Can ‘slugging’ cause breakouts?

“My concern with applying a greasy ointment like Vaseline to the face is that, whilst products like this do form a water-tight seal to lock in moisture and are therefore useful for cracked lips and rough or thickened heels, they are also occlusive, meaning that they are likely to block pores on the face,” she says.

As we know, blocked pores can lead to spots.

Dr Kluk continues, “There is a real risk that you could make breakouts worse if you are already prone to acne, or indeed, you may trigger spots even if you don’t normally get them. Dermatologists already know that people who use greasy hair waxes or gels tend to breakout more along the hairline so it is highly likely that ‘slugging’ would do the same to the whole face.”

And that’s before we’ve touched on the havoc that a thick layer of petroleum jelly would wreak on our pillowcase…

So, what else can we do to ensure we wake up with super-soft skin? According to Dr Kluk, it’s simple – and it doesn’t involve sticky sheets.

“If you want plump, well-hydrated skin and you haven’t specifically been advised by a doctor to apply a thick ointment to your face, I would avoid ‘slugging’ in favour of a non-comedogenic moisturiser (a moisturiser that won’t clog your pores). Pair this with a hydrating serum beforehand for an extra moisture boost,” says Dr Kluk.

We recommend trying some of the products below…

Everything you need to know about ‘slugging’, the intriguing new Korean beauty trend