Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you’ve likely heard about all the buzz surrounding the viral skincare trend called “slugging”. And while at first glance this word kind of brings our minds to the thought of putting snails across our faces, the act of “slugging” your skin does not actually involve any insects (fioufff). Now that that’s out of the way, hear us out, babe. There’s definitely some merit to this TikTok craze. We’ve gone ahead and done all the research and legwork to bring you everything you need to know about the latest skincare trend: Slugging it!

What in the world is “slugging”?

Well babe, to put it simply, slugging is the act of covering your face in petroleum jelly as the very last step in your nighttime skincare routine. The trend has mainly gone viral with the use of Vaseline (🙅🏻‍♀️ dont use it!), which acts as a sealant on top of all your skincare products. Essentially, babes everywhere are flocking to this trend for its ability to make your products work better by sealing them in and for the increased hydration slugging provides to the skin. 

How often should I “slug it”?

When it comes to determining how frequently you should slug, every babe is different. We recommend listening to your skin and assessing whether you need this additional layer of moisture on the daily.

Some dry-skinned babes may benefit from performing the slugging routine on a nightly basis, while oilier skin types may prefer to only add this step in 1-2 times a week. If you are smackdab in the middle of a breakout, many experts recommend avoiding the slug as it can cause further irritation. This trend is however safe for sensitive skin that has no open wounds or severe acne lesions.

If you’re new to this trend, consider slowly incorporating slugging into your nighttime routine once a week to start. Then, work your way up to a few more times a week as you see fit. As with any skincare trend or new addition to your beauty ritual; listen, observe, and tailor it to your needs. We all have different skin health needs, and these can even change throughout the year (think season changes, bodily changes, and all the other elements that can sometimes make our skincare needs shift).

Are there any real benefits to oiling up my face with an oil every night?

We know that slugging looks like, well, one greasy mess. But the truth is that there are several benefits to it (and therefore looking like a bit of a greaseball before bed might be totally worth it in the end, we promise). We did a little digging and were surprised at what we found. Check out the main upsides of slugging that we can definitely get behind:

Slugging locks in and seals your cleanser, toner, serums, and creams. This is one of the biggest reasons why beauty junkies absolutely adore slugging. After applying an intense nighttime skincare routine, sealing it all in feels totally satisfying. And with consistent use, the benefits are truly noticeable. The key to making slugging work for you, is to use products in your routine that are loaded with nourishing ingredients. This way, you are locking in formulas that will improve your skin’s texture, prevent signs of aging, or get rid of breakouts – whatever your skincare concern may be!

Slugging adds an additional layer of moisture to your skin, making it plump and hydrated in the morning. You might go to bed looking like a slimy, well, slug. However, you’ll wake up in the morning feeling *way* moisturized. Adding this extra layer of hydration is especially excellent for dry-skinned babes and can even help treat skin conditions like eczema. In fact, if you’re someone who loves to layer on some extra facial lotion in the cold winter months, you may have already been slugging it with your skincare routine all along. Consider adding this step in whenever you feel like your skin is parched and needs it!

Slugging helps build and strengthen your skin’s natural moisture barrier. And babe, there is a science behind this. Here’s how it works: your skin houses these little things called “lipids”. These guys reinforce your moisture barrier which (drum roll please) helps it lock in moisture. Without these fabulous lipids, your face would essentially dry up due to transepidermal water loss. Slugging on a nightly basis ensures that you are strengthening these lipids and therefore ensures that your cute face is hanging on to the moisture it needs to be healthy. In a nutshell, that added layer of hydration can indeed make your skin stronger in the long run. Pretty impressive, right?

Since Vaseline is full of nasty ingredients, which alternative products can I use to properly “slug” my face?  

If the thought of applying Vaseline to your cute face sends chills down your spine (as it does for us), don’t sweat it. You can apply the same principles of slugging to your nighttime skincare routine, all while using products that aren’t necessarily petroleum jelly based. And of course, you can still get fab results. Better even, if you consider the health benefits of natural ingredients vs. partreoleum-based ones.

