Skin flooding is one of the latest skin care trends on TikTok. It’s centred around layering and applying specific moisturizing products to the skin for optimum hydration. But does it really work? We tried it for a week and here is what we discovered, but first, let’s talk about the claims.
Skin Flooding Claims
Apparently, this method of applying skin care helps to maximize product absorption and penetrative efficacy. The use of hydrating ingredients, through the use of serums specifically, help to not only moisturize the skin, but also take the hydration to a deeper level. Then the use of moisturizers provides surface-level protection and traps in the moisture.
Sounds simple enough.
They also say that another major benefit of this skin care trend is the fact that it can provide all of this hydration without clogging pores. Therefore, this method of layering the skin can also be used on all different skin types, and it is especially helpful for those suffering from dry, flaky winter skin.
To us, this trend is very similar to moisture sandwiching, as the premise of it is to "flood" the skin with hydration.
The two serums recommended for Skin Flooding are hyaluronic and niacinamide.
The use of hyaluronic acid helps to hold onto the moisture in the skin while niacinamide, AKA vitamin B3, helps with skin hydration and brightening.
How it’s done.
Firstly, they say the technique works best when you apply all the products to damp skin. When your skin is damp the epidermal cells swell and aid in product penetration and absorption.
There are a couple of methods when it comes to the skin flooding trends, with different TikTok influencers taking different routes to accomplish a glowing and hydrated complexion. However, the basic protocol for the skin flooding trend is as follows:
Skin Flooding Protocol:
- Cleanse using a gentle cleanser
- Apply hyaluronic acid serum to damp skin
- Apply niacinamide serum over top
- Apply a hydrating moisturizer
- Apply SPF
Some TikTok influencers have been switching up this routine by dampening the skin with a hydrating skin mist.
In addition to a gentle cleanser and sunscreen, we used the following products for our experiment:
Vie Collection - Wrinkle Dimension Hyaluronic Acid Concentrate
A semi-fluid, half-lotion serum that immediately melts on the skin, WRINKLE DIMENSION can be used year-round to provide maturing, crepey and wrinkled skin with a perfect supply of hyaluronic acid for an instantly rejuvenating effect.
Wrinkle Dimension uses three different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid to maintain an optimum level of hydration and strengthen skin cohesion and firmness.
Vie Collection - Vita B3 Concentrated Solution
10% vitamin B3 (niacinamide) acts by slowing down the transport of melanin to the keratinocytes (the most common type of skin cell constituting the epidermis) effectively decreasing pigmentation while reinforcing the protective functions of the skin barrier for the optimal skin health. The concentrate’s light, melting texture allows the active ingredients to penetrate the skin for outstanding efficiency and immediate results.
Vie Collection - Mesoforce Hydra Revitalizing Cream
This rich yet melt-away textured cream energizes dull and dehydrated skin with an advanced complex of active botanical extracts and vitamins. In one month, the complexion is radiant, fine lines have visibly faded and skin is perfectly hydrated and revitalized.
The results.
Firstly, not allowing your skin to dry between each step certainly speeds up a skin care routine! It felt a little bit like a race to get the next product on before the moisture left the skin!
At the end of the week there was a definite increase in moisture levels and despite so many products being applied, it didn’t feel “over hydrated”, yes that is a thing and more on that in another post.
The combination of the Hyaluronic Serum with the Niacinamide (B3) Serum was the best discovery. The hyaluronic serum absorbed easily on damp skin, and really “plumped out” fines lines, the B3 was immediately applied over the top while the hyaluronic was still damp and this also penetrated easily.
Overall, there was a definite increase in hydration and a brightening of the skin after one week with some visible fading of hyperpigmentation.
Conclusion.
Swelling the skin with moisture can definitely help products absorb into the skin more easily. We sometimes recommend this to clients who are sensitized and need to acclimate to new products. However, performing the same routine the following week, and allowing the skin to dry between products yielded pretty much the same results. So we’ve concluded that “skin flooding” is really just another social media trend without much science to back it up.
On the other hand, we all loved the combination of Hyaluronic and B3 Serums, so it wasn’t a total waste of time! And we urge you to try it as a great way to even out and brighten dull skin.
Can’t find what you are looking for here? Don’t hesitate to email us for further information at
info@beautycollectivepro.com.au or call us on +61 2 9948 1667
