You've probably already heard about the skin flooding trend taking over social media. Basically, it is a skin care routine involving the layering of hydrating products onto damp skin, effectively "flooding" dry complexions with much needed moisture.
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You've probably already heard about the skin flooding trend taking over social media. Basically, it is a skin care routine involving the layering of hydrating products onto damp skin, effectively "flooding" dry complexions with much needed moisture.
Related: 6 Skin Hydration Tips for Clients This Winter
Luckily, savvy spas can capitalize on this fun regimen! Share your expertise and guide clients with your own home care recommendations, and you can even add a skin flooding treatment to your offerings menu. Check out these protocols from some of the best skin care experts in the industry.
1. Sorella Apothecary
Rebecca Olpin, director of education:
Before flooding the skin with hydration, it is important to establish a clean and exfoliating base for better product penetration. This is a great way for clients to perform an at-home mini facial with all the benefits of skin flooding.
- Apply Apricot Mango Cleansing Milk to dry skin to break down makeup and/or debris. Rinse with tepid water and leave the skin damp.
- Mist a few sprays of Watermelon Mint Hydrating Mist directly onto the skin. This mist contains hyaluronic acid for an extra boost of hydration.
- While skin is still damp, apply 2-3 drops of Main Squeeze Hydrating Serum. This serum takes hydration to the next level, using hyaluronic acid and snow mushroom extract for instant hydration, while peptide Matrixl trains the skin to stay hydrated over time.
- Follow with Pomegranate Acai Antioxidant Serum for a dose of vitamin C that will help protect and correct the skin from UV damage.
- Apply a pea size amount of Yogurt Kale Eye Concentrate (fine lines) or Aloe Cucumber Eye Gel (puffiness and dark circles) around the eye area.
- Option for really dry skin: Mist again with Watermelon Mint Hydrating Mist.
- Lock in hydration with Daily Greens Moisturizer (oily/combination/break out prone), Blueberry Milk Moisturizer (brightening and hydrating) or The Balm (hydrates and supports healthy aging).
- Protect with Quench & Protect Hydrating SPF 30, Tropical Topical Matte SPF 30 or Tinted Dew Drops SPF 50.
- Bonus: If they want the glazed doughnut look that’s touted throughout the industry, they can apply an occlusive sleeping mask (Rehab Recovery Mask) or facial oil (Facial Nectar) over their moisturizer at night.
Remind clients of their ideal home-care regimen, including exfoliation, masking and more. At night, the skin is in reparative mode, making it the perfect time to incorporate ingredients that support cellular regeneration.
2. Yon-Ka Paris
Marta O'Connor, corporate educator:
- After cleansing the skin with gentle cleanser Lait Nettoyant, it’s recommended to leave a sheer layer of water on the skin.
- If desired, a hydrating Lotion Yon-Ka PS face mist (5-6 spritzes) can be applied and misted in between each layer.
- Subsequently, layer the preferred hydrating serums, such as hyaluronic acid-powered Hydra N1 Serum.
- As the last step in the morning, smooth a layer of a Hydra N1 Fluide lightweight moisturizer over the skin and follow with our creamy SPF 50.
- In the evening, skip the sun protection and apply Elixir Vital, supercharged with niacinamide, or the Hydra N1 Masque, which is a sleeping mask.
3. FarmHouse Fresh
Holly Wydra, director of treatment engagement:
My skin doesn’t need more hydration—says no one ever! We love skin flooding to treat dry, dehydrated skin.
- Start with a luxurious cleanse using Make It Melt buttery cleansing balm. Massage this rich balm into skin and watch it melt into an oil that breaks up dirt and makeup. Next, apply water and watch it melt down to a soothing milk that easily rinses off. Leave skin wet and damp.
- Mist our refreshing Vitamin Berry facial tonic over damp skin. The skin will feel pretty damp, and this is a good thing.
- Apply the Hyaluronic Booster to deliver an extra dose of hydration while plumping fine lines and wrinkles. Applying these products to damp skin actually helps them absorb faster and penetrate further.
