From hydrocolloid bandages becoming acne treatments to using “frozen moisturizer,” TikTok has become the top destination for discovering strange skincare trends. While the social media app might not be the birthplace of some of these beauty hacks, it’s become a platform where they can truly flourish. Case in point: skincare slugging. The oddly-named trend has reached massive popularity over the past year, thanks to TikTok skinfluencers touting it as a fairly easy way to lock moisture into the skin via Vaseline or another petrolatum-based ointment.
So what is slugging, exactly? According to Tracy Evans MD, MPH, board-certified dermatologist and Medical Director of Pacific Skin and Cosmetic Dermatology, “Slugging is the process of covering the skin (of the face usually) with an occlusive product such as Vaseline (petrolatum), Aquaphor, or a very heavy cream-based moisturizer and keeping it on overnight.” The process may be especially relevant to dry skin peeps as it’s “intended to keep moisture in the skin by preventing transdermal water loss.”
While the incredibly catchy “slugging” term has only been in the beauty sphere for a little while, thanks to the K-beauty community and various skincare subreddits, the concept of using Vaseline to seal in moisture in the skin isn’t anything new. After all, Vaseline is an old-school product that can be found in almost any memaw’s medicine cabinet. It has a variety of uses, from healing burns and scrapes, to treating diaper rash, preventing chafing, and moisturizing dry skin. Marilyn Monroe swore by Vaseline in order to keep it soft and glowy (she reportedly applied it every morning before going into a three-hour bath).
“It was recently given a name and made popular by the Korean skincare world, however growing up with two Black grandmothers I was “slugging” far before it was popular,” explains Tiffany L. Clay, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Atlanta. “I remember my grandmother teaching me when I was very young to apply ointment to my body after I bathed to keep me moisturized all day.”
So, ready to find out the dos and don’ts of slugging and whether it’s something you should try or avoid? Keep scrolling for the dos and don’ts, according to experts.