Skin Streaming Hacks According to a Dermatologist

Skin Streaming Multi-Functional — Skin streaming is the TikTok approved concept of streamlining one’s skincare routine to only include the bare essentials. What is the science behind this? Our dermatologist Dr. Teo Wan Lin, author of Skincare and Cosmetic Ingredients Dictionary gets into the details of this TikTok trend.

2023 saw TikTok skincare trends of skin flooding and later, skin streaming take centrestage. Now, if you are a skincare minimalist, the great news is that these two concepts are actually synergistic—here’s my take adapted for teen skin.

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First, some quick definitions.

Skin flooding involves layering skincare i.e. serum, lotion, cream, ointment ala K-beauty multi-step skincare routine style whereas the concept of skin streaming refers to just sticking to a “streamlined” as-needed philosophy for your daily regimen.

Practically speaking, these trends make no material impact on what dermatologists actually recommend, based on the core principles of:

Choosing efficient skincare actives i.e. cosmeceuticals backed by evidence based medicine
Not exposing your skin to unnecessary, multiple irritating actives, applicable in the context of acids such as AHAs, BHAs, retinols, retinoids which can cause skin sensitisation
Respecting the skin barrier overall

Skin Streaming vs Skin Flooding — *Skin streaming and skin flooding seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum—which is your preferred skincare philosophy?*

How do you carry out skin streaming?

That being said, I feel the concept of skin streaming is most relevant for those who are relatively new to complex skincare regimens and may be confused about where to begin in the first place.

Here is my cheat sheet for the 3 skin types dermatologists generally encounter:

Acne-prone, oily skin
Normal/combination skin
Dry/sensitive skin

First up: here’s a quick test for you to determine which skin type your skin belongs to:

Wash your face with your usual cleanser, preferably one that is gentle and dermatologist recommended for sensitive skin types
Dry your skin by patting it with a soft towel
20-30 minutes later, have a feel of your skin, or if you prefer, use a piece of tissue/blotting paper

If only your forehead, nose and chin i.e. T-zone, feels greasy, you have combination skin. If your entire face feels oily, you have oily skin. Lastly, if your skin feels dry all over you have dry skin.

@drteowanlin The first step in skin streaming is to know your skin type! Skin streaming is the Tik-Tok approved concept of streamlining one’s skincare routine to only include the bare essentials. What is the science behind this? Skin streaming must be applied in the context of knowledge of basic skin types. Take our skin type test to find out if you aren’t sure and receive personalised recommendations. The main question to address in skin streaming is: how do you normalise the skin microenvironment? For purposes of this discussion we will zoom in on the single most important product for each skin type. Welcome to our 2 Minute Skincare Consultation (it takes 1 minute really!) We understand your skin woes! Let Dr.TWL help you with your skincare routine and find the real results you deserve with our customised pharmacy solutions. Take this 2 MIN SKINCARE FOUNDATION CONSULT and receive your skin streaming recommendations from us! 👆🏻#learnontiktok #learningisfun #customisedskincare #instantglowingskin #sgdoctor #instantglowing #instantglowup #homefacial #skincare101 #skincaretips #sensitiveskincare #skincarehacks #skincareroutine #dermdoctor #dermatology #singaporedoctor #singaporedoctors #skinstreaming ♬ original sound – Dr.TWL Dermatologist

Skin streaming must be applied in the context of knowledge of basic skin types. Take our skin type test to find out if you aren’t sure and receive personalised recommendations.

The main question to address in skin streaming is: how do you normalise the skin microenvironment? For purposes of this discussion, we will zoom in on the single most important product for each skin type.

We will go through each in detail.

Acne-prone, oily skin

In the case of oily skin, an effective skincare approach helps to

Relieve skin discomfort (sensation of oiliness)
Improve high shine complexions i.e. mattifying effect
Reduce oxidative stress caused by excess oil production that leads to accelerated aging
Reduce inflammation that causes acne bumps

Cleanser for Oily Face — Skin streaming for oily skin means focussing on normalising disturbed oil gland activity. The sebaceous glands are hyperactive in those with oily skin, a condition also known as hyperseborrhea. One effective way to do so is by choosing your cleanser wisely. Natural emulsifiers can be beneficial, as an alternative to chemical surfactants as these generally leave a moisturising layer.

