Aura Skin Clinic - Visakhapatnam: November 2022

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

SLUGGING THIS WINTER.....Is this trend for you? Reviewed by Dr. Sravani Sandhya Aura Skin & Hair Clinic Visakhapatnam.

What is slugging?

As the name suggests the slimy mucus trail the snails and slugs leave behind as they move is what gives this trend it name!! I'm sure you have all heard of this K-Beauty trend over the last couple of years.

It is a trend where you generously apply a petroleum based product as the final step in your skin care routine which in turn helps lock and seal in your skin care products overnight and then wash it off with a cleanser the next day.

Petroleum jelly is a simple and very occlusive ointment which means it forms a protective layer on the surface of your skin in turn helps seal in hydration and keep your skin from drying out.

Benefits of slugging

The protective barrier that petroleum jelly creates on your skin acts as a barrier that keeps water from evaporating from the surface of your face. The potential benefits of this could be:

Moisturizes: The retained hydration can fill the epidermis like a sponge, thickening it and making it more pliable and elastic.

Protects: The barrier keeps water in and keeps unwanted particles out thus preventing them from entering the skin and causing irritation or an immune reaction.

Repairs damage: If your skin is dehydrated, a coating of petroleum jelly at night can help prevent further water loss from the skin and allow it to repair itself.

How often should you do slugging?

Rule number one of skincare is to always be aware of your skin's health and needs. As far as the frequency goes it is best to listen to your skin. If you have skin that tends to be dry, you may benefit from slugging daily. Those that have oily skin or acne prone skin should consider slugging less or not at all. Slugging might make breakouts much worse.

What type of products should you avoid when slugging?

We advice against the use of active ingredients and exfoliants such as alpha hydroxy acids or beta hydroxy acids or retinoids. When trapped the concentration of these chemicals can increase leading to unpredictable results on the skin. Slugging is best paired with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid. Slugging does not hydrate the skin but rather traps the moisturizing products that you have applied prior.

How to do it

Slugging is pretty straightforward. Here are the steps to follow to incorporate it into your night time skin care routine.

1. Prep your skin

Slugging should only be done on clean skin, so start your evening routine with cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing. Avoid AHAs, BHAs and retinoids.

2. Apply only a small amount of petroleum jelly

Petroleum jelly is thick and goopy, so you only need a tiny bit — and you don’t necessarily need to put it on your entire face. You can apply it only to the thinnest and driest parts of the face, like your eyelids and your lips.

3. Wait 30 minutes before bed

Give yourself about half an hour before bedtime as it will give your products enough time to settle down. You might want to cover your pillowcase with a towel inorder to prevent it from getting sticky and you might also want to cover your hair to avoid it from sticking onto your face.

4. Sleep on it

A good night’s sleep is beneficial for overall skin health.

5. In the morning, wash your face

Make sure you cleanse your face once you wake up in order to get rid of any dust and grime stuck as well as anything that has been trapped inside the petroleum jelly barrier. Choose an appropriate cleanser.

Who shouldn’t try slugging

Slugging isn’t right for everyone and should be practiced with alot of care and restraint. People with oily skin, acne prone skin should not do it. If you have any infection or open wound skip slugging as it may make the condition worse and hamper healing.

Aura Skin & Hair Clinic is a top rated cosmetologist and Medi-Skin care clinic in Vizag.

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