
“Slugging” has been round for years (and will even be one thing your mother nonetheless does), but it surely just lately exploded on TikTok because of Ok-Magnificence. With nearly 280 million mentions of slugging on TikTok, it might be the web’s favourite viral skincare hack, however is that this much-loved remedy for everybody? Let’s examine the slugging skincare pattern collectively.
What Is Slugging? | Outcomes From Slugging | Who Ought to Do Slugging & How Usually? | How To Slug | My Expertise | Different Concerns
What Is Slugging?
Slugging includes coating your face in a petrolatum-based product like Aquaphor, or Vaseline or, for a ‘cleaner’ different, a thick (petrolatum-free) lipid balm comparable to our Rosehip & Lemongrass Restore Balm, earlier than going to sleep.
The rationale for slugging is that the balm (in skincare phrases: an occlusive) acts as a bodily barrier, sitting on prime of your nighttime skincare routine, sealing in any hydration and stopping moisture loss.
In line with the Mayo Clinic, lipid balms like petroleum jelly, act like a greenhouse and insulate the pores and skin “in order that it does not lose warmth and does not lose moisture.” Any hydration you’ve utilized throughout your skincare routine will probably be totally absorbed into the pores and skin fairly than evaporating in a single day.
Slugging additionally helps the pores and skin’s moisture barrier. Elevated hydration means your pores and skin is best ready to defend in opposition to irritations or allergens that may trigger blocked pores or breakouts. A wholesome barrier additionally means quicker restoration from any breakouts that do happen.
Slugging shouldn’t be one thing we suggest to everybody. It’s an ideal step for these with a dry pores and skin sort and dehydrated pores and skin. Nevertheless, for many who are extra breakout susceptible or have an oily pores and skin sort, we might recommend the occasional slugging remedy (each couple of months if wanted) or in no way, as slugging might improve breakouts for shiny pores and skin sorts.
Slugging isn’t a miracle remedy for everybody. The AAD recommends avoiding petroleum jelly or thick occlusives for those who’re vulnerable to zits or breakouts. Though petroleum jelly is non-comedogenic, such a thick layer can lure lifeless pores and skin cells and dust, the right circumstances for breakouts.
Whereas these with dry pores and skin might love the marginally oily residue that slugging can depart you with, oilier pores and skin sorts might need to keep away from trapping any additional oil. In case your pores and skin is zits susceptible or on the oilier aspect, think about an alternative choice to slugging. Layering a hyaluronic acid-based serum with a thicker face masks is a hydrating possibility that gained’t clog your pores.
Though the title slugging is new — the observe shouldn’t be. Korean, Afro-Caribbean and European magnificence practices have used variations of pores and skin slugging for generations — slugging the pores and skin on the face, fingers, toes, eyelids and lips to cut back dryness and encourage product absorption. It’s additionally frequent to see the observe utilized by professionals after micro-needling or chemical peel therapies, or as a relieving salve for these with eczema or psoriasis.
Outcomes From Slugging
After a nighttime routine of slugging your pores and skin, it is best to get up with wholesome, smooth-looking pores and skin that has been hydrated by means of the evening and is much less prone to wrinkle or develop high-quality traces. The method works to forestall transepidermal water loss, to maintain moisture in your pores and skin and improve the results of the skincare merchandise you’ve utilized to your face.
Who Ought to Do Slugging and How Usually?
Slugging is greatest for drier pores and skin sorts, mature pores and skin, or those that really feel dryness by means of the cooler seasons. The observe is particularly useful although winter when temperatures drop and the pores and skin barrier is compromised or in danger.
Every individual ought to slug in response to their desire of product thickness. Begin with a cleansed face and observe as many steps of your skincare routine as you need. End up by including just a few dabs of yoasur slugging product and construct as much as a blueberry-sized quantity. Apply a few times per week (and even day by day) relying on how dry your pores and skin feels and the way your pores and skin reacts. However, at all times patch take a look at earlier than making use of to the entire face. We have now a extra thorough routine clarification beneath. Now, let’s transfer on to a slugging routine (anticipate the ultimate step for the slugging half!).
How To Slug: Sleep Hydration Centered Nighttime Routine
Begin about 30 minutes earlier than heading to mattress.
1. Cleanse your pores and skin. Gently cleanse with the Agency Pores and skin Acai Cleanser, an ultra-hydrating approach to take away impurities from the pores and skin.
2. Exfoliate for additional smoothness. The Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant accommodates plant extracts to {smooth} the looks of the pores and skin with out stripping any moisture.
3. Hydrate with a spritz. Take pleasure in just a few spritzes of our Neroli Age Corrective Hydrating Mist for a refreshing carry.
4. Deal with with a serum or essence. We love the Birch Water Purifying Essence for a lift of hydration, or think about making use of our Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Serum for additional moisture – or, attempt each!
5. Apply a moisturizer. The light-weight hydration in our Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Hydrator is an ideal increase of hyaluronic acid.
6. Apply a face oil. We love the Camellia Glow Strong Face Oil — heat up a small dab in your palm and {smooth} over the whole face.
7. Time to slug! Take a blueberry-sized quantity of the Rosehip & Lemongrass Restore Balm, melting it first in your fingers, and evenly rolling it over the face. Containing shea butter and beeswax, the balm will act as a coating to lock in hydration and stop moisture evaporation from the pores and skin. Go away the product on when you sleep.
8. Within the morning, use your cleanser to take away any morning-after residue, or just rinse the face with water to start out with a clear base for the day forward.
My Expertise
As somebody with year-round dry pores and skin who actually feels the dry air by means of the cooler months, slugging performed a giant position in my skincare routine this winter, and I fortunately jumped on the pattern. Each second evening, I utilized my serum, moisturizer and facial oil earlier than smoothing out a blueberry-sized little bit of Rosehip & Lemongrass Restore Balm throughout my nostril, brow and cheeks.
I cruised by means of winter with glowy, moisturized pores and skin — which I most well-liked over the dry, flakey and generally peeling winter pores and skin I am used to experiencing. Because the climate will get hotter although, the necessity to slug has lowered, and I’m now slugging a few times per week max.
Different Concerns
1. Potential For Pillow Staining
Should you sleep with a silk pillow case, think about switching again to your cotton pillow case on a slugging evening, or sleep with a mushy towel over your pillow.
2. Strategize Your Pores and skin Care Routine
Including slugging into your routine might require some planning as you’ll want to keep away from utilizing any actives, comparable to AHAs or BHAs, or retinoids on a slugging evening. Because of the glasshouse impact we point out above, sealing in merchandise intensifies the results of some skincare merchandise, particularly chemical exfoliants. Nevertheless, layering mild moisturizers or hydrating serums whereas slugging is okay.
3. Cleaning Beforehand Is A Should
Eradicating make-up and dust is an important step earlier than you begin layering and sealing — you don’t need to lure any particles or nasties that you simply collected all through the day.
4. Hair Up!
Except tomorrow is hair wash day, we’d suggest tying up lengthy hair and pinning again your fringe to keep away from waking up with oily hair caught in your face.
Have you ever tried slugging or do you swear by one other viral pattern? We might love to listen to about it! Tell us on our social media, or within the feedback beneath.