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At this point, we all know we can’t believe everything we see on social media — and TikTok in particular is full of bad health advice. But if you’ve been wondering about trying the skin care routine known as slugging, which recently caught traction on the platform, we’ve got good news for you: This one could actually revolutionize your skin.

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Dermatologist Amy Kassouf, MD, explains the benefits of this viral trend, which is actually a much older trend that’s just now making its social media debut.

You know the slimy mucus trail that snails and slugs leave behind as they move? Yeah, it’s kind of like that — and it’s actually what gives slugging its name.

Slugging is basically the process of slathering your face with petroleum jelly overnight. Social media skin care gurus claim it has given them a gorgeous glow. So, how does it work?

“Petroleum jelly is a simple and very occlusive ointment,” Dr. Kassouf says. That means that it forms a protective layer on the surface of your skin — and that protective layer, in turn, helps seal in hydration and keep your skin from drying out.

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. Dr. Kassouf explains why this can be so good for your skin.

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

“Slugging should only be done on clean skin, so start your evening routine with cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing,” Dr. Kassouf advises. Avoid skin care products with ingredients like alpha-hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids and retinoids, which can irritate your skin once they get trapped beneath the petroleum jelly barrier.

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.

Give yourself about half an hour before hopping into the sack, which will give your products time to settle and start to sink in. During this time, you may want to put a towel over your pillowcase to protect it and slip into a nightcap (the hair kind, not the cocktail kind) to keep your hair from sticking to your skin overnight.

This step is pretty self-explanatory. Get a good night’s sleep, which is also beneficial for your skin (not to mention your overall health).

You should always wash your face when you wake up, and in this case, it will help get rid of anything that’s stuck to the goopy petroleum jelly overnight, too. “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.

Choose your cleanser to match your skin’s needs. “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.”

Dr. Kassouf says that if you’re going to try slugging, make sure you’re using pure petroleum jelly (Vaseline®) or petroleum jelly with only minimal additional ingredients, like Aquaphor® and CeraVe®. They both include ceramides and hyaluronic acid.

Slugging isn’t right for everyone. Dr. Kassouf explains what skin types and conditions should avoid it.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

The viral skin care routine known as slugging, or slathering your face with petroleum jelly overnight, could actually revolutionize your skin. A dermatologist explains.