Slugging: The K-Beauty Trend Of Coating The Face in Vaseline #Slugging #KBeauty #Beauty #Skincare

(product photo courtesy of www.vaseline.com) 

Slugging: The K-Beauty Trend Of Coating The Face in Vaseline

This morning I read about a very interesting beauty trend. First I saw it in a French article http://bit.ly/38XTjba that someone had posted on Twitter and then I read an article on Byrdie. It is apparently where you take a small amount of Vaseline and coat your face with it in an attempt to prevent TEWL (transepidermal water loss) and to preserve the natural moisture barrier (NMB) of the skin. This trend is a very popular K-Beauty trend and has popped up on TikTok in recent weeks, so much that it has garnered over 200,000 views. 

I have always known that coating one's face in an occlusive like Vaseline can help prevent moisture loss from the skin, but is it good for all skin types? Actually, yes it is. Is it going to cause any acne? No, it will not. Vaseline is non-comedogenic and the only thing is that it might make you feel like you have an Crisco on your face, especially if you already have oily skin. That is why you would only need a small amount, the size of a dime (if even that much). Is it something you definitely need to be doing? It depends on your skin type. 

This is probably better left to those with normal, dry or very dry skin. Also, make sure you finish all of your other skincare first too. Finally, this would be the last step in your skincare regimen. Once the occlusive goes on there nothing else is going to be able to penetrate, so do all of your essences, serums, hydrators and moisturizers first. 

And for the record, Vaseline isn't the only occlusive that would work in this case. Aquaphor or CeraVe Healing Ointment would actually be better choices. Especially the latter, as it already has hyaluronic acid, panthenol and ceramides in it. If you have extremely dry skin, those ingredients are going to be what you need to attract water to the skin and soothe/heal the dryness anyway. Aquaphor can be used if you cannot find the CeraVe Healing Ointment (in a pinch). But it doesn't have the ceramides in it. Aquaphor also has lanolin in it, and that can be comedogenic in some people. 

According the the Byrdie article, dermatologists think that slugging is a great idea, as it helps dry skin and keeps the natural moisture barrier intact. What you are essentially doing by slugging is helping to hold onto the dead skin cells (keratinocytes) to the stratum corneum (upper layer of the epidermis) and any lipids that you have or have placed into the skin, thus creating a way for them to help repair the NMB. Lipids are fatty acids that glue the keratinocytes to the skin. When there is a lack of lipids in the NMB, then TEWL occurs. Vaseline (or any other occlusive) can actually help fix this. 

So, if you want to go ahead and try this trend, then have at it. Just don't use too much Vaseline (or another occlusive) and make sure you have used all of your other products first. In the morning wash off the remainder of what is left on the skin and you will find that your skin will be softer, more supple and definitely more hydrated. 

Until Next Time~

Marie Papachatzis

I Am THE Makeup Junkie

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