If you have been scrolling through skincare content lately, you may have noticed a rather unusual routine. People are covering their faces with a generous layer of Petroleum jelly or another thick ointment before going to bed.
It looks glossy, sticky and, honestly, a little strange.
This is slugging, a skincare technique that has become popular on social media and has also been talked about by celebrities, including Mira Rajput Kapoor. But while the name may sound like another internet beauty invention, the idea behind it is actually much older.
What is slugging?
Slugging is a simple skincare technique where you apply a thick layer of an occlusive product as the last step of your night time routine. The most familiar option is petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline.
The routine usually looks something like this:
The goal is not to add a huge amount of new moisture to the skin. Instead, the final layer acts as a barrier that helps stop water from escaping too quickly. And that explains the rather funny name Slugging.
Why is it called "slugging"?
After applying petroleum jelly, the skin becomes extremely shiny and slippery. The look has been compared to the wet, glossy trail left by a slug.
Hence, slugging.
The name is relatively new in mainstream beauty conversations, but the practice of using petroleum based ointments to protect and seal the skin is not new at all.
The science is actually quite simple: Your skin naturally loses water throughout the day. This is known as transepidermal water loss, or TEWL.
Petrolatum, which is the main ingredient in petroleum jelly, forms a water resistant layer over the outermost part of the skin. This can significantly reduce the amount of water escaping from the skin.
Published dermatological research has found that petrolatum can reduce TEWL by a very large amount, with studies reporting reductions ranging from around 50% to as much as 99%, depending on the conditions and method used. This is why slugging can make dry skin feel softer and more comfortable.
Think of it less as giving your skin a glass of water and more as putting a lid on the water that is already there.
An old skincare idea with a new name
Slugging may have become a social media trend, but petroleum jelly has been used as a skin protectant for well over a century.
Dermatologists have also used occlusive ointments for years when dealing with dry, damaged or compromised skin barriers, including conditions such as eczema and atopic dermatitis, as well as during certain types of skin healing. Social media simply gave this old idea a catchy name and a very visual routine. The glossy face also happens to make excellent skincare content.
Why has slugging become so popular?
Part of the appeal is how easy it is.
You do not need a shelf full of new products. The basic version can be as simple as applying petroleum jelly over your existing night time routine.
There is also the immediate skin feel factor. By helping reduce water loss, slugging can leave dry skin feeling softer and looking smoother and more plump the next morning.
The trend has been amplified by beauty creators and celebrities discussing it online.
That combination of a simple technique, an inexpensive product and a visible result makes slugging particularly easy to turn into a social media trend.
But more isn't always better this is where slugging needs a little caution.
It is generally more appealing to people with dry or very dry skin. Someone with oily or acne prone skin may not enjoy covering their entire face with a heavy occlusive layer.
Petroleum jelly itself is not automatically an acne causing ingredient. However, a thick occlusive layer can trap whatever is underneath it, including sweat, oil, dirt or irritating products. For some people, that may contribute to breakouts or irritation.
There is also a reason dermatologists advise caution with strong skincare ingredients. If you put products containing retinoids or exfoliating acids underneath an occlusive layer, the increased occlusion may make those ingredients more irritating. Slugging is therefore not simply a case of putting Petroleum jelly over every product in your bathroom.
Does slugging actually work?
There is a real scientific basis behind the main idea.
We have substantial evidence showing that petrolatum is an effective occlusive and can greatly reduce water loss from the skin. That is very different from saying that every claim surrounding the social media version of slugging has been clinically proven.
There are limited controlled studies specifically testing the modern practice of applying several skincare products followed by a thick layer of petrolatum every night.
So, slugging is not a miracle treatment.
It is a simple way of using an old dermatological principle: reduce water loss and give the skin a better chance to hold on to its moisture.
Should you try slugging?
If your skin is dry, flaky or feeling particularly stripped, slugging may be worth considering as an occasional night time step.
If your skin is oily, acne prone or easily irritated, covering your entire face may not be the best approach. You may also find that you only need an occlusive on particularly dry areas rather than using it everywhere.
The important thing is to understand what slugging can actually do.
It does not magically repair every skin problem overnight. It does not replace a moisturiser. And it certainly does not mean that covering your face in a thick layer of Petroleum jelly will automatically give you perfect skin.
What makes slugging interesting is actually much simpler. The trend may be new, but the skincare idea behind it is not.
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