‘I tried TikTok's 'moisture sandwiching' hack for a week. Here's my verdict.’

Winter is well and truly here. The nights are cold, the slippers are out, and the chill has coincided with dry skin settling in. 

But there's a viral skincare hack taking over TikTok, and it promises to hydrate your dry and dehydrated winter skin.

It’s called ‘moisture sandwiching’. Confused? Let us explain. 

What is moisture sandwiching?

If you’re a big TikTok user like me, you’ll know that BeautyTok is absolutely obsessed with hydration. Especially in the cooler months.

From skin flooding to slugging, the app is filled with hacks for hydrated, dewy skin.

And moisture sandwiching is no different.

The buzzy skincare trend involves strategically layering multiple moisturising skincare products.

The method generally involves starting with your lightest textured products, such as a hydrating mist or serum, and then trapping that moisture in with a thicker product, like a moisturiser. 

Moisture sandwiching isn’t just a buzzy skincare trend. In fact, the science stacks up. Using your lightest textured products first (which tend to have smaller molecules) promotes deeper penetration into the skin. And following these products up with a thicker product helps to lock in that all-important moisture.

The best part of all? This technique is suitable for all skin types – from oily to dry to sensitive.

However, if you are acne-prone, it’s advised to opt for gel moisturisers rather than richer oil-based creams to avoid leaving a heavy residue on the skin.

What's my own review of the technique?

When it comes to moisture sandwiching, humectant ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide are absolute no-brainers for use in this method.

So, to create my moisture sandwich, I spent a week trialling Olay’s three new Luminous Hyaluron + Niacinamide products: the Olay Luminous Hyaluron + Niacinamide Super Serum, ($59.99), the Olay Luminous Hyaluron + Niacinamide Gel Moisturiser 50g ($59.99), and the Olay Eyes Hyaluron + Niacinamide Eye Gel 15ml ($59.99).

Image: Supplied.

The new dermatologist-recommended products provide instant hydration that locks in four times longer for up to 24 hour hydration (versus the Olay control formula according to their in-vivo study, US, 2021), and it’s safe to say that my skin was crying out for it.

At the start of the week, my skin was feeling dry, dull, and a little tight. I had been spending a lot of time outdoors, and the cold weather plus our frequent use of the heater in the evenings wasn’t doing any favours for my already dry and sensitive skin.

Following TikTok’s recommendation to start with the lightest product first while moisture sandwiching, I opted to use the Super Serum as my first step after cleansing.

The first thing I noticed was that the formula was really lightweight and non-greasy. (There’s nothing worse than that sticky feeling you get with some serums!)

It also absorbed super quickly into my skin and felt instantly hydrating. 

One of my favourite parts about the serum was the bottle itself. As you twist the lid on the compact bottle, the product is drawn up into the dropper for use. Then all you have to do is press the button on the top of the lid to easily dispense the serum. It was super easy to use and avoided any unnecessary product wastage.

Next up, I used the moisturiser. The gel-like product is packed with high purity niacinamide, which strengthens the skin moisture barrier to lock in hydration, and hyaluronic acid, which boosts hydration instantly for plump and dewy skin. The product is also armed with vitamin B5 and glycerin, which help to lock in hydration for up to 24 hours.

The moisturiser texture! Image: Supplied.

Much like the serum, the gel texture of the moisturiser meant that it easily melted into my skin without leaving a greasy, heavy residue.

After application, I noticed that my skin felt plumper, bouncier, and moisturised. More importantly, I also found that this lasted throughout the day, meaning my skin continued to feel comfortable and hydrated despite the chilly weather.

For the final step in my moisture sandwich, I used the Hyaluron + Niacinamide Eye Gel. Much like the moisturiser, the eye gel has a lightweight and smooth consistency, meaning it easily glides onto the under-eye area.

Image: Supplied.

After use, I found that my usually neglected under-eye area was looking plumper and much more hydrated than usual. 

The products also layered well, meaning there was no pilling or discomfort on the days that I added makeup after applying my skincare.

The verdict.

Hydrated 'after' skin. Image: Supplied.

After a week of trialling moisture sandwiching using Olay’s new Luminous Hyaluron + Niacinamide collection, my skin felt plumper, hydrated, and happy.

As my skin had been feeling drier than usual due to the chilly weather, I was impressed that the hydration lasted all throughout the day. 

Plus, on the days that I wore makeup after moisture sandwiching, I didn’t experience any annoying flaking or random dry patches. (A big win for someone with very dry skin!)

The Luminous Hyaluron + Niacinamide products were also $59.99 each, making them a more wallet-friendly option compared to some of the more expensive options out there. 

Would you try this hack again?

Absolutely! 

Unlike other TikTok skincare hacks that I’ve tried, moisture sandwiching proved to be an easy, foolproof way to optimise my skincare routine.

In just a few simple steps, I was able to combat dryness and dehydration, ensuring that my skin felt healthy, hydrated and dewy.

Shop the new Olay Hyaluron + Niacinamide collection online or from your nearest Chemist Warehouse.

Feature Image: Mamamia/Supplied.