The Night I Started Following Moon Cycles (And Why My Skin Has Never Been Better)
It was 2 AM in Bali, and I couldn't sleep. The full moon hung heavy outside my villa window, so bright it cast shadows across the wooden floors. My Balinese host, Kadek, found me sitting on the terrace with a cup of tea, staring up at the luminous orb.
"Ah," she smiled knowingly, "Purnama is calling you."
I had no idea that this sleepless night would completely transform how I think about skincare and lead me down a rabbit hole of lunar wisdom that ancient cultures have followed for millennia.
The Moon Goddess Who Started It All
What Happens When You Actually Track Your Skin
The next morning, I decided to conduct my own experiment. For three months, I would track how my skin looked and felt during different moon phases. I used the same products, kept the same routine, but paid attention to timing.
The results surprised me:
New Moon (Dark Moon): My skin felt more sensitive, almost like it was in repair mode. Breakouts that had been brewing would surface, but they healed faster than usual.
Waxing Moon: My skin seemed to absorb products more deeply. Serums that normally sat on the surface suddenly penetrated beautifully.
Full Moon: The most dramatic changes. My skin looked plumper, more radiant, like it was holding onto moisture differently. But I also noticed more oil production.
Waning Moon: Everything calmed down. Inflammation reduced, skin texture smoothed out, and any irritation from trying new products seemed to resolve itself.
The Science Behind the Folklore
Curious about what I was experiencing, I started digging into research. While there isn't extensive scientific literature on lunar cycles and skin specifically, there are some fascinating connections:
Circadian Rhythms: Our skin cells follow a 24-hour repair cycle, with peak regeneration happening at night. Some researchers theorize that lunar cycles might influence longer biological rhythms. Circalunidian rhythms that follow roughly 29.5-day cycles.
Hormonal Fluctuations: Many women report that their menstrual cycles sync with moon phases (though this is debated), and we know hormones dramatically affect skin. Even if you don't menstruate, your body still experiences monthly hormonal fluctuations.
Water Retention: Just as the moon affects ocean tides through gravitational pull, it might influence the water content in our bodies. Our skin is our largest organ.
Melatonin Production: Full moons can suppress melatonin production, affecting sleep quality and skin repair processes.
Ancient Wisdom, Modern Application
What fascinated me most was discovering how many cultures have moon-based beauty rituals:
Ancient Egypt: Cleopatra was said to bathe in milk and honey during the full moon, believing her skin would absorb the lunar energy and glow like the moon itself.
Traditional Chinese Medicine: Practitioners have long recommended gentle, nourishing treatments during the new moon and more intensive, purifying treatments during the full moon.
Ayurveda: The lunar cycle is seen as influencing the three doshas (body types), with different skincare approaches recommended for each phase.
Celtic Traditions: Women would wash their faces with dew collected during the full moon, believing it would preserve their youth and beauty.
My Current Moon-Synced Skincare Ritual
After a year of moon tracking, here's the rhythm I've fallen into:
New Moon (Days 1-7): Reset and Repair
This is my "gentle phase." My skin feels more delicate, so I focus on:
- Extra gentle cleansing with oil-based cleansers
- Healing ingredients like herbs/plant medicine
- Minimal exfoliation
- Earlier bedtimes to support natural repair processes
Products I reach for: Gentle cleansers, , rich creams, gentle exfoliation
Waxing Moon (Days 8-14): Building and Absorbing
My skin seems most receptive during this phase, so I:
- Introduce any new products (they're less likely to cause reactions)
- Use treatment serums with active ingredients
- Focus on hydrating masks and treatments
- Practice facial massage to boost circulation
Products I reach for: Vitamin C serums, retinol (if tolerated), hydrating sheet masks
Full Moon (Days 15-21): Peak and Purify
My skin is at its most dramatic. More oily but also more radiant. I:
- Use clay masks or gentle exfoliation
- Apply richer moisturizers to balance increased oil production
- Do lymphatic drainage massage
- Pay extra attention to my neck and chest (they seem to glow more too)
Products I reach for: Clay masks, gentle acids, face oils, gua sha tools
Waning Moon (Days 22-29): Calm and Refine
Everything settles down, making it perfect for:
- Gentle exfoliation to remove dead skin buildup
- Anti-inflammatory ingredients
- Minimalist routines that let skin rest
- Preparing for the next cycle
Products I reach for: Gentle exfoliating toners, calming serums with Vitamin C, simple moisturizers
The Ritual That Changed Everything
But here's what really transformed my skin: it wasn't just about timing products differently. It was about the ritual itself.
Every new moon, I take a bath by candlelight and set intentions for the lunar cycle ahead. Not just for my skin, but for how I want to feel in my body. Every full moon, I stand in front of my mirror and practice gratitude for my skin, even the parts I'm still learning to love.
This monthly rhythm of intention and gratitude has created a deeper relationship with my skin than any product ever could.
Why This Matters in Our Always-On World
We live in a culture that demands consistency above all else. Same routine, same products, same results every single day. But our bodies aren't machines. They're cyclical, seasonal, responsive to natural rhythms we've largely forgotten.
Following moon cycles in my skincare routine has taught me to work with my skin's natural fluctuations rather than fighting against them. Instead of getting frustrated when my skin behaves differently week to week, I've learned to anticipate and support these changes.
The Unexpected Benefits
Beyond the skin improvements, tracking lunar cycles has given me:
Better Sleep: I naturally started going to bed earlier during new moons and found I could stay up later during full moons without feeling terrible.
Emotional Awareness: I began noticing emotional patterns that aligned with moon phases, helping me understand my own rhythms better.
Deeper Intuition: Paying attention to one natural cycle made me more attuned to seasonal changes, energy fluctuations, and what my body actually needs.
Sacred Pause: Having monthly rituals around new and full moons created built-in times for reflection and intention-setting.
Starting Your Own Lunar Skincare Journey
You don't need to overhaul your entire routine overnight. Here's how to begin:
- Track for one month: Note how your skin looks and feels during different moon phases
- Start with timing: Try introducing new products during the waxing moon, and do deeper treatments during the full moon
- Create simple rituals: Even lighting a candle during your skincare routine can make it feel more intentional
- Listen to your skin: Your patterns might be different from mine, and that's perfect
The Magic Is in the Attention
Whether or not the moon actually affects our skin on a cellular level, there's something powerful about syncing our self-care with natural rhythms. It forces us to slow down, pay attention, and treat our skincare routine as a ritual rather than a chore.
Maybe that's the real magic. Not that the moon changes our skin, but that believing it might makes us more attentive, more intentional, and more connected to the ancient wisdom of working with nature rather than against it.
Our skincare collection is designed to support your skin's natural repair processes, no matter what phase the moon is in.