It’s the latest social media trend that involves layering serums and creams to ‘flood’ the skin with hydration, increase the efficacy and absorption of products, and protect the skin barrier.
What is Skin Flooding?
Skin flooding is essentially layering multiple skincare products onto damp skin in order to lock in moisture to help skin appear smoother and softer. Flooding works to lock in moisture and prevent it from evaporating (known as TEWL or trans-epidermal water loss), making sure your skin feels comfortable and hydrated.
Why do skin flooding?
It can also be used to provide a hydrated glow and plumping effect for the skin, which can improve the look of make-up. Or if you are looking to relive dry or dehydrated skin to easy the tightness and smooth fine lines using the plumpness of hydration.
What do you do, to skin flood?
Skin flooding involves four simple steps: cleansing the skin, spritzing on a mist, applying serums, then moisturising the skin.
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While you might think the focus would be on serums and misting, it turns out that cleansing the skin is actually the most crucial step in skin flooding. Do not layer products on uncleansed skin because you’ll have a build-up of sweat, oil and pollution which is going to get trapped.
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After cleansing, apply the first layer of serum while the face is still damp. From here the flooding method can vary, but it usually involves using a face mist between each layer of serum before finishing with a moisturiser to lock in the products.
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The order in which you apply products can affect how effectively they’re absorbed. “You should always start with products with a thinner consistency then finish with the thickest consistency. Another method is to target specific areas where you are at your driest.
Which products should you use to skin flood?
When it comes to skincare, don’t just follow a trend, but make it relatable to your skin type and skin concerns. Serums are ideal especially if they contain active ingredients such as peptides, ceramides or hyaluronic acid. If your skin feels dull, then an AHA toner or lotion will lift off any dead skin cells and brighten the skin.
Who should consider skin flooding?
Skin flooding can be used by all skin types but because it focuses on boosting hydration, it’s a skincare technique designed for dry or dehydrated skin. Those with menopausal skin or noticing adverse changes from winter should consider it too. It’s also a good technique for people with combination skin who need extra moisture in the drier parts of their face.
What does flooding look like under make up?
The skin’s hydration levels can really impact the look of make-up on the skin, so skin flooding can help to achieve certain looks. However, if you’re looking for longevity and fuller coverage in make-up then it’s really important to let each skincare stage absorb into the skin, because if you’re layering too much then it can become sticky or greasy, or it can make your make-up pill.
