Last updated: March 2026
What Is Skin Flooding?
Skin flooding is a hydration technique where multiple layers of lightweight, water-based products are applied in quick succession to saturate the skin with moisture before makeup.
Skin flooding became a viral skincare-meets-makeup technique on TikTok. The process involves layering a hydrating toner, a hyaluronic acid serum, and a lightweight moisturizer on damp skin — each applied before the previous layer fully dries. The result is intensely hydrated, plump skin that creates the perfect canvas for a dewy, glass-skin makeup look. Unlike traditional moisturizing, skin flooding focuses on speed and layering — the products lock each other in, creating a moisture reservoir. It works best for normal, dry, and combination skin. Oily skin types should use oil-free products and may want to skip the final moisturizer layer. The technique is essentially the Western adaptation of the K-beauty 'seven skin method' but simplified to 3–4 layers.
Tips
- Apply each layer while the previous one is still damp — the dampness helps products absorb and bind together.
- Wait 2–3 minutes after the final layer before applying primer or makeup so the moisture has time to settle.
- Use only water-based products for flooding — oil-based products create a barrier that prevents layering.
See it in action
Tutorials that use or demonstrate this technique: