Face Slugging: What Is It and How To Slug Your Face

If you’ve found yourself wondering what face slugging is, you’re not alone—this skincare trend is popping up all over social media. But what’s the deal with this oddly-named beauty trend, and how can you incorporate it into your skincare routine?

If you’re looking to discover the secrets to skin slugging and how you can use it to supercharge the effects of your skincare products, keep reading our guide on everything you need to know about this skin hydrating hack.

What Is Slugging?

To understand why slugging is so beneficial to the skin, you’ll first need to understand how your skin’s moisture barrier works. Your skin barrier is the first line of defense against [1]:

• Bacteria
• UV radiation
• Pollution
• Other potential irritants, contaminants, or pathogens

The moisture barrier also helps to seal in much-needed hydration, which keeps the skin looking and feeling supple and dewy. When the barrier is disrupted, whether that’s by overzealous exfoliation or by depriving it of the moisture and nourishment it craves, you might experience [2]:

• Redness
• Breakouts
• Rough, bumpy, or uneven skin texture
• Irritation and increased sensitivity
• Unwelcome changes in skin type (think skin that suddenly becomes drier or oilier) 

One of the moisture barrier’s major foes is what’s known as transepidermal water loss or TEWL. Generally speaking, H2O found in the skin naturally evaporates off the epidermis into the air throughout the day. In fact, each of us loses anywhere between 300 to 400 milliliters of water from our skin daily [3].

However, this process can accelerate to the point where your skin becomes uncomfortably dry and dehydrated if:

• You’re in a very arid environment, like a plane or an overheated room
• You’re using unnecessarily harsh and stripping products
• You’re cleansing your skin too much

Over time, this can lead to the skin looking dull, lifeless, and thirsty—and this is where slugging comes in.

Although slugging might seem like yet another TikTok skincare product trend, it actually centers around a time-tested product: petroleum jelly. To slug skin, you simply slather on a layer of a petroleum jelly, like Vaseline, Aquaphor, or some other healing ointment on your skin or on top of your existing moisturizing night cream [4]. 

Petroleum jelly is what’s known as an occlusive, a type of ingredient that seals in the skin’s moisture by creating a physical barrier [5]. It can prevent 99% of transepidermal water loss, giving your skin the chance to soak up moisture and absorb as much hydration as possible [6]. This can come in handy if your skin tends to be very dry or if you experience flakiness or dullness during the winter months.

How to Start Slugging

Wondering how to slug your face as part of your nighttime skincare routine? It’s easier than you think:

• Start by thoroughly cleansing your face. Because slugging locks in everything applied underneath of the petroleum jelly, it’s essential to make sure your skin is properly cleansed and prepped ahead of application.
• Apply any serums or active treatments you’re using, but steer clear of using especially strong products like prescription retinoids. Because slugging can boost the strength of your products, this can mean increased irritation if you’re using potent active ingredients. Instead, pair it with a personalized facial cleanser for gentle yet effective toning and exfoliation ahead of your slug.
• Give your skin an extra spray of hydration by spritzing on your favorite face mist prior to applying a rich, deeply nourishing moisturizer like our night cream, designed especially for your skin with collagen-boosting, skin-strengthening ingredients.
• Finish by locking in all that skin-loving goodness with a thin layer of petroleum jelly. Make sure to give your slug a chance to sink in before hitting the hay—petroleum jelly can sometimes leave behind a residue or stain linens.

Dos and Don’ts of Slugging

Slugging provides a simple skincare shortcut to hydrated, supple skin, but there are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind before you reach for your tub of petroleum jelly:

• Do try a patch test on a small area of dry skin first. While this is best practice for introducing any new product into your skincare regimen, it’s especially important for something that you’re applying all over your face.
• Don’t try slugging if you’re especially acne-prone or have oily skin. Slugging works best for those with dry skin or compromised moisture barriers. If you tend toward the oilier side, it might cause breakouts and congestion.
• Do pair slugging with additional hydration-amplifying steps, like a firming eye cream, a pre-slug sheet mask, or a humidifier for next-level moisture.
• Don’t apply another skincare product on top of the petroleum jelly or apply an ultra-thick layer. Since petroleum jelly is occlusive, anything applied on top of it won’t be able to reach the skin. Don’t waste your precious products. 
• Do clean your face prior to slugging. Because petroleum jelly serves as an occlusive barrier it can trap dirt, oil and residue on the skin if not properly cleaned first.  

Lock In All Day Hydration with PROVEN Skincare

Slugging is your new secret weapon to achieving bouncy, hydrated skin by locking in moisture and boosting the power of your other products. For this reason, make sure that you’re pairing your slugging routine with the most effective products by choosing PROVEN Skincare’s custom collection of cutting-edge formulas.

PROVEN takes the guesswork and trial and error out of skincare by creating a personalized formula unique to you and your skin’s needs using our innovative skincare quiz. Take the quiz today to get started with your one-of-a-kind skincare regimen.