What exactly is slugging? The recent skin care trend has been around for millennia in regions around the world.
Put simply, it’s the practice of applying what’s called an “occlusive”, a product that acts as a seal or physical barrier like petroleum jelly. This helps “trap in moisture and plump up the skin,” says Seattle dermatologist Heather Rogers, fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology.
“Slugging” doesn’t really have anything to do with its namesake mollusks—it’s so named because the practice leaves skin shiny, like the skin of a slug or its trail.
The practice is nothing new to Black American women who for generations used Vaseline to “grease up” before there were products created specifically for their skin. Oil as a balm goes back to the ancient Egyptians who were interested in them to reduce wrinkles, per the Ebers papyrus of 1550 B.C. In 15th century North America, the Seneca tribe used the oil that seeped from the ground in northwestern Pennsylvania to soften animal skins as well as their own.
Why slug? Though people with dry skin, especially those with eczema, may benefit more from slugging, anyone can use the extra moisture slugging provides. Sulfate-based or astringent cleansers can dry your skin overnight, especially if you skip moisturizing, says dermatologic surgeon Anthony Rossi, founder of Rossi DERM MD. Seasonal changes can also dry out skin, adds Kyle Cullingham, dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Saskatchewan.
Today, petroleum jelly is a popular option for slugging, says Jenn Harper, founder of Cheekbone Beauty. She says simply applying it to the face before bed locks in moisture and promotes healing.
How to slug
Begin with your personal skin regimen, which will differ according to your skin type and needs but can include makeup removal, cleansing, and applying toner, acne or other treatment—then your moisturizer, the last step before slugging. Rogers recommends dampening your face a bit before applying your moisturizer or cream to seal “all that goodness in.”
There are no strict rules for what moisturizer to use under the occlusive, Cullingham says, but “many people find moisturizers containing ceramides, hyaluronic acid, or Vitamin C serums to be useful for slugging.” Ingredients to avoid, he says, include “retinoids, bakuchiol, alpha and beta hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid and salicylic acid” which “have more irritation potential.”
Now the fun part—slather on that occlusive. You can do that immediately, Rogers says, or wait 10 to 15 minutes for your skin to absorb your moisturizer, says Cullingham. Which occlusive you use “depends on your personal preference and your skin’s sensitivity,” Rogers says.
Occlusives containing petroleum jelly are generally well tolerated and typically inexpensive. Other options include products like Aquaphor, which uses a lanolin derivative, or even vegetable shortening, says dermatologist Margaret Lee. She warns those with allergies should check ingredients before using any product.
Traditionally, the occlusive is left on overnight, Rogers says. If you’d rather wipe it off to spare your pillows, Cullingham recommends “at least 30 to 60 minutes for the best results.”
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Finally, when you’re done with the process, wiping off may be unnecessary, but “if your face still feels sticky in the morning, wash with a gentle cleanser and lukewarm water,” Rogers says. “You don’t want to be aggressive and undo all the good work your skin just did while you slept.”
Don’t skip precautions
If your skin is irritated, skip your usual routine particularly if your routine contains retinol, tretinoin, Vitamin C, Rogers says. You should still wash with a gentle cleanser and moisturizer, but that’s all. “You don’t want to ask your skin to do more when it’s irritated,” she says.
Reading labels and doing patch tests with ingredients you’re unsure of can save a lot of grief. Some occlusives contain ingredients like lanolin, which isn’t a problem for healthy skin but, Rogers says, has a high chance of causing an allergic reaction on inflamed or injured skin.
A patch test determines whether your skin will be irritated by the occlusive. Apply a small bit on your forearm or face and see if your skin is irritated the following day, Rogers says. Be aware the skin on your face may be more sensitive.
And slugging isn’t for everybody. “I’ve seen so many people break out in comedonal or occlusive acne” possibly caused by the slugging, Rossi says, because that occlusive barrier is “clogging their hair follicles and pores and causing pimples.”
If this happens, he says, “ you should stop slugging and allow the skin to improve.”
Rossi doesn’t recommend slugging to his patients unless they have extremely dry or chapped skin. For daily moisturizing “it’s a lot,” he says and that regular moisturizers should do the job.
Slugging vs. slugs and snails
Slugging doesn’t have much to do with slugs at all, though its cousins the snail have been popular in the skin care world.
Skin care products containing snail mucin (their mucus) aren’t barrier-forming ergo not great for slugging, but they do have other benefits. Mucin contains “enzymes that promote cell turnover” and hyaluronic acid, a natural element in our own bodies which helps hydrate the skin by holding onto water, Rogers says.
(Snail mucus is a skin care phenomenon—but does it really work?)
Mucin also has “antibacterial properties, which is why it’s good for acne,” Cullingham adds. Unfortunately, there are ethical concerns to harvesting snail mucin, as it’s only excreted when the animal is stressed.
Perhaps it goes without saying, but don’t use slugs to slug or grab a snail for its snail mucin. “You don’t know where that snail has been!” Rogers says.