- Ready for a super infusion of dewy results-packed hydration? Apply Sunflower Superbalm to lock in layers and help skin retain moisture, all while peptides and bakuchiol target fine lines and wrinkles.
- The last step is our Three Milk Moisturizer, a favorite primer among celebrity makeup artists that eliminates shine and preps skin for foundation.
4. M.A.D Skincare
Lisa Bookman, director of brand marketing:
In order for the skin to benefit from the flood of ingredients, M.A.D emphasizes using products that increase cellular bioactivity, such as cell detoxifiers and oxygen boosters.
- Start by using a cleanser that not only removes dirt and grime, but also contains conditioning, rebalancing and restorative ingredients, like the phellodendron and apple extract Mega Rich Antioxidant Cleansing Gel.
- Use a light, hydrating toner after cleansing. Sodium hyaluronate and amino acids in Everyday Renewing Toner are key to help maintain moisture, restore radiance and accelerate cell repair.
- Serums add and lock in moisture, as well as target specific skin concerns. Our Youth Transformation Age Corrective Serum contains amino acids and hydrating agents to condition and soothe skin, while providing additional anti-aging benefits.
- Use a hydrating mask once or twice a week to add a boost of hydration moisture and nourishment leaves skin radiant!
- For a daily moisturizer, amino acids, hyaluronic acid and ceramides are key. Apply a thin layer of moisturizer prior to applying SPF.
For optimal results, I recommend M.A.D Mapping to address multiple skin concerns at once. Think of it as a “paint by numbers” approach. Signs of aging in the forehead and jowl area? Uneven skin tone in the cheek area? During the moisturizer step, use M.A.D Transforming Daily Moisturizer on the forehead and jowls, and Illuminating Daily Moisturizer on the cheeks.
5. Eminence Organic Skin Care
Natalie Pergar, lead skin care trainer:
- Prep the skin with a gentle gel cleanser or cream cleanser to remove all traces of makeup, dirt and impurities. Use Stone Crop Gel Wash for oily/normal skin types, or Calm Skin Chamomile Cleanser for normal/dry skin. Leave a light layer of water on the skin for an extra dose of hydration, rather than toweling off.
- Apply a generous spritz of the healing and revitalizing Stone Crop Hydrating Mist to increase the skin’s hydration level.
- Next, apply Birch Water Purifying Essence to achieve maximum hydration and protect the skin against harmful environmental stressors.
- Follow with ultra-hydrating Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Serum.
- For a daytime routine, finish with a lightweight moisturizer, like the Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Hydrator, and layer the Lilikoi Daily Defense Moisturizer SPF 40 for added protection.
- In the evening, hydrate the skin overnight with a rich cream like Marine Flower Peptide Night Cream, or opt for a sleep mask like the Kombucha Microbiome Leave-On Masque.
6. KM Herbals
Amy T. Simmons, research and education coordinator:
Here is our Plant-Powered Skin Flooding Regimen!
- Apply Calendula Creme Cleanser; rinse or wipe away gently with a warm damp towel.
- Immediately mist the skin generously with Bulgarian Rose Hydrosol & Toner. Allow skin to remain moist.
- Apply the moisturizing serum Dew Drops to damp skin with light, circular, upward massage strokes.
- With skin still damp, use Rosehips Ultra C Moisture Complex (at the end of a morning regimen). Layer under SPF or makeup, and continue to mist with Bulgarian Rose Hydrosol to replenish hydration throughout the day.
- Immortelle Glow Facial Balm can be applied in the evening as a rich nighttime treatment to help seal in the products from steps 1-3 (and even 4!)
7. Queen Taylor Cosmeceuticals
Cynthia Malcom Taylor, founder:
- Use a liquid cleansing exfoliant, such as a lactic or glycolic acid cleanser, for better delivery of hydrating ingredients—as long as there is no allergy or sensitivity to these ingredients. (It's best to pick a cleanser that also has humectants, such as lactic and hyaluronic acids, included in its ingredient panel.)
- Leave a sheer layer of water on the skin after rinsing the cleanser off.
- Immediately spritz a hydrating face mist over damp skin.
