Body Slugging + Why You Should Try It

As the winter weather is slowly being left behind us, getting ready for sunnier days and recovering from the winter nasties has taken priority. If cold weather has dried your skin and sucked any of the moisture from your skin, body slugging might just save you. The TikTok trend promises to give you super soft and ultra hydrated skin all ready for summer. So, lets get into it.

What is Body Slugging?

Originating from Korean beauty, slugging is a skincare technique which involved applying a petroleum jelly, like Vaseline, over moisturised skin in order to lock in moisture and protect the skin barrier. The method went TikTok viral for facial skincare but has evolved into fully body at home treatment designed to prevent transepidermal water loss while strengthening the skin barrier.

The word slugging refers to the after-state of the technique as applying the Vaseline over normal skincare looks similar to that of a shiny slugs trail, therefore 'slugging'.

Why should you try body slugging?

It's super affordable as the only product you are adding to your body care routine is Vaseline or another petroleum based jelly. It wont affect your other products, as the jelly layers over other oils in creams and lotions your usual products won't stop what they're intended to do.

Its's ultra moisturising and should leave your skin softer, brighter and plumper. As you are sealing in your moisturisers to prevent water loss, you are left with a greater level of hydration in your skin. The intense level of hydration can reduse fine lines and wrinkles to give your skin a plumper and younger feel.

This can also soothe skin as the jelly can slow and prevent irritation while making your products work better. Products that contain hydrating ingredients like Vitamin E or glycerin will be more effective on your skin.

When is the best time to body slug?

Nighttime. In order to utilise the full benefit of body slugging, your body needs time to absorb the products and, for lack of a better word, marinate in them. This means that the 8 hours of beauty rest is the perfect time to test out slugging.

How should you body slug?

Before applying the protective sealant layer of Vaseline, you need to hydrate the skin to be able to get the highest level of moisture. It's the same as face slugging, but extends to the entire body with any pyjamas or bedsheets soaking up excess.

As everybody's skin is different and has different requirements, adjustments are super necessary based on your skin's sensitivity and other factors such as dryness. Drier skin may been thicker or multiple layers of moisturiser and vaseline to work as well as someone with oilier skin.

To ensure that body slugging works that absolute best it can for your body, start with freshly cleansed skin and moisturise your body as normal. You can layer different lotions together for this to maximise the effects of the technique. After, add a thin layer of Vaseline to secure in the hydration. Remember you don't need tons of product for this as sometimes by adding too much you can risk clogging your pores which won't give the desired effect.

After waking up, make sure to wash off and remove any of the remanning residue on the skin. Also wash any post-application bedsheets or clothes you went to bed in to prevent residue transfer! You should have woken up to glowing and hydrated skin.