1. Prep your skin
“Slugging should only be done on clean skin, so start your evening routine with cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing,” Dr. Kassouf advises. It is best to steer clear of skin care products with ingredients like alpha-hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids and retinoids. These ingredients can irritate your skin once they get trapped beneath the petroleum jelly barrier.
2. Apply a small amount of petroleum jelly
Again, if you think back to getting greased up with vaseline as a child, you probably remember how thick and goopy it is in texture. Because of this, a little goes a long way. In fact, you may not even need to apply it on you entire face. Start by applying it only to the thinnest and driest parts of the face, like your eyelids and your lips.
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3. Wait 30 minutes before bed
Give yourself about half an hour before hopping into the sack. This gives your products time to settle and sink in. Have a towel handy to put over your pillowcase to protect it from getting greasy. Ladies, this is also where your bonnet/ head scarf will come in handy as it will prevent your hair from sticking to your skin as you sleep.
4. Sleep on it
Now comes the easy part: letting your skincare products do all the work while you get a good night’s rest. Not to mention, sleeping is beneficial for our skin.
5. In the morning, wash your face
This step probably comes as a no-brainer anyway, but washing your face will help get rid of anything that’s stuck to the goopy petroleum jelly overnight. “Cleansing is important because the skin is a living organ that has dead skin cells, oils and bacteria that need to be able to slough off,” Dr. Kassouf says.
Choosing the right cleaser is also important. “Soap is an excellent emulsifier, but it can also be drying,” Dr. Kassouf notes. “Some of the gentler but foaming cleansers are probably best if you have the type of sensitive skin that is benefitting from slugging.”
Slugging has benefits and risks so it may be wise to speak with a dermatologist beforehand to ensure it is safe for your skin. Additionally, you shouldn’t try slugging if you have the following skin types:
- Oily skin: “Skin that is oily already has an adequate or even too-robust lipid layer and does not need the extra addition of lipid to the surface,” Dr. Kassouf adds.
- Acne-prone: In this case, what’s true for oily skin is true for acne-prone skin. Slugging could actually make your acne worse, not better.
- Infected skin: If you have any sort of infection or open wound, skip slugging. “It may not allow the infection to clear,” Dr. Kassouf warns.