Honey Cleanser Dermatologist-Formulated — *An example of a product recommended for skin streaming oily skin is the Miel Honey Cleanser which is formulated based on medical grade honey infused with anti-inflammatory botanicals like Arnica.*

Products to use when skin streaming:

CLEANSER
- Harmonising, oil-balancing cleanser
- Antibacterial effects

The number 1 product for oily skin is the cleanser. The Dr.TWL Miel Honey Cleanser is formulated specifically to target all pathways of acne formation and also to harmonise the oily skin microenvironment—to normalise oil production at its root.

@drtwlderma Skin flooding involves layering skincare i.e. serum, lotion, cream, ointment ala K-beauty multi-step skincare routine style whereas the concept of skin streaming refers to just sticking to a “streamlined” as-needed philosophy for your daily regimen. Practically speaking, these trends make no material impact on what dermatologists actually recommend, based on the core principles of: Choosing efficient skincare actives i.e. cosmeceuticals backed by evidence based medicine Not exposing your skin to unnecessary, multiple irritating actives, applicable in the context of acids such as AHAs, BHAs, retinols, retinoids which can cause skin sensitisation Respecting the skin barrier overall How do you carry out skin streaming? That being said, I feel the concept of skin streaming is most relevant for those who are relatively new to complex skincare regimens and may be confused about where to begin in the first place. Here is my cheat sheet for the 3 skin types dermatologists generally encounter: Acne-prone, oily skin Normal/combination skin Dry/sensitive skin First up: here’s a quick test for you to determine which skin type your skin belongs to: Wash your face with your usual cleanser, preferably one that is gentle and dermatologist recommended for sensitive skin types Dry your skin by patting it with a soft towel 20-30 minutes later, have a feel of your skin, or if you prefer, use a piece of tissue/blotting paper If only your forehead, nose and chin i.e. T-zone, feels greasy, you have combination skin. If your entire face feels oily, you have oily skin. Lastly, if your skin feels dry all over you have dry skin. Acne-prone, oily skin In the case of oily skin, an effective skincare approach helps to Relieve skin discomfort (sensation of oiliness) Improve high shine complexions i.e. mattifying effect Reduce oxidative stress caused by excess oil production that leads to accelerated aging Reduce inflammation that causes acne bumps Full guide 👆🏻#skincareroutine #skincareactives #skincareactives101 #skincareingredients #skincareingredient #singaporedoctor #dermatologist #skinstreaming #skincare #dermatologist #tiktoksg🇸🇬 #skincareroutine #skincaretips #skincare101 #skincareproduct ♬ original sound – Dr.TWL Dermatologist Skincare

Normal/combination skin

FACIAL ESSENCE/MIST
- Hydrating
- Cleansing
- Antioxidant

With the advent of microfibre textiles that effectively remove makeup particles with just water alone, those with normal/combination skin types benefit from using a multi-tasking facial mist that fulfils one’s cleansing and hydrating needs in a single step. In addition, choose one which is alcohol-free and ideally contains antioxidants that can help to normalise oilier regions of the face without dehydrating the rest of the skin.

Facial Essence Mist for Combination Type — For those with normal skin, skin streaming can be summed up in one easy hack—using a facial essence. Face mists can be purely water based, as is the case of the earlier generation formulations primarily consisted of thermal spring water. However, newer generation facial mists, also known as facial essences ala K-beauty style face mists are multi-taskers. As a result, *these by virtue of its antioxidant, moisturising and emulsifying properties are well suited for an all-in-1 skin product for skin streaming.*

Skin Science Beauty Bibles by Dr.TWL — *Learn all about skin science in Dr.TWL’s Beauty Bible collection.*

Dry/sensitive skin

MOISTURISER

At the heart of dry sensitive skin is a damaged skin barrier. Using a ceramide dominant moisturiser is the key step in skincare routines for those with dry skin. In fact, for ultra-dry skin, emulsifying ointment, which is a type of liquid paraffin formulation is used for cleansing. Fats present in moisturisers themselves have the ability to solublise grime and dirt, so it does have a cleansing effect on skin to an extent.

Dry skin can be sensitive too. Skin reactivity is sometimes associated with the term sensitive skin, which means skin acts up quite readily in response to environmental triggers. In addition, for many, using multiple skincare products is a well-known trigger too. In that sense, skin streaming is an appropriate approach—streamlining one’s skincare routine to focus on repairing the skin barrier gives skin a break from potentially irritating acids and retinols found in OTC skincare. Using a ceramide-dominant moisturiser isn’t enough, choose one with additional anti-inflammatory benefits. The term PED Prescription Emollient Device is coined to describe moisturisers with steroid-like effects, without the use of actual steroids. Consequently, anti-inflammatory botanicals are used to reduce skin dryness, redness and flaking without the risk of longer term side effects associated with topical steroid use.