What Is Slugging Skincare

What is "slugging"

"Slugging" is a coined term that refers to slathering on your skin with a thick layer of petroleum jelly or Eucerin and leaving it that way to sleep. The starting point of this skin care is to make your skin more hydrated, especially suitable for use on dry days. Because this product is occlusive, it creates a barrier for your skin that makes it easier to lock in moisture.

But in fact, "slugging" is not a new concept. The term itself has been around for years but has recently exploded onto TIK TOK, with the hashtag racking up more than 189.5 million views. Many beauty bloggers faced the camera, excitedly guiding fans to apply Vaseline to their faces. They tout the benefits of the method, even claiming it's their mother's skincare secret, and they've been doing it for decades.

Does so-called "slugging" really work?

Truth be told, like any other skin care regimen, it may or may not work for you. Your skin is affected by a variety of factors – from your internal factors like your hormonal cycle to your external factors like the weather. If putting yourself in petroleum jelly would magically give you flawless skin, dermatologists would be out of a job. Of course, it does help you stay hydrated, provided it doesn't clog your pores. While many beauty bloggers are hyping this slightly gross skincare regimen, they all insist it won't clog pores, and you'll never know until you try it out. The bottom line, however, is to cleanse and exfoliate your face before you smear these things all over your face. Because if the goal is to create a barrier that water can't escape, the skin has to be clean—think how bad it is to create a barrier over a pile of dirt.

Once this skincare trend became popular, people began to test its real effects. Dr. Mamina Turigano points out in her own TikTok video that "slugging" can aggravate the skin of those prone to acne. But also adds, "It works great on other skin types." If you're prone to acne or blackheads, this probably isn't for you. There is one other very important downside: you have to take into account that your pillowcase, which may get sticky from sleeping, will need to be washed more often than usual.

So, how does "slugging" work?

If you can live with all the drawbacks above and still want to give "slugging" a try, the first thing you need to do is comb your hair back with a headband. Because then your face will be full of sticky stuff, very sticky and uncomfortable, and if you don't take care of it, your hair will be a sticky mess. Next, you need to cleanse your skin. You can try exfoliating to make your skin clearer and smoother. But it’s not necessary, after all we can’t exfoliate every day, it’s bad for the skin. Then do your skincare routine as usual, including toner, serum, retinol, and even moisturizer. The most critical step is here. You have to use a clean spoon or clean fingers to scoop out the Vaseline and apply it to your face. It would be better if it is a squeeze tube-type product, which can reduce bacterial contamination of the product. You don't need to apply a thick layer, just cover your entire face as you would normally apply a cream.

Skincare is unique to everyone, and "slugging" is just one step in your skincare routine, and it's much less effective if you use it alone, and it needs to be paired with the products you're already using. Using these skin care products is also important, such as consistency, amount, order, etc. For example, if you want dewy skin, use a hyaluronic acid serum to maximize your plumpness. On top of that, "slugging" can amplify your improvement. But if you use alcohol-containing toners in your daily life, this will actually cause your skin to dry out, which is the opposite of the moisturizing effect of "slugging". So, you need to know if your current skincare product mix is working together? "slugging"-may be the first choice for intense moisturizing at present. But if the sticky feel isn't your thing or a pile of sticky products smeared on your pillow every night, you still have plenty of solid skincare options.