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MY SKIN'S NOT MOODY,

it’s circadian

By Loriane, barrier defender and hormonal rollercoaster

My skin used to confuse me. Like, why did I wake up glowy and go to bed blotchy? Why was my moisturizer perfect in the morning but felt heavy at night? Why did I feel like I had five different skin types in the same 24 hours? I blamed hormones. Weather. My coffee intake. My SPF. My ex. But the real answer was way less chaotic than I expected: My skin isn’t moody. It’s just following its circadian rhythm. And once I understood that, everything — and I mean everything — started to make sense.

MY SKIN'S NOT MOODY, it’s circadian

Wait, your skin has a 24-Hour clock?

Yes, babe. Just like your body has a sleep-wake cycle, your skin has its own internal rhythm — a biological schedule that affects how it behaves throughout the day.

In the morning, your skin focuses on defense. Think: protecting your barrier, fighting UV, pollution, blue light, the works. It’s in “shield mode.”

At night, your skin goes into repair + renewal. Cell turnover peaks. Your skin becomes more permeable (translation: it drinks up whatever you give it). But it’s also more fragile.

So if your skin acts different between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.? It’s not acting up. It’s acting on schedule.

Why your AM routine should be your barrier’s bodyguard

In the morning, your skin is like: “I’ve got a long day ahead. Help me survive it.”

That’s where your AM routine comes in.

Here’s what I focus on now:

  • A gentle jelly cleanser (because stripping your barrier first thing is not the vibe)
  • A lightweight cream with antioxidants + hydration, the kind of texture that lets your skin breathe but still protects
  • SPF (always. obviously.)

You’re not “prepping for makeup.” You’re arming your skin for 14 hours of life.

And your PM routine? It’s recovery mode.

By the end of the day, your skin has been through it. Sweat, SPF layers, blue light, stress, pollution, pillow drama; it deserves better than a rushed cleanse and a random serum.

Now that I know my skin’s rhythm, my PM routine feels like a reset, not a chore:

  • A jelly cleanser again (because it’s gentle and effective)
  • A jelly cream with ingredients like panthenol, trehalose or squalane : barrier-loving, hydrating, and comforting
  • And no overload. I don’t drown my skin. I support it.

It’s skincare, but smarter, and sleepier ;)

When you work with your skin, it shows

The truth is: your skin isn’t inconsistent.

It’s actually really good at knowing what it needs, if you’re willing to listen.

Since I’ve started syncing my routine with my skin’s rhythm, I’m not just glowing. I’m calm. I’m consistent. I’m not wasting time on 12-step routines that confuse my face.

Because skin that feels understood? That’s skin that shows up for you.

Morning and night.

So no, I’m not unpredictable. I’m just circadian.

And now? My skincare is too.