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This post is all about what is skin slugging and slugging skincare benefits for dry skin.
I have to admit, I didn’t know what slugging was until a few days ago. While watching a Tik Tok “night time skincare routine,” I noticed a comment asking a question about slugging. I thought it was a typo at first, but the video creator responded to the comment, knowing exactly what they were talking about.
Of course, I immediately had to google “slugging.” To my surprise, I knew exactly what slugging is. I found out I have actually been slugging for years before it was even a thing.
If you don’t know, I struggled with dry skin and eczema for years. In fact, I publish a lot of blog posts about managing dry skin and eczema. Well, as it turns out, slugging was one of the few things that actually seemed to help my skin when it came to my skincare routine.
By the way, if you want to know more about how I was able to heal my severe eczema, be sure to check out these posts:
So, in this post I’m going to fill you in on all the details on this new trend in the beauty community. That way, you can decide for yourself if it’s something you want to incorporate into your own skincare routine!
This post explains what is skin slugging and slugging skincare benefits for dry skin.
What is skin slugging?
“Slugging” is the word used to coin the process of coating your face in an occlusive skincare product such as a thick ointment or balm, following your other skincare steps.
The idea behind slugging is that it seals the previous layers of moisture into your skin, preventing evaporation and thus providing more long-lasting hydration. Especially if you do it right before bed and leave it on your skin overnight.
Why is it referred to as slugging? Well, I presume it is due to the slimy texture it leaves on your skin which is similar to the mucus a slug secretes. Pretty ick of a name if I do say so myself!
What are slugging skincare benefits?
Many people who have been slugging for an extended period of time, swear by the benefits it has had on the appearance and overall health of their skin.
Some of the benefits I personally have noticed since I started incorporating slugging into my skincare routine are:
- improved skin barrier
- hydrated skin
- a dewy glow
- it’s cheap to maintain to slug (most products are under $10 per container and last you a long time)
Who should be skin slugging?
Slugging is best for skin types that fall on the normal to severely dry end of the spectrum. These skin types don’t overproduce oil and will benefit from the added layer to seal in moisture.
On the other hand, if you have particularly oily or acne prone skin, I would probably not recommend trying the slugging method.
According to Dr. Parcells in an article on Elle.com, those with oily skin should slug less or not at all because it could make any active breakouts or oil-prone skin worse.
At the end of the day, you know your skin best, and if you think your skin could use some added moisture, it won’t hurt to give it a try and see how your skin reacts.
How to slug for maximum moisture retention?
In order to get the maximum effects from slugging, it should be added as the last step to your skincare routine, following a ceramide packed product.
My skincare routine that has worked best for me over the years and has not exacerbated my dry, flaky eczema-prone skin is to begin the process by cleansing with a gentle hydrating moisturizer such as Cera Ve’s Hydrating Cleanser.
Next, pat your face dry and follow up with a natural oil. Some of my favorites to use are argon oil, rose hip seed oil, and virgin marula oil. I especially love oils by the brand The Ordinary because they are great quality and affordable! (Bonus tip: before you purchase an oil, check the ingredients to be sure that said oil is the only ingredient listed.)
After this, follow up with a thick emollient moisturizing face cream such as the Cera Ve Moisturizing Cream.
I’ve tried several different ones and this is one of the very few that is not only thick and moisturizing enough, but also doesn’t cause my eczema to flare up. Bonus points because it contains hyaluronic acid and ceramides. I’ve had mine for over a year now.
Now, finally it’s time to add your slugging product. Keep in mind, a little bit goes a long way. Just take a dab of it on your fingertip and smudge it over the top of your previous layers of moisturizer. You can opt to cover your whole face or just the areas where you’re prone to extra dry skin.
Now that my skin is primarily healed from eczema, I only slug above my lip and under my eyes.
Is slugging safe?
The consensus is that, yes, slugging is totally safe.
However, I did run across two concerns when researching this.
The first was that due to its sealing properties, slugging could potentially not allow for proper ventilation of products. This means it could increase the side effects of certain products. So if you are using products like salicylic acid or retinols, you may want to skip slugging on the days you use those products.
Another concern only pertains if you use Vaseline or a petrolatum based product for slugging. The concern here is that, according to safecosmetics.org, petrolatum is often not fully refined in the US. This means it could potentially contain toxic chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
The good news is there are plenty of products you can use for slugging that aren’t petroleum based if you don’t want to take that risk.
What are the best products for slugging?
Slugging was popularized using Vaseline, but there are many other products I would recommend instead. For whatever reason, when my eczema was flared, slugging with Aquaphor and Vaseline seemed to worsen my skin.
The following are some products that I would recommend as an alternative to Aquaphor and Vaseline for slugging:
Final thoughts on skin slugging
So now that you know what slugging is and how to do it, is it something you can see yourself incorporating into your skincare routine?
Even if you don’t slug daily, it would still be great to incorporate seasonally. Especially if you tend to get dry skin during the winter.
If you are a member of the slug club, what’s your favorite skincare product for slugging? Comment below!
This post was all about slugging skincare benefits for dry skin an eczema.
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