What are the Skin Benefits of the Slugging Trend?

If you’re a beauty lover and on Tik Tok then chances are you’ve had a few videos pop up while scrolling of people covering their faces with an occlusive before bedtime. This trend, known as “slugging,” has been used in K-beauty routines for quite some time as occlusives are proven to act as barriers on your skin to hold in moisture. After all, hydration is key! In this blog, we’ll dive into slugging and the benefits behind the trend that’s taking the beauty world by storm.

The idea behind slugging is to coat your skin with an occlusive product, but on Tik Tok, most beauty gurus use ‘petroleum jelly’, which we do not recommend. Though it is an occlusive and holds in what you have underneath it, it doesn’t have any nutritive ingredients to benefit the health of the skin. In addition, petroleum jelly is not considered a safe “clean beauty ingredient.” We believe there are definitely better choices when choosing occlusive for slugging.

According to Cindy O’Brien, a holistic aesthetician, and founder of LIV + GRACE SKINCARE, an occlusive ingredient forms a seal over the skin barrier to protect the skin from the environment while preventing water loss (TEWL). By forming this seal — which keeps dirt and bacteria out and moisture in — the occlusive creates the ideal environment to allow your skin to heal while staying hydrated throughout the skin’s best rejuvenation time, while you sleep.

A word to the wise (that’s Cindy O’Brien approved, obviously): Slugging doesn’t require a ton of product to do the job effectively. In fact, with many products, just a small dollop or a few drops of your facial oil pressed into the skin will work wonderfully. To summarize: Slugging means occluding, and it creates an environment for healing. 

The main goal of slugging is to keep your skin hydrated and healthy. Plus, who doesn’t want to wake up with glowing, plump skin? While slugging can give you a heap of surface benefits, here are some of the skin-deep benefits that make slugging the trend to try:

• Slugging can protect your skin. Do you crank the heater up at night when you sleep? Unfortunately, that hot, dry air can zap the moisture from your skin, leading to dryness. Environmental factors and harsh chemicals in skincare products can also cause dryness. Adding a protective layer of an occlusive can protect your skin from these elements.
• Slugging can restore lipids. Skin lipids, which are the skin’s natural fats, play a vital role in skin structure and function. They essentially help the skin retain moisture while keeping out bacteria and maintaining the skin’s elasticity. Studies show that applying products that contain occlusives can help restore lipids and repair the skin barrier.
• Slugging can prevent moisture loss. Occlusives sit on the surface of your skin, which helps to prevent transepidermal water loss (TEWL). TEWL is the process of water evaporating out of your skin; it’s an expected bodily function that increases as we age. Using occlusives can help prevent TEWL for better hydration and repair.

While you’re sleeping, your skin works extra hard to repair itself, which is why slugging before bed is the preferred and most effective method. Curious about how to begin slugging with LIV + GRACE SKINCARE? Let’s take a look at an easy slugging routine designed by Cindy O’Brien:

When slugging, you want to be very moisture centric, meaning that the LIV + GRACE Damage Control Creme Cleanser is a great option. It hydrates while working hard to give you more active ingredients. In addition, it keeps your skin balanced for a youthful, healthy glow.

Next, apply the LIV + GRACE Marine Peptide Hyaluronic Serum, which is a nourishing formula that draws water-based moisture to the skin like a magnet to amplify the appearance of a plumper, visibly smoother, and more youthful-looking complexion. 

For those with dry to normal skin, the LIV + GRACE Super Seed Oil will be the third step in your slugging routine. Super Seed Oil is a multitasking facial oil that absorbs quickly into the skin without leaving a residue. It’s formulated with an abundance of antioxidants, vitamins, phytosterols, and hydrating properties to leave skin looking and feeling ultra-moisturized.

If you have sensitive or acne-prone skin, you can opt for the LIV + GRACE SKINCARE, Rescue Hydrate Facial Serum; it’s a plant-based retinol alternative that’s loaded with skin-loving ingredients, like vitamins A, C, and E. Rescue Hydrate helps to build collagen, repair acid mantle damage, gently carry other serums deeper into the skin, and heal the skin. 

For the final step in your slugging routine, try the LIV + GRACE Rose + White Tea Hydrating Mask and Sleepwear; it’s abundant with ingredients to boost hydration and refine the skin. It features Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein that boosts cellular activity and the skin’s natural resurfacing systems, improves barrier function, and protects against skin damage and environmental stress. 

Note: Clinical studies show up to a 13% reduction in trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) after 14 days of using this ingredient.