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Facial slugging is a skincare trend that has become increasingly popular over the past few years. I have been doing it in the winter and after my skin has been sensitized to retinol, and didn’t know it was a “thing” until it was all over the place!

What is it?

Slugging basically involves applying a heavy layer of an occlusive (such as vaseline or other petrolatum product) to your skin before going to bed in order to keep it hydrated and nourished overnight.

What does it do?

Slugging has many benefits, the most notable being that it repairs the skin barrier. If your skin is particularly sensitized, slugging will be super helpful to you. It works to retain moisture which results in you waking up with soft, bouncy and more noticeably luminous skin. Who doesn’t want that?!

Who is it for?

Definitely dry skin types, and even normal or sensitive skin types can benefit from slugging. Oily or acne prone skin types may want to skip this or do it sparingly. Certainly if you have active breakouts, DO NOT slug. You could be trapping in dirt and bacteria.

In which setting is slugging not appropriate?

If you are using retinol or any chemical exfoliant such as AHA, BHA, do not slug. When trapped, these actives can be essentially amplified and cause a harsh effect. Now I will say this- if it’s not a serum/leave on product and just say a wash off mask like this one (my favorite chemical exfoliant mask), I will slug after. I use retinol every other night and only slug on my “off ” nights.

My #1 Slugging Product

Surprise, surprise, I use Cicaplast. I will sing its praises all day long. It’s most definitely a staple in my skincare routine, and I love it. It is the perfect occlusive. I like this because you enjoy the hydration that you can get with a petrolatum product without the greasiness and heaviness that comes with it. I’d say my second choice option- if I happen to be out of Cicaplast, is this balm by Cerave or Aquaphor.

How to Slug

Finally, how to do it?

Follow these 4 steps:

• Cleanse You’ll want to ensure your skin is extremely clean prior to slugging. See my IG double cleanse post here.
• Apply Serums -no actives as mentioned above, but anything with peptides or hyaluronic acid is great
• Moisturize – apply a light moisturizer
• Apply the Occlusive– this is always the last step and it will trap in your serum/moisturizer. You can apply a thin or thick layer. I always lay a towel on top of my pillowcase so I don’t get it greasy.

So what do you think? Will you try slugging? Let me know how you like it if you end up giving it a go!

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xo,

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