What Is Slugging Skin Care? And How To Do It!

Slugging Skincare, What Is It?

What is slugging skincare? Is slugging good for your skin? And, most importantly are slugs involved? Turns out no, slugs are not used (thank God) and this new trend is an actually one of the best beauty tips for your face, so read on.

It’s been a minute since I wrote a beauty post, and what better way to break the silence than with slugging! So gather round ladies and gents, and let me tell you the horrific story of… my dry, cracked and flaky skin that lead me to try something called ’slugging skincare’.

Before we begin, be sure to check out my other beauty related posts, there’s a whole bunch below:

How to be pretty (inside and out)

How to be mysterious

51 affirmations for beauty

2022 glow up tips

Scalp exfoliation diy

How to manifest friends

It all started out innocently enough, a little retin a and a lot of coffee instead of water. With visions of an energetic, glowing Steph 2.0 in my head, I woke up to scary sight one cold, dry winter morning. Suddenly it was like every fine line was magnified, redness surrounded my nose and chin and what was supposed to be bouncy, vibrant skin was flaky and tight skin.

It was so bad, people would stare. I know! It was obviously traumatic, which led me to even try something as gross sounding as slugging skincare. Hey, I was desperate! I’ll admit I was relieved to find out the routine does not actually involve slugs, but it is slippery and slimy, so brace yourself!

This post contains affiliate links and we earn from qualified purchases. Thank you for your support.

Is Slugging Good For Your Skin?

Is slugging good for your skin? According to the American Academy of Dermatology, petroleum jelly relieves dry skin by providing extra moisture. So, it’s great for dry skin but might not be so good for oily skin!

I don’t think slugging is bad for your skin as long as you wash it off in the morning thoroughly.

However, if you notice any adverse affects stop using it immediately. Everyone’s skin is different and reacts differently to new products.

How To Use Slugging Skin Care

Do your normal EVENING skin care routine. I emphasis evening because slugging will leave you slick and greasy, which is not something you want to rock in the daytime.

After your normal- cleanse, tone, serum and creams, you seal it all in with a coat of petroleum jelly. And… you’re done. Yep, that’s it! Slugging doesn’t include any expensive products, and doesn’t take much time but it DOES leave you with HYDRATED skin.

Need an instant beauty boost? Check out these self love affirmations!

Why Slugging Works

When I first heard about slugging skin care, I thought dang why didn’t I think of that? I mean, the thought actually did cross my mind a few weeks ago (not even kidding) because my skin was dehydrated, but I didn’t think it was actually a thing.

I even had a jar of petroleum jelly in my amazon cart but got distracted and forgot, until one particularly dry morning on my way to get coffee I turned on the radio and the show host mentioned slugging skincare and so I turned it up thinking it was going to be a gross story, but it turned out to be one of the best things for my skin, EVER!

The radio hosts talked about their dry skin struggles and how applying a coat of petroleum jelly over your night time routine works to seal in your skin care products so they don’t evaporate and they end up working better! Instead of waking up dry and dehydrated, you awaken to beautiful, even glowy skin!

Such a simple thing that makes SO MUCH SENSE! And the best part, it’s about $4 a jar:)

Another amazing beauty hack: Use coconut oil for shaving! No more dry legs, strawberry legs or razor bumps:)

The Benefits Of Slugging Skincare

The benefits I noticed almost immediately were smoother, more hydrated skin. My fine lines were less noticeable and my skin feels plump and not parched!

The redness I was experiencing, disappeared almost over night and the product itself is so cheap and easy to find!

My Results

After a few nights, my skin went from flaky to juicy and hydrated!

My dry, irritated and overly-sensitive skin feels soothed, calm and healed. My makeup goes on smoother and the redness I had around my nose and chin has dramatically reduced!

My Slugging Skin Care Routine

I have been skincare and beauty obsessed since I could get my hands on my moms cover girl lipstick! It’s a fun hobby of mine:)

I’ve went through a lot of skin care phases and changes over the years but one thing that has stuck with me through my oily and acne prone stage to my fine lines and texture and that’s retin a, also known as tretinoin. Even though I use tretinoin for wrinkles, tretinoin also gets rid of stubborn milia!

I tell nearly every woman I meet about it because it is so damn good. It’s changed my skin, cleared my acne and oiliness of Steph’s skin woes past, and also helped prevent wrinkles and enlarged pores as I age! I promise this has something to do with slugging and I’ll get right to that… Retin a (also known as tretinoin) in all it’s awesomeness, does cause hella dry skin! I’m talking dry, flaky, irritated skin!! And although it’s worth it, I have been searching high and low for something to counteract this… side effect.

Interested in trying tretinoin (retin a)? I buy it here Reticshop for about $20 a tube and no prescription needed. And, for me it’s worked the exact same as the brand my doctor prescribes me.

And the skincare God’s sent- slugging!

Can You Do Slugging With Retinol or Retin A?

Now, I’m no expert (my friends will tell you different though) but from what I understand you should not be slugging with retinol or retin a. That’s because the slugging works to seal in your products and make them more effective, which could negatively intensify the effects of the retinol or tretinoin. This could leave you with even flakier, sensitive skin!

So no, don’t be slugging with retinol or retin a.

How To Slug Skincare

Here’s a breakdown of my every other night nighttime routine and I swear it is the HOLY GRAIL of all nighttime routines.

Step 1: cleanse

Step 2: 4-5 drops of Ayurvedic oils. You can read all about my fave Ayurvedic skin care products.

Step 3: Add a coat of vaseline. I would say just a dab should be enough.

I don’t slug on the night’s I use retin a because it’s not recommended. So every other night I use retin a instead of slugging.

It does leave a greasy mess on your pillow case, so use a towel on top of your pillow case and wash it daily.

Shop Vaseline here and get it shipped right to your door:

Healing Vaseline from Walmart.

To Slug Or Not To Slug?

Is slugging skincare right for you? Everyone’s skin is unique and I would recommend if you have combination skin, to only slug in the dry areas (chin and around the nose etc). I wouldn’t really recommend slugging for oily skin because you are probably pretty hydrated already and this could end up exacerbating the issue.

But, if you’re like me and have dry skin, especially in the winter or if you use tretinoin and are experiencing dryness, I do recommend you try the newest beauty trend- slugging skincare!

Wrapping Up Slugging Skincare

If you’ve got dry skin, it’s easy to try slugging! Go about your regular evening beauty routine and simply follow up with a coat of vaseline to seal in all that product goodness and add an extra hydrating layer!