Skin Streaming or Skin Flooding: The minimalist and maximalist skincare trends explored

TikTok is a Pandora’s box of skincare trends, the latest ones being skin streaming and skin flooding. These trends are gaining popularity and sparking a skincare debate between skin minimalists and skin maximalists about which of these is better.

Skin streaming is about streamlining one’s skincare routine with a select few products that address multiple skin concerns and requirements. While skin flooding indicates layering products, primarily those featuring hyaluronic acid. It begins with mists, and serums, and ends with an emollient moisturizer to give the skin maximum hydration.

Both of these options are beneficial for the skin depending on one’s skin situation and concerns.

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Everything to know about the skin streaming and skin flooding skincare trends

Apart from becoming a TikTok trend with skin streaming at 29.2 million views and skin flooding at 32.6 million views, both of these have garnered the attention of dermatologists as well.

Loss Angeles-based dermatologist, Dr. Chris Tomassian comments on the skincare trends stating:

“Skin streaming is truthfully what most dermatologists recommend day to day—you want to limit your products to powerful actives and simplify the steps to help with results and consistency.”

She continues:

“Skin flooding, on the other hand, is really meant for those with very dry or dehydrated skin.”

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Understanding Skin Streaming

Skin Streaming offers a variety of advantages, including improved product absorption and the ability to use fewer but high-impact products. Skin streaming enables one to avoid combining products that don’t mix together, hence avoiding irritation or product reaction. Moreover, it helps save time and money as well.

The foundation of skin streaming is based on:

1) Sticking to the basics

Skin streaming consists of a basic CTM (Cleansing-Toning-Moisturizing) regime with sun protection. Sticking to the basics helps streamline the routine, making it easy to practice. The fewer products one incorporates into their regime, the lower the risk of skin irritation. Skin streaming is ideal for people with sensitive skin as it lessens the risk of disrupting the skin barrier.

2) Choosing products with multiple benefits

The idea behind this minimalist skincare trend is to add multipurpose products into the beauty regime to eliminate the need for using a drawer full of skincare products that aren’t necessary. One can choose a moisturizer with SPF or a serum that consists of hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C, and peptides instead of using multiple products with individual ingredients.

The CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C serum ($29.99 on Ulta Beauty) consists of three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid that brighten and make the skin barrier healthier.

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Understanding Skin Flooding

Skin Flooding, on the other hand, benefits aging and dry, dehydrated skin. It can also be practiced by people with oily and acne-prone skin as well. Highly recommended in the night-time skincare regime of dry and mature skin individuals, oily to acne-prone skin people should skin flood once a week.

The skin flooding regime consists of a pH-balanced face wash, toner or facial mist, hydrating serum preferably consisting of niacinamide and hyaluronic acid like the La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Niacinamide Serum ($39.99 on Ulta Beauty), and a ceramide or squalene comprising moisturizer.

The BeautyStat Probiotic 24hr Moisture Boost Cream ($32 on BeautyStat) consists of ceramides, probiotics, and hyaluronic acid and claims to provide 24 hours of moisture to the skin.

Benefits of Skin flooding include:

• Gives the skin a firm and bouncy texture with a strong moisture barrier.
• Makes the skin dewy and minimizes enlarged pores.
• Provides enhanced skin clarity.
• Skin becomes brighter and glowing owing to immense hydration.

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These minimalist and maximalist skincare trends are the talk of the town as they yield benefits as per skin concerns. However, one must pick wisely between the two considering skin concerns, skin goals, and the beauty budget.