I come across so many skincare trends on social media but rarely do I explore them because I am happy with my current skincare routine. I understand the basics and use the products that work for me in order of how they will perform best. Skin flooding was one of the skincare trends that I kept hearing about that really piqued my interest. It is rooted in a popular Korean skincare technique of layering multiple hydrating and soothing toners in order to flood the skin with hydration. The result is often plump, radiant, hydrated and balanced skin.
My skin has been getting drier and more lackluster in the past few years due to age, perimenopause, etc so I definitely wanted to try this skincare technique for myself. I’ve been doing it for about a year and can confidently say that it has made a HUGE difference in my skin. My skin loses less moisture throughout the day, looks more radiant and feels plump and supple. In today’s post, I will share all the details surrounding skin flooding and how I incorporate it into my own skincare routine.
What Is Skin Flooding?
Skin flooding is inspired by Korean skincare techniques which focus on flooding the skin with hydration by layering products (usually toners) in a certain order to “flood” the skin with moisture. The result is often a hydrated skin barrier and complexion that maintains moisture throughout the day. A balanced skin barrier often gives the skin a healthier and more radiant appearance.
How Does Skin Flooding Work?
Locks in Moisture
By layering multiple hydrating products on damp skin, it helps to trap the moisture, increase efficacy of products and strengthen the skin barrier. Some people consider skin flooding just applying multiple hydrating products but the true Korean skincare technique from which this originates only uses toners and essences to skin flood. That is what I personally do in my routine and find works the best.
Prevents Moisture Loss
While skin flooding is usually done with hydrating and soothing toners/essences, it is important to finish your skincare routine with a nice moisturizer which will help to seal in all that moisture. This will help the skin hold onto the moisture longer and prevent dehydration.
Is Skin Flooding Good For the Skin?
I definitely think all skin types can benefit from proper hydration but not everything works for everyone. It’s been a successful technique for many which is why it has become so popular. If your skin is dehydrated, dry or mature, this could be a great way to add in additional moisture to the skin. For oily and combination skin types, it is worth trying because oily skin does not mean properly hydrated skin. As with most skincare products or techniques, it is best to start slowly and not introduce a ton of new products at once. I personally find that is has done wonders for my skin especially now that my skin has changed so much in the past few years. With my drier and more mature skin, I find that skin flooding helps with dullness and my skin looks healthier and more radiant.
What Are the Benefits of Skin Flooding?
Intense Hydration
For me, the first thing I noticed after skin flooding for many weeks was that my skin looked and felt intensely hydrated.
Combat Dryness and Flakiness
Because this technique helps to hydrate the skin in a direct way, one of the benefits will be less dryness and flakiness.
Soothe and Calm the Skin Barrier
Properly hydrating the skin ensures it is well balanced effectively making it more calm and less irritated.
How To Do Skin Flooding?
Apply on Damp Skin
Skin flooding works best when you apply your toners on damp skin. Usually I will cleanse and then spritz my face lightly with a face mist in order to get it damp. After this I will pour the toner into my hands and pat into the skin. Do not wait for it to dry but rather apply your next toner right after while the skin is damp. This is when the process of “flooding” begins because you are applying multiple layers of various toners or just one toner in quick succession.
Layer One Toner Multiple Times
You don’t have to use different toners in order for this to be effective. Applying one toner 2-3/x in a row is a great option too.
Layer Multiple Toners
Because I am a skincare fanatic, I love layering multiple toners during skin flooding. Most of the toners are focused on hydration, plumping or brightening. If you do have multiple toners, layer them in order of thinnest to thickest. The traditional Korean skin flooding technique is often done with 7 toners but you DO NOT need to use that many in order to see great results. I usually skin flood with either 2 or 3 toners and find that to be a great routine for my skin. If you are using a thick milky toner or milky essence, save this for the last step in your skin flooding routine.
For reference, this is how I currently layer my toners/essences when skin flooding. Thin watery toners first, thicker watery essence next and then the thicker milky toners last. You don’t have to use these kinds of toners in order to be successful with skin flooding but I do share various options later on in the post and wanted to give some direction on how I would incorporate them into one routine.
Pat Into the Skin
Often when we think of using toner, the automatic response is to pour it onto a cotton round and sweep it across the face. With skin flooding, you want to directly apply the toners to the skin and not waste them on a cotton round. Pour a small amount of the toner into your hands and then pat/press into the skin.
Apply A.M./P.M.
You can use the skin flooding technique in your morning or evening skincare routine. If you find that your skin responds well to it, applying it in the morning AND evening is definitely an option too. I personally skin flood in both routines because my skin needs the additional moisture.
What Are the Best Products For Skin Flooding?
TirTir Milk Skin Rice Toner
TirTir is one of my favorite Korean beauty brands and this was the first skincare product from them that I tried. I fell in love with the formula and have repurchase it multiple times since. It’s a very ligthweight milky toner that has a watery consistency. Formulated with niacinamide, rice bran extract and ceramides, the TirTir Milk Skin Toner delivers intense hydration while also comforting and soothing the skin. The addition of panthenol helps make it suitable for sensitive skin and especially great for those with very dry and reactive skin. Like with all the milky toners that I have, I prefer to pour a small bit into my hands and pat it into the skin. This does leave a slightly tacky finish on the skin which I like since my skin is more dry and mature, but this is a lighter version for those who don’t prefer that feeling.
Rhode Glazing Milk
The Rhode Glazing Milk is what made me fall in love with milky toners in the first place. It’s still my absolute favorite formula and one that I have repurchase time and time again. This is a creamy milky essence designed to prep the skin for product absorption, boost barrier function and provide instant hydration. It contains a mix of ceramides, a magnesium + zinc + copper blend and beta-glucan to help soften and moisturize the skin. It also helps to reduce redness over time.
Bubble Cosmic Milky Toner
This milky toner is an amazing price point ($16 for 100ml) and feels AMAZING!!! It’s not as thick as the Rhode Glazing Milk but not as watery as the TirTir. As with most milky toners, this is full of ceramides which help to strengthen and support the skin barrier. In addition to ceramides, the Bubble Cosmic Milky Toner contains essential fatty acids to regulate the skin barrier, arnica to soothe the skin, a 4D hyaluronic acid blend to hydrate and maple sap water to protect the skin barrier.
S. Nature Aqua Oasis Toner
Soothing, calming and refreshing is exactly how I would describe this Korean skincare toner. Perfect for skin flooding!
Numbuzin No. 3 Toner
While many toners focus on hydration, this one contains ingredients to address pore size and skin texture.
Good Molecules Sakura Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Essence
An essence is usually a bit thicker than toners so they should be the final step in your skin flooding routine. This one is a great price point and provides great hydration for all skin types.
Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner
If the TirTir Milky Toner is too heavy for you, this is great alternative that still delivers intense hydration without the tacky feeling. It’s a ceramide rich formula so it will help to soothe and comfort the skin.
Then I Met You Giving Essence
A gorgeous plumping essence formulated with niacinamide, ellagic acid and black chokeberry that is designed to support the skin barrier, deeply nourish, brighten and plump. Because it is an essence, the texture is a bit thicker than toner so I would use this as a final step in your skin flooding routine. Remember to layer your toners/essences from thinnest to thickest.
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