What's The Deal With This Slugging Trend: A Cheaper Way To Smoother Skin

Slugging has been all the rage lately in the skincare world. Many people are wondering what slugging is and how it can benefit them. Slugging is a way to prevent the evaporation of water from the skin, and it has many benefits for your skin! In this blog post, we will discuss what slugging is and how you can achieve smooth, bouncy skin by using this simple technique!

It's slimy and messy, but SO worth it.

"The past few months I found that my skin has been at its worst for a while now, dry and breaking out at the same time. My face was breaking out in unusual places such as my forehead, rashes appearing on my cheeks, with reoccurring spots on my chin whilst having dry areas on my nose and eyebrows. Not only this, my face is very sensitive in general. How does that even work? I thought. But I had to find out what can help me gain my smooth skin bouncy back!"

This all was happening when the trend of slugging remerged on TikTok and IG. Slugging is the act of applying a layer of Vaseline or petroleum jelly to your skin, usually before bedtime to help with dryness and uneven texture. I decided to give it ago as I had nothing to lose, only gain smooth skin!

Before I go into detail about my experience slugging we I should tell you more about it.

Slugging is well known in K-beauty world. If you're not familiar with K-beauty it's 'an umbrella' term for skincare products that are derived from South Korea. The fad gained popularity worldwide, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Western world, and focuses on health, hydration, and an emphasis for brightening effects'. In short, they are the experts of getting that glowing "glass skin" instead of layering tones of makeup to get the look. 

The term slugging replicates 'slug like' glow after you top your skin up with a product like Vaseline. It doesn't sound the most enticing but dermatologist believe this is the best way to maximise moisture in the skin. 

Essentially all slugging does is coat your face with occlusive moisturiser that has any active petrolatum based formula to help heal the skin. Occlusive moisturiser is a moisturising agent that prevents 99% transepidermal water loss which actually refers to water evaporating through your skins layers (dermis+ epidermis). As it locks in the moisture, it is able to help aid the your skin form getting damaged since it acts as a physical barrier on your skin. The barrier helps tells the skin to produce more intercellular lipids (fats) thereby repairing the skin barrier.

Your body repairs best when you are sleeping, that also goes for your skin too. That is why slugging is recommended and is most popular method to do before bed. One thing to be aware of that may feel uncomfortable in the method is sticking to your pillow cases and possibly leaving grease marks afterwards. I suggest doing this process 30 minutes before you sleep.

 
I started off by cleansing my face as normal with NEUTROGENA® Clear & Defend 2 in 1 Wash-Mask to remove any makeup or dirt from my face (I'm using my fingers to prevent bacteria remaining on my face as cloths can trap bacteria in the fabric). I then gently moisturized with a light cream and applied a generous amount of petroleum jelly all over my face, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. 

I left the Vaseline on my face overnight and in the morning, I could immediately tell a difference! My skin felt so hydrated and soft, like I had just applied a face mask! I don't wear a lot of wakeup however after hearing positive reviews that makeup goes on so much smoother, I had to try it. As soon as my skin pretty much cleared up after a few weeks consistently doing this routine, before I applied makeup on, I gently removed the remainder of the Vaseline with my cleanser. My makeup also went on so much more evenly, and I had a natural dewy glow. I didn't wear much makeup that day, but the compliments I received had boosted my confidence even more. If you have dry skin, slugging can help to alleviate some of the symptoms!

The main concern with slugging is that it can clog pores and lead to breakouts, however if you are using a non-comedogenic petroleum jelly such as Vaseline then this shouldn't be an issue. It won't clog up pore due to the size of its molecules being too larger to fit in your pores. Don't believe me? There are published studies that Proves it. Just read here.  

If you are concerned about clogged pores then you can always try slugging on just your dry areas such as your cheeks or forehead 

I would definitely recommend slugging to anyone with dry or sensitive skin! It's slimy and messy, but SO worth it.  

Slugging is an inexpensive and easy way to get smooth, bouncy skin. It is also a great alternative to expensive skincare products and can be done in the comfort of your own home. If you have dry to combination type skin (only apply to the dryer areas if you have combination skin) or sensitive skin then I would definitely recommend giving slugging a try! 

Want to try this method but have oily skin? Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or if you have tried slugging before. Thanks for reading!😃 

PS: slugging can also be done on your lips to help prevent them from drying out! Simply apply a generous amount of petroleum jelly to your lips before bed and wake up with soft, hydrated lips! :)