removing dirt and oil, makeup, and dirt without disrupting the skin’s barrier, making it great for sensitive skin. It is a favorite of many dermatologists, estheticians and makeup artists, and skin enthusiasts.<\/p>\n

Related Posts: What is micellar water and how does it work?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The research that went into developing this product is truly impressive. Analyzing the ingredient list is useful to some extent, but product formulas are complex, so you can’t list everything about a product in the ingredient list. That’s why testing products on real people and getting clinical evidence is so important to science-based skin care.<\/p>\n

Bioderma is very thorough in its clinical trials, and collaborates with research institutes and dermatologists to develop their products. So it’s no surprise that this micellar water works so well for so many people! In clinical trials, 97% of people with sensitive or sensitive skin reported that this had a soothing effect.<\/p>\n

It’s important to note that not all micellar waters are formulated for sensitive skin, and many people report irritation when they don’t remove them – and sometimes when they do! Some of the soft texture features of this product:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • A skin-friendly pH of 5.5<\/li>\n
  • It has no smell<\/li>\n
  • Uses high purity injection quality water (some water contains endotoxins, which can irritate very sensitive skin)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    This micellar water also contains one gentle non-ionic ingredient, PEG-6 caprylic\/capric glycerides<\/strong>. We tend to think of surfactants as harsh and irritating ingredients, which is why many people say you should wash your skin after using micellar water, but surfactants are a very broad category. Unlike the surfactants in most rinse-offs (and some micellar waters), this ingredient acts as an emollient that softens the skin and resists irritation.<\/p>\n

    Usage<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Take this out on a cotton pad, and wipe it over your face until it wipes clean. I use reusable cotton pads which I find are softer and gentler than disposable ones. If you find micellar water too harsh on your skin, this might be worth a try – I thought micellar water was harsh, but it turns out the cheap cotton pads I was using were exfoliating my skin too much!<\/p>\n

    This can be the first step of a double cleanse, but I often use this as a single cleanser. I also use it when I travel (it’s great on planes), and in the mornings when I have perioral dermatitis from wearing a mask. <\/p>\n

    Related Post: Bioderma Sebium For Oily Skin And Acne: Science And Review<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

    Kate Somerville ExfoliKate<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Kate Somerville ExfoliKate<\/strong><\/em> is a two-minute rinse-off mask. It’s my go-to product when I forget to take it off for a while.<\/p>\n

    \"Combination\"Combination<\/p>\n

    This is a chemical, physical and enzyme exfoliant:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Chemical exfoliants: lactic acid (alpha hydroxy acid), salicylic acid (beta hydroxy acid)<\/li>\n
    • Physical exfoliants: small silica scrubbing granules<\/li>\n
    • Enzyme exfoliants: papaya, pumpkin and pineapple enzymes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      It eliminates almost every type of exfoliation I usually use, except for exfoliating gels and PHAs, in one product!<\/p>\n

      Related Post: How to Exfoliate 1: All About Physical Exfoliants<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

      It is thick green that smells of herbs and is slightly sour. I rub it in for about 30 seconds at first to get it out, then leave it on for 90 seconds before rinsing it off.<\/p>\n

      The rinse-off feature is incredibly useful. I don’t have to worry about it interacting with anything or the pill, so it fits easily into any routine (irritation aside). <\/p>\n

      I’ve tried a few other facial products, but I always come back to Exfolikate. Apart from having All The Exfoliants, my biggest gripe is the texture – it’s thick enough to sit on my face without dripping steam from the shower into my eyes. <\/p>\n

      Related Post: The Essential Guide to Exfoliation<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

      Exfolikate is an expensive part, but it lasts for years – I only use a pencil eraser’s amount each time. They also introduced an affordable, 15 mL trial-ready version.<\/p>\n

      Paula’s Choice Bakuchiol + Retinol<\/span><\/h2>\n

      Paula’s Choice Bakuchiol + Retinol is one of my favorite all-in-one products. I use it a lot when I’m too tired to use a lot of products with active ingredients, or I’m thinking about what to combine and how to layer.<\/p>\n

      \"Paula's\"Paula's<\/p>\n

      It has a combination of ingredients that ticks many boxes. <\/p>\n

      Bakuchiol is a plant extract that helps with wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. It’s marketed as an alternative to retinol, but it actually isn’t (it’s not a retinoid, and works differently). However, it’s still a pretty promising ingredient, and it’s thought to help retinol work more effectively. I love that Paula’s Choice uses it in addition to retinol, not as an alternative – it’s the most reliable way to market it.<\/p>\n

      Related post: Bakuchiol: Better Than Retinol?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

      It also contains 0.3% retinol, peptides, and skin-calming ingredients in a slightly sticky moisturizer. It doubles as a moisturizer for my skin (on the oily side). If your skin is dry, you may need more moisturizer.<\/p>\n

      Most importantly for me, it’s gentle and non-irritating enough that I don’t need to be too careful with the application method and amount. Some nights I’m too tired to trust myself with a small dose of tretinoin.<\/p>\n

      Related Post: 7 Common Retinoid Skincare Myths, Busted<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

      While a product with a smorgasbord of ingredients probably won’t work as well as a product that focuses on delivering one or two very well, this allows me to cover more bases – and the lack of mental load means I use it. something<\/em> on my face, instead of giving up I sleep naked. <\/p>\n

      Kate Ryan Skincare Total Nourishment Night Complex<\/span><\/h2>\n

      I have been happy Kate Ryan Skincare Total Nourishment Night Complex<\/strong><\/em> several times before. Another All-in-one product that makes my skin look really good the next day. It has a little bit of everything – key ingredients are niacinamide, retinyl acetate, centella extract, and antioxidants.<\/p>\n

      \"Total\"Total<\/p>\n

      This is great if I want my skin to look good, but I don’t want to risk any kind of irritation the night before filming.<\/p>\n

      Related Post: 2022 Skin Care Cycle Review<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

      Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream<\/span><\/h2>\n

      \"klairs\"klairs<\/p>\n

      On nights when I feel too good to use tretinoin, I mix it with Klair’s Midnight Blue Calming Cream. If I am taking too much tretinoin, this helps to combat it and help the tretinoin to spread through the skin more easily.<\/p>\n

      Lip balm<\/span><\/h2>\n

      \"Glow\"Glow<\/p>\n

      I was using Glow Recipe’s Lip Pop when I first posted the video, but unfortunately it’s now discontinued. This was a really rich and exfoliating lip and lip balm, with tiny sugar particles for exfoliation and alpha hydroxy acids. It also had moisturizing ingredients that added a little color to prevent me from looking dead, which was very helpful for early morning meetings!<\/p>\n

      These days I’ve been using Dermal Therapy’s Manula Honey lip balm and Glossier Balm Dotcom at night, although I’m still hoping Glow Recipe will come back with a Lip Pop.<\/p>\n

      Related Post: The Lab Muffin Guide to Basic Skincare<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

      The mentioned products were provided for review, which did not affect my opinion. <\/em>This post also contains affiliate links – if you decide to click through and support Lab Muffin financially (at no additional cost to you), thank you! For more information, see the Disclosure Policy.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      How to cite: Wong M. Skin-Saving Skincare Products for Low-Energy Cycles. Lab Muffin Beauty Science. April 24, 2025. Accessed March 11, 2026. I don’t know about you, but over the past few years with the flu and the stress of climate change, working from home and an ADHD diagnosis, my daily routine has gone […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4828,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[333],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-4827","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-anti-aging"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4827","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4827"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4827\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4829,"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4827\/revisions\/4829"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4828"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4827"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4827"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4827"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}