Skin Flooding: How To Achieve The Latest TikTok Skincare Trend

Photo by Anna Tarazevich

Another day another skincare trend demanding our attention.

If you spend as much time as I do on #skintok, you’re bound to come across a ton of skincare techniques from skin cycling to slugging, donut glazed skin and even dolphin skin.

Just as we think we can’t add another buzzword to our repertoire, skin flooding pops up. While the actual technique isn’t new, the trend has recently amassed a massive 13.8 million views on TikTok, pushing us all to re-evaluate our skincare routines. While these buzzy terms might sound intimidating to us mere mortals, many of them are just fancy names for what we have already been doing.

This latest craze is particularly simple, becoming a popular way to quench dry and dehydrated skin. Skin flooding is simply about loading your complexion up on hydration.

How does skin flooding work?

You’re not actually flooding your skin, instead it is all about strategic layering to lock hydration into the skin. Pretty much anyone can hop on this trend, particularly if you’re interested in treating dry, dehydrated skin.

You’re probably automatically reaching for hydrating and plumping serums and slightly thicker moisturisers already. While you may have your hands on the right products, are you actually using them the right way?

Before packing on the moisturiser, it’s important to sit back and understand the facts so you can treat your skin effectively. Hydration is truly key to healthy skin, so skin flooding is one trend that deserves a little extra look.

“It is a technique that increases the efficacy and also the absorption of products, in an attempt to protect the skin barrier,” celebrity Irish skin expert, Eavanna Breen explains. While many would say it doesn’t matter the order you apply products, when it comes to skin flooding, it is actually quite important. By sticking to this product rule it helps provide deeper, longer-lasting hydration.

via RF Studio

How do you do it?

Eavanna says: “The most effective way to implicate skin flooding into your routine is to start by cleansing your skin with a cleanser that doesn’t strip your skin of its natural oils. An oil-based cleanser will be best for this.”

The technique involves four simple steps. Gently cleansing the skin. Spritzing on a hydrating mist. Applying a serum or two. Finally moisturising. Eavanna says “to make sure to include ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamideto redo the maximum benefits of the technique”.

Starting with a gentle face wash that is oil based will help cleanse your skin without removing its natural oils. The Skin Formula’s Oil and Milk cleanser is a great option as it gently removes makeup and impurities from the surface of the skin. It glides onto the skin as an oil but transforms into a conditioning milk once emulsified with water. This way you start with a soft and balanced canvas for the rest of your routine. The Bondi Sands Fresh’n Up Cleanser is also a great option.

To effectively skin flood you’ll need to keep your face slightly damp between cleansing and applying your first serum. This is where a facial spritz comes in. Many people don’t see the benefit in one, I was one of them up until recently.

Moisturisers absorb water more effectively with a source to draw from, so having a damp face before applying serums and creams is very beneficial. The Pestle and Mortar Balance Fine Misting Facial Spritz is light and refreshing on the skin. It has a lightweight even spray that doesn’t create a barrier on your skin’s surface, so our serums and moisturisers can be absorbed.

Hyaluronic acid is the spotlight ingredient in this technique because it is a humectant and as a result, attracts and holds onto excess water. Niacinamide is great for additional smoothing and aids in reducing inflammation. By layering each of the products carefully starting with the thinner water-based products, working your way up to the thicker, oilier products, you’ll allow the products to deliver the necessary hydration effectively.

While your face is still damp to the touch smear on a hyaluronic acid serum like the Skinmade x Eavanna Breen Hyaluronic Acid Intensive. This new serum ensures the skin remains hydrated while also helping to reduce wrinkles and lines. The Hydrating B5 Serum from Skinceuticals is a great alternate water-based humectant serum.

The main benefit of skin flooding is hydration, allowing your skincare to penetrate deeper into the skin, making for a more effective routine. Eavanna says: “The results lock in moisture to help your skin appear softer and smoother.” She also explains that dehydrated skin leads to the surface layer looking dry and dull so this easily incorporated technique could help you on your way to clear skin.

Lastly, to keep the moisture locked into your skin, reach for a moisturiser that will act as a seal and prevent water loss through the skin. Ren Clean Skincare’s new Everhydrate Marine Moisture -Replenish Cream is a lightweight, yet rich, water-locking cream. It is designed to intensively replenish and deliver relief from dehydration deep down when, and where, you need it most.

You can also use the Aveeno Calm+ Restore Oat Gel Moisturiser. It has a lovely light consistency and is supercooling on the skin – a dream for the dehydration we’re trying to combat.

While skin flooding isn’t a dangerous concept, oilier skinned people should take caution when it comes to oil-based products as they can clog your pores and trigger outbreaks. With no harsh side effects skin flooding is probably one of the easiest routines to follow when it comes to skincare. It might not work for everyone but if you’re going to give it a go stick to the above steps.

You’ll be on track for a moisture-filled complexion in no time.

• Beauty
• skin flooding
• skincare
• TikTok