✓ LEGITSkincare
Slugging (Overnight Occlusion)
Petrolatum is the most effective occlusive available and the trend uses it correctly — on a compromised or dry barrier, over a humectant, at night.
Also called: slugging · vaseline overnight · petrolatum face
Verdict — legit
Does what it claims, with evidence behind it.
Evidence grade B
At least one good randomised trial, or consistent findings across controlled studies.
Mechanism
Petrolatum reduces transepidermal water loss by more than 98%, holding water in the stratum corneum long enough for barrier lipid synthesis to catch up.
Citations
- Petrolatum: barrier repair and antimicrobial responses underlying this 'inert' moisturizerJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology · 2016
- Comparison of occlusive agents and transepidermal water lossJournal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 1992
The full read
One of the rare viral skincare trends that is simply right. Petrolatum's occlusive performance is unmatched and it is close to non-comedogenic in its pure form, contrary to the folklore. Two real caveats. It occludes whatever is underneath it, so slugging over a retinoid or an acid drives penetration up and burns are common — apply it over a bland moisturiser, not over actives. And acne-prone or very oily skin does sometimes flare, usually from the products trapped beneath rather than the petrolatum itself. Cheap, boring, works.
Photo: Petroleum jelly by Vi-Jon Laboratories.jpg by Kgw1226 · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
