From strawberry girl makeup to skin cycling, TikTok is no stranger to a fancy name for a beauty trend. And as we roll into spring, there’s a new craze taking over SkinTok: skin flooding.
Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds.
Skin flooding, according to experts, is the key to a hydrated, glowing complexion. You know the glass skin craze that everyone’s obsessed with? Skin flooding is like the final boss in glazed donut status.
What Is Skin Flooding?
Skin flooding is a type of skincare routine that prioritises hydration. It involves layering multiple hydrating products — like serums, essences and moisturisers — to deeply replenish the skin’s moisture barrier. The idea is to “flood” the skin with hydration so it feels plump, dewy and balanced rather than tight or dry. Think of it as a tall glass of water… for your face.
The trend started out in 2023 and has since cycled back into BeautyTok’s zeitgeist. Now, #SkinFlooding has over 77 million TikTok views, showing that 2025 is all about hydration, baby.
How To Skin Flood Properly
Even though skin flooding is trending on TikTok, the app is pretty divided on how to do it. Some users layer a bunch of different hydrating essences on top of one another, while others apply humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin through serums and moisturisers to draw in moisture. The end game is that you’re flooding your skin with a bunch of products that are gonna make it glowy and glassy.
While people shake up the routine based on what works for them, skin flooding typically involves four steps.
You start off by cleansing your skin with a hydrating face wash to get rid of any dirt or bacteria. Then you apply your products in order from lightest to heaviest, starting off with a toner or essence while your skin is still damp.
Once that’s had time to absorb, follow with a moisturiser to seal in the hydration.
The Best Products To Nail Your Skin Flooding Routine
If you can’t be bothered hunting down the different serums, essences, toners and masks that are going to work together perfectly, then skincare brand Eaoron has you covered.
The Ultimate Hydration Set ($134.99) is a set that simplifies skin flooding to four products. It comes with a five pack of the Hyaluronic Glutathione Essence Face Mask, Trehalose Cream, Hyaluronic Acid Glutathione Essence and All-Time Anti-wrinkle Essence, which work to flood your skin without clogging your pores with excess product. Its main ingredients are hyaluronic acid and Trehalose for moisture retention, and Glutathione to help brighten your complexion.
Alternatively, we’ve compiled a few of our tried-and-tested hydrating products below.
5 Skincare Products To Help You Skin Flood Like A Pro
The Breakout Hack Rebound Skin Milk Activated Cica Toner
Known to be a dupe for Rhode’s Glazing Milk, the Rebound Skin Milk Activated Cica Toner from The Breakout Hack is a no-brainer when it comes to skin flooding. It’s lightweight, nourishing, and is a great base to layer your serums on top of.
Image: The Breakout Hack.
The Ordinary Supersize Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 – 60ml
This hyaluronic acid serum has been a staple in my routine for years. Not only is it super affordable, it also comes in a supersize bottle that’s double the size of the original, meaning I don’t need to restock it as often.
Image: Adore Beauty.
COSRX Niacinamide 15 Per Cent Face Serum
Niacinamide is an all-rounder. It helps reduce redness, pores, repair your skin barrier and provide moisture, all within the one lightweight serum. COSRX is the king of hydration in the Korean skincare world, so naturally, we’re gonna pick their 15 Per Cent Face Serum.
Image: COSRX.
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+
When my skin barrier was fighting for its life, it was La Roche-Posay’s Cicaplast Baume B5+ that nursed it back to health. It’s the ultimate moisturiser for dry, damaged skin, and a great one to finish off your skin flooding routine.
Image: Adore Beauty.
Q+A Hyaluronic Acid Daily Moisturiser
If you like minimising your routine to as little products as possible, the Q+A Hyaluronic Acid Daily Moisturiser kills two birds with one stone.
Image: Priceline.
Now go forth and flood your skin with all the hydration it deserves.
Image credit: @mznikkicreole / @amaandakhamkaew / @christianchanel
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