Instead of petroleum rich ointments, you can choose to opt for a rich night cream or even a facial oil that will create a healthy moisture barrier similarly to how Vaseline does. What’s more, by reaching for a cream or facial oil alternative you are nourishing your skin with even more beneficial ingredients. Because as moisturizing as Vaseline is, it's full of nasty chemicals and toxins that have NO BUSINESS resting on skin. What's more, vasaline simply doesn’t pack all the upsides of say, a luscious hyaluronic acid night cream. All you need to do is be generous with the amount of cream or oil that you choose to apply in order to really create that slimy but oh-so-good moisture barrier. After that, drift off to sleep and let the morning results speak for themselves.

Alright, I’m sold on the art of slugging! What is the perfect nightly routine to get me started?

We’re so glad you asked, girlfriend. You can stick to your regular nighttime skincare routine and simply wrap it up with your slugging product of choice on top. However, if you’re looking for a revamp of your current ritual, we’ve got you covered. We especially love this routine below when it comes to the slugging beauty trend. Mainly because it locks in a slew of nourishing Vitamins and ingredients that do wonders for any skin type.

Step 1: First thing’s first: you need a clean canvas. Get rid of any impurities by cleansing your skin with an antioxidant-packed cleanser. You know, something like BBE’s superfruit cleansers. If you really want to go the extra mile in getting your face squeaky clean, try using either of these guys with the help of a konjac sponge. This will ensure your skin is free of any dry patches without breaking down your natural moisture barrier. Oh and, it mimics a spa-like massage when used in a gentle circular motion (which in our books, sure doesn’t hurt).

Step 2: Follow up with a toner that boasts only the best brightening ingredients. BBE’s Hyperactive Vitamin C toner is just the ticket and is loaded with antioxidant rich ingredients like apple fruit cell culture, green tea, white tea and hyaluronic acid. The brightening, hydrating and anti-aging benefits these guys boast are exactly what you want to lock in with your nightly slugging routine.

Step 3: Next up, you’ll want to nourish your skin with a lightweight serum. BBE has a *ton* of impressive options when it comes to serums, but for this routine, we are loving our new Bakuchiol-packed gem. This serum is a more natural alternative to retinol, which does wonders for fine lines, uneven skin tone, and pores. Regular retinol can actually be irritating for many babes, especially when trying to use it in conjunction with a slugging routine.   

Step 4: After serum comes moisturizer, babe. We prefer using lightweight formulas for this routine to prevent any pilling and to avoid feeling like you have way too many products on your face. Something like BBE’s oil control moisturizer is perfect pre-slug because it absorbs super easily into the skin. What’s more, it contains soothing aloe vera and Vitamin C packed cranberry extract, as part of an ingredient lineup that is worth sealing off with a nightly slug.  

Step 5: Finally, the step of all steps. The step you’ve been waiting for: the slug. Since a clean beauty slug foregoes Vaseline, here are 2 products we think work even better and that will give you unreal results. For our best life slugging ritual, we like to reach for our Hyaluronic Acid Night Cream and/or our Glowing & Radiant Facial Oil. If you choose to go all out and use both, just be sure to use the facial oil as your last step. Trust us babe, these two skincare heroes will have you waking up with glass-like skin in no time.

Look at you, slugging it like a TikTok star (or a skincare pro!)

It’s really that easy, sis. All you need to do is reach for your slugging product of choice and you can then easily incorporate this step into your existing nighttime routine. We love this trend for the many benefits it has for even the most sensitive of skin types. What’s more, we think it is the perfect addition to a winter routine when season changes can cause your cute face to need a little more hydration. Whether you turn into a weekly slugger or a nightly one, we think every babe can benefit from this popular new skincare step.  

Let us know down below if you’ve ever slugged it and what you think about this viral trend. Is slugging making your skin look like a glass dream in the morning? You know, despite the (slug-like) messiness the night before? We want to hear all about it, you skincare queen you.

BRB, off to slug on some BBE cream!

Carey <3