Everything You Need to Know About Slugging Skin, According to the Experts

If you've spent a decent amount of time on skin care and beauty TikTok, you've probably come across slugging more than once. “Aquaphor slugging,” “eye slugging,” “how to slug your face”—it’s a mysterious corner of skincare, so we asked some experts for the details. And while the skin care technique has been making the rounds on the app as of late, its origins go way back.

From what skin slugging is and the benefits of using this technique to how the method differs according to skin type, there’s a lot to know before you jump into it. If you have been curious about the trend, here's all you need to know.

What is slugging and how does it work?

Simply put, slugging refers to the process of sealing your skin with an occlusive agent, often petroleum-based (like Vaseline), overnight. Hence the name, which refers to how slimy your face looks afterwards – like a slug crawled over your face and left behind a greasy trail. The idea is to create a protective barrier, which will prevent water loss from your skin during the night and seal in all the hydrating goodness from your sheet masks and rich moisturisers.

If you don’t want to sleep with product on your face, you can also slug during the day and leave the product on for a few hours. Though it's been popularised as a face treatment on TikTok to aid with hydration, this little beauty trick works on other parts of the body as well – from lips and eye slugging to ankles.

As a trend, slugging's rising popularity can be traced back to the K-beauty world before hitting forums like Reddit's Skincare Addiction and later TikTok. But, though it's been popularised again recently, it is a practice most dermatologists recommend for quickly healing dryness and eczema and trapping in your moisture, according to dermatologist Dr. Shari Marchbein, M.D., who made an entire Instagram Reels on slugging.

What are the benefits of slugging with petroleum jelly (AKA petrolatum)?

Petroleum jelly, the ingredient commonly found in ointments like Aquaphor, CeraVe, Vaseline, and other topical creams, is occlusive, meaning it creates a barrier that seals in hydration. “In truth, dermatologists have been ‘slugging’ for years. We just didn't come up with a cute name for it,” Dr. Marchbein reveals. “I don't go to bed without it."

New York board-certified dermatologist Dr Whitney Bowe, says that slugging can be great for super dry skin and those with eczema. For her, no matter how much moisturiser you put onto chapped skin, it's that final occlusive layer of petrolatum that really helps to heal the damaged skin barrier and prevent water from seeping out.

Dr. Marchbein recommends using petroleum jelly on its own or thinly layered on top of a moisturiser or hydrating serum anywhere from your knees to your eyelids. She also agrees that the TikTok way of slugging – that is, putting "the teeniest dab," as she emphasised, over your entire face – can be a great solution for those with dry or sensitive skin. “Especially going into allergy [or cold] season, my lips and my eyelids are the thinnest skin, and they can dry easily. Slugging is a great way of treating that overnight.”

Is vaseline or aquaphor better for slugging?

You’ll see the most buzz around Aquaphor, which is applauded for its budget-friendly price tag and effectiveness. The main difference between Vaseline and Aquaphor is that the latter has more ingredients. Vaseline is 100 percent petroleum jelly, while Aquaphor also contains mineral oil, penthenol, and other ingredients. Both of them work toward the same goal: sealing moisture into the skin. Many dermatologists recommend Aquaphor over Vaseline, but the best thing to do is to test what works best for your skin. With that in mind, Aquaphor is both a humectant (promotes the retention of moisture in the skin) and occlusive (meaning it creates a physical barrier on top of the skin), while Vaseline leans mostly occlusive. Falling into both of these categories only means that there’s more power behind keeping the skin moisturised.

Are there downsides to slugging?

As with anything, there are pros and cons to slugging. Dr Bowe warns its important to be mindful about the products you apply underneath. “Just be careful of what you put underneath that layer of Vaseline, CeraVe Balm or Aquaphor,” Dr Bowe notes. “You do not want to use retinol, retinoids, AHAs, beta hydraoxy acids as those can be really irritating." The basic deal is this: when trapped underneath an occlusive layer, you drive these actives deeper into the skin, meaning their strength and side-effects can be unpredictable. Instead she recommends leaning on a fragrance-free moisturiser.

Some products are heavier than others and can cause pores to clog (leading to breakouts, more on that below). For this reason, skin expert Paula Begoun believes there are better alternatives to slugging for the skin barrier, such as ceramides, while London-based dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto recommends that those with oily and acne-prone skin should be cautious of the slugging trend. It's also worth noting that slugging is not ideal for people who are prone to milia – those tiny white or yellowish cysts that form in clusters near the eyes, mouth and on the cheeks.

But, provided you're aware of the above, skin slugging is a relatively safe method of cleansing. As always, make sure and confirm that you aren’t allergic to any of the ingredients before adding them to your skin.

Is slugging for everyone?

Simply put, no. Dr. Marchbein says slugging very oily or acne-prone skin on your face is a hard no because it can cause more irritation. “If you're trapping things and occluding the skin, there is definitely a potential for breakouts," Dr. Marchbein warns. Vaseline isn't comedogenic so it won't clog pores, but when used as an occlusive layer, there's the danger that you'll trap bacteria and the skin's oils underneath, which can lead to breakouts.

However, the practice can help even those with oilier skins if you use a targeted approach. “Selectively slugging,” as Dr. Marchbein puts it, means treating only the dehydrated or eczema-prone spots on your face or body. “If you're acne-prone but want a similar effect, I would use a creamy moisturszer instead of petroleum jelly. Look for ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and dimethicone. And then you can spot treat with Vaseline where you're drier."

How to do slugging the right way?

If you want to try out slugging, the process breakdown goes like this:

How often should you slug your skin?

It really depends on your skin type. Oilier skin will need less slugging, while dry or combination skin types can handle slugging more often. Keep in mind that you may not see noticeable results until after you’ve been skin slugging for four to six weeks.

What I learned from trying slugging

Between the dryness of winter and less regular exposure to fresh air in light of the pandemic, slugging has saved my dry skin. For the purpose of this review, I slugged in targeted dry spots on my face (i.e. my forehead, jawline, lips, and parts of my cheeks) and body for a little over a month. Since I do have combination, acne-prone skin, I avoided slugging all over my face and neck, though that is something you might consider if yours is on the dryer side, or if you have mature skin.

I had reservations about putting petroleum jelly all over my face, to begin with, so this felt like a good way to dip my toes in. I slugged at night before bed, and the results you get in a month aren't something the camera would pick up necessarily, but you can definitely feel it when you wake up the next day. My skin was automatically holding onto moisture better, and I started realising what dehydrated skin actually felt like. What I had always thought was tight or puffy “morning skin” was actually just dehydration, which thankfully, as we now know, is completely avoidable.

One of the fastest places I saw a difference on was my lips. If you have dry lips, try slugging them. Wet and moisturise your lips, then seal it in with Vaseline. The skin on your lips is so much thinner, so you'll see a difference that day.  Once we re-enter the warmer months, I'll still be slugging at night with a more targeted approach, readjusting accordingly to pay more attention to my oil production and dehydrated areas.

Best skin slugging products:

Now that you've decided to try slugging, it's time to decide what product you should go for. Dr. Marchbein recommends CeraVe's Healing Ointment and La Roche-Posay Lipikar Daily Lotion, but Vaseline Pure Petrolatum works just fine. So does Aquaphor, but Dr. Marchbein warns us this last one does contain an ingredient called lanolin, so she warns against that option for those with lanolin sensitivities.

Here are some expert-suggested slugging products to start working with.

If you do go for the extra layer of hydration, the moisturiser you use beforehand is as important as the petrolatum you use to seal it. Check out some hydration recommendations below:

This feature originally appeared on Teen Vogue.

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