Slugging = The reason for my bouncy AF skin
Even though my face is plagued with dark spots and cystic acne, every single aesthetician and dermatologist who gets their fingers on my face says the same thing: “Your skin is so bouncy!!” The secret to my plump, juicy skin? Slugging, bb.
Slugging has been trending on social media for years as a cure-all for dehydrated and irritated skin resulting from a messed-up barrier... but what exactly is it? “Slugging, which comes from the K-beauty world, involves putting a thin layer of occlusive ointment like Vaseline or Aquaphor on your face to help prevent water loss,” says dermatologist Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, MD. Let’s break it all down and how it has truly transformed my skin:
What is slugging?
At its core, slugging is a viral skincare technique that involves coating your face in an occlusive moisturiser, like Vaseline or any petrolatum-based formula, in order to help it heal. It got its name because it makes your face look ultra shiny and slimy—like a slug made its way across your face. As Dr. Mudgil mentions, slugging comes from the world of K-beauty, where moisturisation is the important aspect of skincare, and slugging is the ultimate way to max out your skin's moisture levels.
What does slugging do for your skin?
"Slugging is the process of applying a heavy layer of occlusive ointment to the skin over a normal layer of lotion or cream," says dermatologist Nava Greenfield, MD. It basically helps create a physical barrier on your skin to lock in hydration and prevent water loss. “We use occlusives, or Vaseline, for wound healing after surgeries,” says Dr. Mudgil. “I’ll put it over stitches because it keeps the wound moist and helps it heal faster.”
So how does that apply to your face? Welp, your skin barrier—i.e., the top layer of your skin that’s largely responsible for how your face looks and feels—can get damaged (or wounded) pretty easily by things like sun exposure, pollution, and over-exfoliating with actives like AHAs and retinol. “When your skin barrier doesn’t have an effective balance of fats, the moisture and hydration that make your skin look supple, full, and plump can’t be maintained,” dermatologist Dana Stern, MD, has told Cosmo. And that’s what can happen when you go overboard on the peels and exfoliants—you can break down your skin barrier, leaving it wounded and vulnerable to outside chaos.
Slugging, however, can help repair the damage by creating a moist environment that allows your barrier to slowly heal and rebuild itself. “For really dry skin, or eczema, I think slugging works very well,” says Dr. Mudgil. “It locks in hydration and really forces the moisture back into the cells.”
Does slugging clog pores?
Slugging could potentially clog pores, but not for the reasons you think. Vaseline gets a bad rap because of its greasy feel, so it has to be a recipe for clogged pores, right? Actually, no. Vaseline on its own won’t clog pores, because the size of its molecules are too large to fit into your pores, making Vaseline completely non-comedogenic (seriously, there are even published studies to prove it). So if you’re someone who never breaks out and has bone-dry or damaged skin, don’t let the fear of acne stop you from slugging, because Vaseline is not the enemy.
That being said, if you’re naturally oily or acne-prone, slugging is risky. “For acne-prone folks, I’d say stay away,” says Dr. Mudgil. “Vaseline is so occlusive that it won’t let your skin oils escape, which can irritate your hair follicle and stimulate acne.” Basically, that whole “let your skin breathe” thing is very true when it comes to zits.
Keep in mind, though: I have oily, acne-prone skin, and I love slugging. So it's totally dependent on your skin type. I always check that my products don't contain any pore-clogging ingredients, which is a great defense against potential spots for me. But if you're worried, swap out your regular moisturiser for one that’s filled with barrier-repairing ingredients (think: ceramides and hyaluronic acid), suggests Dr. Mudgil. See some of our faves below:
Do dermatologists recommend slugging?
Yes, dermatologists totally recommend slugging if you have a damaged skin barrier or dry skin. "Slugging can help your skin heal when the barrier has been compromised in some way," says Dr. Greenfield. "For example, in a contact allergy, dry skin, eczema, or with reactive or sensitive skin, slugging helps your barrier by allowing time for the body to repair its natural barrier consisting of lipids, ceramides, and dead skin cells and trapping water inside while the skin is in the healing process," she explains. "Providing the skin the ingredients it needs and the time to repair is key."
