“Skin slugging is simply the application of an occlusive to act as a barrier to seal moisture into the skin. Dermatologists have been recommending for years as the last step in your skin care routine to treat dry skin, as we know that skin slugging helps prevent water loss,” says Cheung.
All three dermatologists agree that slugging does actually work. "Slugging is good for your skin, especially if you live in a dry climate where water loss and dryness are bound to happen," says says Shereene Idriss, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Idriss Dermatology in New York City.
When to Slug. You can do it nightly to heal dehydrated, dry, cracked or inflamed skin. To maintain results, I recommend slugging 2-3 times per week.
We've already mentioned it above, but one of the best options for slugging is Aquaphor, which is especially good if you want something that's a tad lighter than Vaseline. Already a holy grail for people with dry skin, this is a fave slugging product for many, including Evans.
What product should you use for slugging? Dr. Kassouf says that if you're going to try slugging, make sure you're using pure petroleum jelly (Vaseline®) or petroleum jelly with only minimal additional ingredients, like Aquaphor® and CeraVe®. They both include ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
It consists of applying Vaseline petroleum jelly as an occlusive moisturizer to hydrate the skin and seal in moisture and your skin-care products overnight, and then washing it off with a gentle cleanser the next day.”
If you usually wash your face come morning, go ahead and do so, but it's not necessary to wash off your slugging product from the night before, she says. Either way, be sure to admire your gorgeously glowy new skin.
Slugging helps repair the skin barrier.
If you have overly dry, scaly, flaky, or irritated skin, occlusive moisturizers can speed healing. Slugging can help improve signs of aging, like fine lines and wrinkles. That's because moisturizing well helps skin look smoother and brighter.
As Rouleau explains, “Slugging can lead to comedogenicity—how likely a product is to clog your pores and cause bumps—if continued over a period of time. If you're using a product with a very high concentration of petrolatum all over your face every day, the chances of it leading to clogged pores (bumps) are high.” Dr.
Follow with moisturizer: Slugging is really just a last addition to your everyday skin care routine, so you perform all your previous steps as normal. That said, massage in your daily moisturizer—you'll then top it with your occlusive.
If you're going to be slugging, I would recommend applying your skincare and slug at least an hour before bed so your petroleum jelly has time to absorb before laying on a pillow. I know many people do their skincare right before bedtime, but I actually prefer to do it earlier and wash away the dirt of the day.
For best results, Dr. Que recommends using the slug life routine at night to ensure that your skin is as clean as possible before putting on your moisturizer. And Dr. Sisto says you can do it as frequently as every night if you wish.
Petrolatum-based, healing ointments are recommended occlusives for slugging. Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, says that these products, like Aquaphor, "include glycerin, lanolin, bisabolol, and mineral oil for additional hydrating, soothing, and barrier-supporting properties."
Many people have used slugging to obtain plump skin at home, because it only requires one product. All you need is a thick, ointment-based moisturiser like Vaseline, Aquaphor, CeraVe Healing Ointment or Cetaphil Healing Ointment.
Applying an occlusive over acne treatments may help strengthen the actives and, thus, deliver results. That said, slugging for acne isn't for everyone, and experts warn that doing so could lead to irritation or worsened acne. It's recommended that you speak to your dermatologist before giving the trend a try.
To save on skin care, dermatologists recommend using petroleum jelly to: Relieve dry skin, including your lips and eyelids. Dry skin can flake, itch, crack and even bleed. Since ointments are more effective and less irritating than lotions, consider applying petroleum jelly to dry skin, including your lips and eyelids.
As far as frequency goes, it's completely dependent on your skin type and concerns. If you have dry, you may benefit from slugging several times per week or even daily for a period of time. Those that have oily skin, however, may find they want to take part less or only during the winter months.
The downside is that slugging can trap dead skin cells, oil, and debris, encouraging bacterial overgrowth, and it may worsen acne breakouts. “If you have acne-prone or oily skin, you may want to skip this trend,” Hartman says.
Slugging is a catchy term that means slathering your face with petroleum jelly as the last step of your evening skin-care routine. The practice leaves your face as slimy as slug mucus (hence the name).
“Slugging itself is not comedogenic (acne-causing), but if you have clogged pores or retained makeup, you could create an infection or outbreak by trapping these particles under the occlusive. Make sure your skin is SUPER clean before sealing it. Exfoliate,” Dr. Parcells says.