Slugging is going viral on TikTok. It is supposed to be a skincare remedy. I have acne-prone, dry, and oily skin at times. My skin doesn’t really know what it’s doing. It all really depends on the weather. I wanted to see what slugging would do for my skin when it’s dry. So, I tried slugging for a week.
For those of you who don’t know what slugging is, I’ll explain the basics. First, you use a gentle cleanser on your face to remove leftover makeup and residue. Then you use a moisturizer (a pea-size amount will be just fine, no need to overdo it). Next, you want to apply a petroleum-based product on top of that and create a barrier between your skin and the environment around you. People usually do this at night (it’s more common) but you could do it during the day. I choose not to (I don’t want to go to TJ Maxx looking like a slug slithered across my face). Some of the best petroleum products to use are Vaseline and Aquaphor. Personally, I liked Aquaphor best. It’s best to only try slugging when your skin is dry. Dermatologists don’t recommend slugging when your skin is oily or if you are acne-prone because it could make your skin flare up more.
Some of the benefits that slugging was said to improve were increasing moisture to the skin, providing a skin barrier, preventing skin irritation, and preventing water loss from the skin.
Some of the drawbacks include clogging your pores even more since the petroleum barrier is not letting in any air. Especially now it could make your maskne worse and cause more flares when you are trying to get rid of them.
After a week of trying this skin routine I found out that my skin really enjoys slugging at night. I have reduced the number of breakouts that I have had (the only ones I get now are when my period is coming☹). But even then, they aren’t as irritated, and they go away faster. Slugging has become one of my favorite parts of skincare. I would recommend trying this even if it is for a week like I did. But I love it so much! It is a little messy if you are a crazy sleeper (like me). I like to use a certain pillowcase and maybe even a towel and I wash them regularly. Putting your hair in a low pony helps your hair from sticking to your face too.
Overall, I really enjoyed trying this new technique. I think that slugging is definitely going to be part of my winter skincare routine. Try it and see if you like it too!