- Layer essences and/or hydrating serums containing hyaluronic acid, squalene, squalane, lactic acid, glycerin, ceramides.
- Apply hydrating gels.
- Smooth a layer of a water-based moisturizer over the skin.
- In the morning, add a moisturizer that contains glycolic and/or lactic acid. When these ingredients are added to a moisturizer, they work to internally stimulate ceramides and then respectively raise the hyaluronic acid content in the skin.
- The final step is daily sun protection. Choose a physical hydrating SPF of at least 15, ideally containing zinc. (The routine is the same in the evening, except you would replace sun protection with reparative and hydrating mists, serums, gels, moisturizers and night creams.)
For severely dry skin, choose thick night creams to aid in the prevention of trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL). In professional services, add deep hydrating techniques to your cleansing routine, such as iontophoresis or sonophoresis.
8. Ultraceuticals
Shawn Johnson, North America and Europe education manager:
- After a proper cleanse, lightly blot the skin and spritz with a conditioning hydrating mist. Leave the skin damp.
- Next, apply the appropriate corrective serums, including one containing hyaluronic acid and niacinamide—layered from thinnest to thickest in texture. Once fully absorbed, mist skin again and leave it damp.
- In the a.m., finish by smoothing a light- to medium-weight moisturizer (heavier is ok, if needed) over the face, neck and décolleté. Follow with a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher. Refresh and comfort the skin throughout the day by continuing to mist as needed.
- At night, a rich, nourishing reparative night cream is recommended as the final application step.
9. Babor
Kristine Kellner, expert esthetician:
- After cleansing with a gentle cleanser, it’s recommended to leave a sheer layer of water on the skin. Cleansing holds a special position in every treatment, because only on perfectly cleansed and prepared skin can subsequent products unfold their full effect. The Doctor Babor Calming Rx Soothing Cleanser is a mild and gentle cleansing milk that retains the natural hydrolipid film, which protects the skin. Apply using circling movements, then rinse off thoroughly with water. Pat dry, leaving the skin slightly moist.
- A hydrating face mist is then applied, and misted in between layers if desired.
- Doctor Babor Rebalancing Liquid is a toner and more, as it balances pH and regulates, soothes and protects. Capryloyl glycine respects skin’s fragile environment; beta glucan soothes; and glutathione, a natural free radical inhibitor, protects. Apply on damp skin using cotton rounds, or pump directly to your hands and apply to the face while performing a press and release action.
- Subsequently, essences followed by serums, such as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, are layered. Doctor Babor Hyaluronic Acid Power Serum Ampoule is a composition of eight different hyaluronic acids for multi-depth hydration, maximum moisturizing and plumping. Pour the concentrate into the palm of your hand and then smooth over the face, neck and décolleté; gently press for maximum absorption.
- As the last step in the morning, smooth a layer of a lightweight moisturizer over the skin. Doctor Babor Hydro Rx Hyaluron Cream is a light, 24-hour cream that provides multidimensional skin hydration. It has a 24-hour moisture reservoir effect to keep the skin hydrated and looking smooth.
- Next, follow with an SPF that you trust. Doctor Babor Protect Rx Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 is a non-nano mineral blend that contains skin protecting ingredients to shield against UV radiation, combat dehydration and strengthen the barrier.
- As for the evening, night creams and sleeping masks take precedence over sun protection. Our Lifting RX Collagen Cream Rich is a 24-hour cream that reduces the prominence of wrinkles, improves skin firmness, and supplies and binds moisture. Brown algae extract improves tissue firmness by stimulating the skin's own collagen and hyaluronic acid synthesis, while Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids improve the protective lipid layer and increase the skin's ability to bind moisture.
For an additional intense hydration boost, incorporate a mask one to two times per week. Our Hydro RX Hydrating Bio-Cellulose Mask delivers long-lasting moisturization (up to 24 hours) after just one application. A combination of low and high molecular weight hyaluronic acid provides hydration of multiple layers of the skin. Gotu kola and niacinamide extracts support skin regeneration and strengthen the skin’s protective barrier.
