THE “clean girl” beauty trend is being intensified as this aesthetic continues to dominate social media feeds.
It involves embracing authenticity and minimalism as the trend places a focus on natural beauty, healthy skin and slicked-back hair.
Scores of A-list celebrities have lent their own interpretation to it, including the likes of Alicia Keys, Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber who have all tapped into the “clean girl” trend as they recently posted selfies while sporting glowing skin and glossy lips.
This trend has also coincided with the #nomakeupselfie movement as Zendaya, Pamela Anderson and Gwyneth Paltrow have all recently shared their bare-faced selfies, inspiring millions of people to follow suit.
This movement, as well as the “clean girl” aesthetic, also relies heavily on having healthy skin.
In the pursuit of this, many beauty trends are emerging on social media, as users from across the globe are now increasingly trying to get radiant, hydrated and glowy skin.
One of them is “skin flooding”, which experts explain is essentially providing the skin with ample hydration.
This beauty trend has gone viral on social media, with #skinflooding accumulating around a whopping 91.9 million views on TikTok. In addition, #skinfloodingskincare has also amassed around 10 million views on the social media site.
Also known as “facial flooding”, the president of Biophora Skin Madeline Wolkove explained that this skincare routine usually entails three easy steps.
"First, you start with a gentle cleanser, then it's very important you want to leave the skin damp,” she said.
“The second step is to go in with a Hyaluronic Acid (HA) serum.”
This skincare superstar is also a naturally occurring molecule found in our bodies, primarily in the skin, connective tissues and eyes.
It plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy, hydrated skin by binding water molecules and keeping our tissues lubricated.
One of the most significant benefits of HA is its unmatched ability to hold water. It can retain up to 1 000 times its weight in water, making it a powerhouse hydrator for the skin.
This means smoother, more supple skin and a visible reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Meanwhile, HA is also suitable for all skin types, and when used in skincare products, it can help other active ingredients penetrate deeper into the skin.
Wolkove explained that the application of HA is crucial to “skin flooding” because of the skin care ingredient’s humectant properties, which means it draws water to it.
“So if your skin is damp when you apply it, it will add more hydration to the skin instead of pulling it away.”
The skin expert added that the last step of this process is to layer on some moisturiser, which she said locks the moisture into the face.
And while “skin flooding” is popular in any month of the year and is beneficial in any season, it is highly recommended during cold weather conditions.
“‘Skin flooding’ is a fantastic method in the winter as it replenishes all the moisture the dry harsh winter has taken.”