How do you slug your face?
You can slug two ways: overnight (the traditional way) or short-contact (like a wash-off face mask). Here’s how to do each one.
〰️ How to slug overnight 〰️
Your skin works hardest to repair itself while you sleep, so slugging right before bed is the preferred and most popular method. The downside? You’re going to stick to your pillowcase (and leave some grease marks behind), so get out your white linens and...
Step 1: Do your normal skincare routine, but omit any clay-based spot treatments or face oils.
Step 2: While your skin is still slightly damp from products, spread a pea-size scoop of Vaseline over your skin. You don’t need a thick layer—as long as you’re covered, you’re slugging.
Step 3: In the morning, cleanse your skin to remove any excess Vaseline (use an oil cleanser if necessary).
〰️ How to short-contact slug 〰️
Can't get used to the stickiness? I gotchu. Try short-contact therapy—i.e., slugging for a few hours every night before showering. In my experience, it's not quite as effective or fast-acting as regular slugging, but it still helped heal my damaged skin barrier without messing with my sleep. Here’s how I do it:
Step 1: Right when I got home from work each day, I removed all of my makeup washed my face like usual.
Step 2: Then, with my skin still visibly damp from cleansing, I coated my face in a thin layer of Vaseline.
Step 3: I went about my usual evening activities (eating, Netflixing, phone-scrolling) for a few hours, before hopping in the shower and washing off the Vaseline and following with my regular skincare routine.
How often should you do slugging?
How often you slug is up to you and your skin needs, according to Dr. Greenfield. "Slugging can be a powerful tool to combat dry, dehydrated skin, so I usually suggest slugging until your skin no longer feels overly dry or irritated," she adds. For reference, though, I slug my face three to four nights a week on average, but amp it up to every night when my skin barrier is wrecked.
What are the disadvantages of slugging?
The biggest disadvantage of slugging (unless it causes breakouts, irritation, or clogged pores, ofc) is the feel, says Dr. Greenfield. "Aesthetically, it can be difficult to apply ointments to the skin," she explains. These thick occlusives can be sticky and uncomfortable, especially while you're sleeping. My face sticking to my silk pillowcase as I'm tossing and turning? Annoying af. But I usually just smear on my ointment an hour or so before I lay down, which helps reduce a little bit of the stickiness. And overall, I've mostly just gotten used to it. You've gotta accept a little facial discomfort until you get used to the slug life.
Final thoughts:
Slugging is a great option to keep water in your skin, especially if your skin is sensitive or prone to dehydration and dryness. I personally prefer coating my skin in a thick ointment like Futurewise Slug Balm or Ren Overnight Recovery Balm to get extra ingredients like bisabolol, jojoba esters, or other skin-loving oils (see: borage seed oil, sunflower seed oil, and moringa seed oil). But keep in mind: Slugging with certain occlusives might be a bit too heavy for some acne-prone skin types, leading to clogged pores and breakouts. Which is why it's so important to always do a patch test when you try a new product to make sure it won't irritate your skin.
Overall, though, I'm a massive stan of slugging, and dermatologists agree. If you want juicy, plump, bouncy skin (like me—humble brag), make like a slug and cocoon yourself in rich ointment a few nights a week. Dewy days ahead.
Meet the experts:
Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Mudgil Dermatology in New York, NY.
Nava Greenfield, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York, NY. She's also a clinical instructor at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Dana Stern, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and assistant clinical professor at Mount Sinai in New York, NY.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan US with five years of experience researching, writing, and editing skincare stories that range from reviewing Aviclear to the best under-eye bag treatments. She’s an authority in all skincare categories, but she swears by slugging her own acne-prone skin to keep her face bouncy and hydrated and interviewed experts before breaking it all down in this article.
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