If your skincare routine has been leaving your face dry, dull, or flaking, it might be time to try the skin flooding technique. This TikTok-famous trend isn’t just a buzzword but a dermatologist-backed method. Basically, it’s layering your skincare products in a specific order to help your skin absorb and retain more moisture. Think of it as giving your face a long, refreshing drink of water, or an everything shower one product at a time.
To build this list, we evaluated each product for hydration strength, skin sensitivity compatibility, accessibility, and user feedback. Whether you’re brand new to skin flooding or looking to upgrade your current lineup, these products are here to help you glow from the inside out.
Our Top 7 Skin Flooding Picks
- Best Oil Cleanser: Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil
- Best Budget Foaming Cleanser: Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Foam
- Best Mist: La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water
- Best Budget Serum: The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum
- Best Serum for Layering: Naturium Quadruple Hyaluronic Acid Serum 5%
- Best Lightweight Moisturizer: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Water Gel Moisturizer
- Best Barrier Support Moisturizer: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
Best Oil Cleanser
The first step to any hydrating skincare routine is a clean canvas. The Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil lightweight oil cleanser from Anua removes sunscreen, makeup, and excess sebum (natural oils) without stripping the skin. It’s infused with heartleaf extract, known for its calming and anti-inflammatory properties, making it ideal for sensitive or acne-prone skin types, prepping for skin flooding.
Best Budget Foaming Cleanser
After oil cleansing, the Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Foam is a budget-friendly foaming cleanser perfect for your second cleanse. It offers a creamy, cushiony lather that leaves skin feeling super clean but never tight or dry. It’s also infused with herbal extracts like purslane and chestnut shell to help soothe the skin barrier while lifting away impurities.
Best Mist for Skin Flooding
The first step in skin flooding is applying hydration to damp skin. The La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water makes that easy. Infused with selenium-rich spring water, this face mist calms, soothes, and preps your skin to drink in the products that follow. Just a quick spritz helps create the perfect base for your serums to sink deeper.
Best Budget Serum
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum is a cult-favorite product that has earned its place in thousands of vanities. With five forms of hyaluronic acid, it penetrates multiple layers of the skin. Plus, its addition of vitamin B5 adds a soothing, plumping bonus, making it the perfect second step in your skin flooding ritual.
Best Serum for Layering
If you’re serious about moisture, Naturium’s Quadruple Hyaluronic Acid Serum 5% features 4 different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid to hydrate at every layer. This gel-like serum feels luxurious and layers well with others in your routine, making it ideal for skin flooding enthusiasts. In addition, it contains glycerin, which helps skin retain moisture and mimics your skin’s natural hydration
Best Lightweight Moisturizer
The Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Water Gel Moisturizer locks in hydration without leaving your skin greasy or heavy. It’s perfect for sealing in your skin flooding layers, featuring purified hyaluronic acid. Additionally it’s oil-free, making it a safe bet for breakout-prone skin that still craves moisture. This product is fast-absorbing with a weightless feel. It’s ideal for hot or humid climates.
To finish your routine strong, CeraVe’s Moisturizing Cream helps reinforce your skin’s natural barrier. Seal your skincare in with this cream, which features ceramides and MVE technology that releases hydration over time. This step is essential for sealing in all that water-based goodness and protecting your moisture barrier long-term.
Our Take on Skin Flooding
The skin flooding technique is more than just a fleeting trend. It’s a thoughtful, quick, step-by-step routine that prioritizes hydration and barrier health. The key is to work with damp skin and layer thoughtfully: multiple mists, serums, moisturizers. Each of these products help your skin hold onto hydration longer and glow harder. Whether you choose one or all seven, your skin will thank you.
Tips for Buying Skin Flooding Products
- Layer from thinnest to thickest: Start with a mist or essence, follow with serums, and finish with a moisturizer.
- Look for multiple types of hyaluronic acid: This ensures hydration reaches multiple skin layers.
- Avoid added fragrance if you’re sensitive: Fragrance-free formulas are safer for irritated or inflamed skin.
- Seal it in: Use a thicker moisturizer at the end to lock in all the hydration and prevent moisture loss
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