The Time You Apply Your Skincare Is As Important As What You Use. Welcome To The Era Of Circadian Skincare

Understanding your skin’s internal clock could revolutionise your beauty routine, says one New Zealand skincare founder.

Our bodies instinctively know when to be alert, when to sleep, when to rest and when to digest.

It’s all down to what’s known as circadian rhythm – or the molecular clock that governs all the internal processes of the body in response to light and darkness.

According to naturopath Tracy Henderson, the body’s circadian rhythm controls energy peaks and troughs, which is why many people experience the dreaded 3pm slump.

Henderson says respecting these natural patterns within the body, working with them rather than against them, is key to achieving optimum health.

The same can be said for skin, says molecular biologist and global authority on skin DNA repair and advanced delivery systems, Dr Daniel Yarosh. He believes that by leaning into its natural processes and using ingredients to support its functions at different times of day, we can achieve better results.

“People have a pattern of activity that follows the sun, and keeping close to that rhythm is vital to good health. We now know that about 10% of genes change their level of expression with the time of day, so we are literally different people in the morning and night,” he says.

Inspired by this concept, RAAIE founder Katey Mandy is repositioning her New Zealand natural, high-performance skincare line as one rooted in circadian skin science (a term she’s since trademarked) under the new moniker, RAESO (ray-so).

Circadian skin science is what Mandy calls a “natural evolution” for the brand, which launched in 2022 with a tight edit of products to use morning and night.

“Customers understand this concept of doing AM and PM skincare, but they don’t really understand why. The AM/PM concept isn’t new, but what is new is the move to 24-hour skincare using encapsulated, time-release ingredients,” she says.

“The skin is not static. Understanding those peaks and troughs can help us formulate to be more effective or in sync with what the skin is doing, rather than telling it to do one thing when it’s trying to do something else.”

RAESO’s new footprint is supported by a scientific study into circadian skin science by Yarosh, which is set to be published in the Journal Of Cosmetic Science US, alongside a white paper titled Biohacking The Skin’s Biorhythm: What To Use When For Healthier Skin and book Circadian Skin Science - The Bible.

The Day Shift: Defence Mode & Surface Protection

Circadian skin science dictates the changes in skin across a 24-hour period, Yarosh says. The skin is in protection mode during the day, he says, with minimal water loss, increased barrier strength, peak sebum production and reduced blood flow.

This means you should consider your morning routine akin to applying your skin’s armour for the day, keeping it protected no matter what the day holds.

Skin’s primary objective is to fend off environmental aggressors during daylight hours – think UV rays, pollution and bacteria – making morning an excellent time to apply products containing free radical-fighting antioxidants like vitamins C and E, niacinamide to regulate sebum alongside a broad-spectrum SPF50+ sunscreen.

Ingredients to use*

The Night Shift: Repair Mode

At night, Yarosh says skin is in metabolise and repair mode, with increased permeability, blood flow and DNA repair.

He says 6-8pm is “a good time to apply products that need to enter the living cell layer for its activity” and 10pm to 2am is when DNA enzyme repair hits its peak.

Cells get to work repairing any damage done throughout the day, meaning you can call in heavy-hitting reinforcements like retinoids to boost cell turnover, peptides to support collagen synthesis and ceramides or lipids to seal in moisture.

This new wave of rhythmic-focused skincare has always been top of mind for Mandy, who formulated RAESO’s night serum with encapsulated retinaldehyde, which releases slowly into skin.

“When skin is going through its peak DNA repair between 10pm and 2am your skin is getting fed with this ingredient that helps accelerate cellular regeneration,” she says.

Ingredients to use*

Globally, skincare brands like Circadia by Dr Pugliese are designed to work in harmony with the skin and body’s circadian rhythms.

Each formulation is said to amplify the skin’s natural protect and repair processes, snapping into action when it is biologically primed to perform each function. An edit of 33 products is available from selected local suppliers including Skintreatmentstudio.co.nz.

It’s one of a select few, however, and it’s Mandy’s hope that repositioning RAESO as a leader in circadian skin science will encourage other brands to follow suit. Especially in an era where biohacking (or the approach to wellness that involves making changes to lifestyle or diet to boost performance, health and longevity) is hitting its peak.

“It’s where brands are going to move, and we wanted to claim it,” she says. “But we will keep innovating and leading the industry in this subject, so if other brands move into this space we will still be seen as the innovator.”

Yarosh is excited by the trickle-down effect these new findings will have on consumers – incorporating science-based findings to build unfussy routines with products applied at the right time.

Ultimately, circadian skincare zeroes in on efficiency – understanding that while a repair-focused peptide cream has its place, it’s not at 9am.

By reserving protection for morning and repair for evening, you’re not simply smoothing on moisturiser – you’re working in sync with your skin.

*Excerpt from Circadian Skin Science - The Bible

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