Do you have an annoyingly dry skin that starts flaking, developing marks and itching the moment you forget to hydrate it with countless cooling products? Have you also googled everything you can possibly do to help your case? You must be familiar with slugging then.
Recently, a simple universal trend, followed by a lot of ethnic diversities from all over the world in different capacities, soon found instant attention and praise when it went viral on Reddit. Can you guess what it was?
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Slugging simply refers to coating your face with petroleum or vaseline to keep the moisture levels of your skin intact and prevents water loss to stop your skin from drying out more than it already has. It is popular among people that look after their skin as the final step of a nightly skincare routine.
In other words, the method lets you form a protective barrier on your skin that maintains the balance between keratinocytes and lipids on your face, balancing out its oil production and offering you a breath of comfort every now and then.
Curious to know more? Keep scrolling! Your skin will love you.
What are the advantages of slugging?
So many it is hard to list them, with the most important one being protection! Vaseline is dearly loved by a lot because it truly seals water into the skin, ensuring the hydration isn’t lost to the environment. While that may sound a little too daunting for people with oily skin, it truly is a dream come true for those that suffer from a severe case of dryness.
However, with that being said, while it is good to keep your skin sealed, it should be given breathing periods as well so your body continues to function properly, on a regulatory basis.
All in all, the method is non-irritating, protective and so cheap you have to try it out and dance in glory if it suits your skin!
Does it have any disadvantages?
It is to be noted though that if you have acne-prone, severely sensitive skin, it is HIGHLY recommended that you avoid anything occlusive in addition to petroleum. While dry skin is genuinely in need of hydration, acne is usually an indication of an excess of oil production. An occlusive might worsen it even more.
Avoid it when you easily gain whiteheads and blackheads too.
Slugging is also really good for dry lips and eyelids, by the way.
How often should it be done?
Mostly, the amount of times you do it depends entirely on the requirements of your skin and the weather. The cold months peel off hydration from your skin which makes the method a true savior during those times.
Again, if your skin is severely dry, you might find true relief if you slug at least a few times a week, or daily for a while, and the results will break through the surface of your skin very noticeably too. However, if your skin is oily, you may want to follow it only when you feel like your skin is beginning to dry out.
How to incorporate slugging in your routine?
Phew, Face Cleansing of course!
After you’re done with the day and getting ready for bed, cleanse your face with a hydrating face wash followed by a face scrub first. Look for a face wash that gently cleans and hydrates the skin, is soap-free and enriched with the goodness of ginseng extracts, ceramides and hyaluronic acid. The face wash should cleanse your skin without stripping it off necessary layers, and should also be pH-balanced to help maintain your skin’s natural balance.
Tone it using a toner!
Then it is recommended that you use a toner for a cooling effect. Toners prepare your skin for serums and hydration while also removing excess oil instantly and their spray-ish nature feels as refreshing as being fanned in a sweaty room after a long day of no ventilation.
Hydration via serums and creams
Next, put a fulfilling serum on your face and massage it properly into your skin and apply a moisturizer to make it more effective. A lightweight cream with skin-balancing qualities, hyaluronic acid and ceramides will not only help your skin maintain moisture but also make it glow beautifully.
Time to slug
After you’re done with these steps, simply take some vaseline on your fingertips and layer it on your face. It shouldn’t feel too slimy and greasy, but a little of that would ideally be perfect.
Once you wake up, rinse your face properly and you’ll be surprised by how soft and glowy your skin feels! You can thank us later, of course.
Does it actually work?
While slugging does not have a scientific base to prove its claims, it is sworn to be effective by a huge number of dermatologists constantly familiarizing themselves with the increasing and shifting trends of the world. A few of them even recommend it as a cure to their patients who are dealing with otherwise concerning skin problems.
Though netizens would like to believe it is a relatively new trend, it has been around for a long time and has had multiple benefits that have been felt and noted by its followers publicly enough for them to continue it still. Thus, even the fruitfulness of slugging is universally acknowledged and it is recommended by all beauty experts from all around the globe.
Your personal guard
Slugging holds on to the hydrating products you have used on your skin while keeping other elements such as dust particles or pollutants outside and away, actually safeguarding your skin from deterioration. The method is also recommended to the patients of eczema and psoriasis because of its capability of acquiring commendable results in a short period of time.
It can be your skin’s best friend if used properly in a decent quantity, on a regular basis if that is felt to be necessary.
So have we successfully managed to convince you to become a successful slugger too, then?
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