Skin Flooding is the latest TikTok trend sweeping the globe, and we’re so here for it. Unlike some more controversial (and often dangerous) TokTok trends, this is one skincare practice we’re right behind. So, what’s it all about?
Skin Flooding – Not As It Sounds
The term ‘Skin Flooding’ actually comes from the Korean skincare practice of “flooding” your skin with maximum hydration. It helps to treat dehydration and dryness in order to deliver the ultimate dewy glow. While it’s a bit of a buzz-term, the practice of skin flooding itself comes from very basic skincare principles – cleanse, tone, serum and hydrate.
Skin Flooding How-To
If we strip it back to basics, skin flooding is really just about layering products to flood your skin with moisture, as well as increase the absorption and efficacy of your investment products. The rule is to begin with lighter, water-based formulas and build up to oils and then creams. So, after cleansing with a hydrating cleanser, you’d move on to a milky toner with hydrating properties and progress to your day or night cream, finishing with a balm, if you have super-dry skin. You can use products from same skincare range, or cherry pick to suit your specific skincare needs.
Step By Step Skin Flooding
Cleanse
As with any skincare routine, you should begin by cleansing. A clean canvas will ensure skin is primed for better absorption of the ingredients in each formula. For skin flooding, we like to opt in for a milk-cleanser, or even perhaps a water-based one.
Try Garnier Micellar Cleansing Milky Water. Designed to be gently wiped across face with a clean cotton pad, this removes impurities and make-up without drying the skin. It combines the efficacy and lightness of micellar cleansing water with the hydrating, soothing properties of milk.
Tone
After cleansing, apply a small amount of hydrating and soothing toning water to your skin. Pour a small amount into your palm and use your fingers to gently massage over your face and neck.
Try Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Water. Its oil-free formula leaves skin feeling refreshed. Plus, it has anti-oxidants, peptides and vitamins to dose your freshly-cleansed skin with nutrients.
Mist
This step is optional, but it really does dose up the moisture. Simply spritz your favourite facial spray over your skin for extra hydration and nourishment.
Try Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Miracle Hydrating Mist. It contains an antioxidant-rich Superfruit Blend, which hydrates, soothes and refreshes skin. Each dose infuses skin with soothing extracts, cooling and calming while providing intense hydration. You’ll love its delicate scent of lemon water, rose and bergamot.
Serum One
Now it’s time to apply thicker formulas. Namely, your serums. Start with a lighter serum that is quick to absorb. For this step, we love Retreatment Botanics Kakadu Brightening Serum. It’s rich in vitamin C, thanks to all the Kakadu Plum, and it also brightens, calms, hydrates and helps to smooth out your skin tone.
Serum Two
Now it’s time to graduate to an oil-based serum, which will drench your skin with moisture, as well as help protect its barrier. Try to apply it while your lighter serum is still damp on the skin. Simply massage over face and throat very gently.
Try Always Young Orange Facial Oil. It combines rose and orange oils with with vitamins A, C and E, as well as citrus flower oil. It will dose skin with moisture while it balances and brightens.
Moisturiser
Your regular day cream will suffice here, but if you really want to pack a punch, use one that has Hyaluronic Acid (HA) as a key ingredient. Hyaluronic Acid is a moisturising ingredient that drenches the skin. It also has the ability to create moisture reservoirs within the skin, holding hydration for longer. What’s more, it is thought to actually trigger moisture production in the cells.
Try La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Hyaluronic Moisturiser. It is rich in Hyaluronic Acid, as well as restorative B5 (Niacinamide).
Balm
For the ultimate skin flooding experience, finish with an application of hydrating skin balm. We don’t think there’s a product more suited to this routine than Clarins Beauty Flash Balm. It’s formulated with 96 percent naturally-sourced ingredients and it delivers a powerful radiance-boosting cocktail. keep it in the fridge for an extra-soothing experience.
