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Ever heard about this new skincare trend, Slugging? It’s a Korean beauty trend that is going crazy viral in recent days. You’d have seen many skinfluenzers endorsing this skincare trend because of the myriad of skincare benefits it offers. Contrary to its name, this skincare technique does not need you to involve lugs or creepy crawlies in your skincare routine. If you got dry, flaky skin, turning to skin slugging might just be the turning point in your skincare. This new skincare trend has taken the beauty world by storm! Keep reading to find out what it has in store for you.
What Is Slugging?
Slugging involves applying a thick layer of a hydrating substance, such as petroleum jelly or facial oil, to the skin before bedtime as a final step of your skincare routine and washing it off the next day with a cleanser. This technique is believed to help lock in moisture and nourish skin overnight, giving you a smoother and more radiant complexion. It prevents trans-epidermal water loss, thus retaining the moisture level of your skin. This technique is beneficial for people struggling with winter skin dryness. Many people have turned to slugging as an alternative to traditional moisturizers, as it is thought to be more effective at keeping the skin moisturized and healthy.
Also Read : Back to Basics: Best Facial Oils for Every Skin Type
Slugging is beneficial in soothing inflamed skin and relieving dry skin. The occlusive property of petroleum jelly promotes wound healing, forming a protective barrier on the surface of your skin.
How Do You Slug Your Face?
Slugging is supposed to be a part of your nighttime skincare routine. Here’s how it’s done!
Step 1: Once done with cleansing, apply a facial serum and moisturizer on your skin.
Step 2: Take a small amount of petroleum jelly in your palm, rub it gently between your palm and apply evenly on your face and neck.
Step 3: Gently massage the Vaseline on your jaws, cheeks, forehead and nose to avoid the greasy look.
Step 4: Let it stay overnight.
Step 5: Next morning, wash it off with a mild cleanser.
While slugging, try to sleep on your back and make sure that you change your pillowcase every other day. If you have sensitive skin, apply the petroleum jelly only on your lips and eyelids. Avoid applying it on the rest of your face. This helps to keep the delicate areas of your face hydrated.
Also Read : Nighttime Skincare: A Necessity For Skin Maintenance
Is Slugging Good For Your Skin?
It is true that the thick layer of petroleum jelly on your skin acts as an occlusive, preventing water loss and promoting the skin's barrier function. The internet claims Slugging helps repair damaged skin cells, giving you smoother, more moisturized and less irritated skin. How much of it is true, you ask?
As per experts, you should not keep the occlusives on your skin for a longer period as it blocks moisture loss. You need to lose some moisture, signaling your skin to produce intracellular lipids, which are required for the proper functioning of your skin barrier. Experts advise people with acne-prone and sensitive skin to stay away from occlusives. Skin slugging is said to be beneficial for people with thirsty, dry skin. Slugging benefits your skin if you live in dry, arid climatic conditions where the trans-epidermal water loss is very high.
How Is Skin Slugging Different From Skin Moisturizing?
People tend to confuse slugging and moisturizing, assuming they are the same. Both are two different processes that serve discrete purposes.
In skin slugging, occlusives such as petroleum jelly trap the moisture inside your skin and retain the moisture level for a longer time. Occlusive does nothing to hydrate your skin; it just prevents moisture loss from your skin by forming a thin protective layer on the skin's surface.
Contrary to slugging, moisturizing helps keep your skin moisturized, soft, and smooth. Thus slugging is done after moisturizing the skin to seal the moisture inside, preventing skin dryness and itchiness. Slugging enhances the effect of the moisturizer.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Skin Slugging?
Occlusive skincare products are unsuitable for people with oily and acne-prone skin as they can clog pores.
According to experts, occlusives lock everything on your skin while slugging. Your petroleum jelly may be non-comedogenic, but if you use any other product containing ingredients that may trigger acne, your occlusive will lock it in, causing allergic reactions on the skin.
It is not recommended to use skincare products containing active ingredients under an occlusive. Therefore, you must be cautious about layering an occlusive over any active ingredient such as Vitamin C and retinol that can cause allergic reactions on the skin.
Also Read : Top 10 Things To Know Before You Use Retinol
You should also note that slugging cannot permanently solve your dry skin conditions. It may help with temporary dryness and flakiness of the skin. If you have been suffering from severely dry skin for a long time and are looking for a permanent solution, then you need to use intensely moisturizing skincare products.
How Often Should You Do Slugging?
It depends on your skin type and concern. If you have dry skin, you may need to indulge in slugging 3-4 times a week during winter. But slugging once or twice a week will be enough for sensitive skin. Even for people with dry skin, slugging is not recommended daily. We’d suggest you try slugging your face once and see how your skin reacts to determine how often you should do it.
The obsession with this new skincare trend is because of its perceived effectiveness in providing hydration and nourishment to the skin. Many claim it has helped improve their skin's overall appearance and feel, reducing dryness, flakiness, and redness. Additionally, slugging is hassle-free when incorporated into your skincare routine, which may appeal to some people looking for an uncomplicated skincare regimen. However, no matter how convenient it sounds, you should always be careful about adopting an entirely new skincare trend.
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