If you have been on Tiktok for a while and are a skincare enthusiast, you have probably seen people using the term ‘Slugging’ quite often. This skincare hack started trending last year only, however, it has been there for a long time. Whether you are looking forward to ‘Slugging’ or just want to know what’s up with the beauty community these days, this article is for you. Keep on scrolling to know more about this viral hack.

What’s the deal with ‘Slugging’?

Slugging is the term used to describe the act of locking in the nighttime skincare routine with the help of an occlusive. This involves using any petroleum-based product such as Vaseline or Aquaphor as the last step in your skincare routine to create a barrier on top of your skin, prevent trans epidermal water loss (TEWL), and keep moisture in place. Although this technique is mainly used for the face, it can also be beneficial for the body, lips, knees, and other body parts.

Are there any benefits to Slugging your face?

The reason why this hack became immensely popular among people, irrespective of their age, is the instant results. When done correctly, people noticed they woke up with super hydrated and moisturized skin. Let’s take a look at what more benefits this technique can offer.

• It strengthens the skin barrier: Slugging involves using occlusives on the skin as a protectant. If you have over exfoliated your skin or damaged the skin, slugging can help you heal.
• It prevents water loss: Occlusives create a barrier on the skin and make it hard for any product to escape, even water (99%) for that matter.
• It locks in hydration: Slugging is the last step so it makes sure everything applied before is sealed. Those who suffer from dry, flaky skin can highly benefit from this method.
• It soothes and softens the skin: Petroleum provides intense moisturization and also relieves and soothes the skin from any sort of irritation or redness.

This seems intense, how to slug the right way to get the maximum results?

You must follow a proper skin care regime to get the most of Slugging. Here’s how to do it:

• Your first step should be cleansing your skin. Since the main goal of slugging is to provide intense moisture, make sure to use a gentle and hydrating cleanser like our Daily Duet Face Wash to wash off all the dirt and makeup.
• Apply a hydrating toner and follow it up with an antioxidant serum like our C For Yourself Vitamin C Serum. This will make sure to treat your skin as well as hydrate it.
• Next up is using a lightweight moisturizer like our Ceramide Supercream, a hydrating and barrier repair formula.
• Lastly, finish off by applying a thin layer of vaseline or any other petroleum-based ointment.

Things to note before you try this viral hack!

1. People who have super dry, dehydrated, flaky, mature, irritated skin with damaged skin barrier can try slugging whenever the skin demands it. Those with extreme blackheads, oily and acne-prone skin can avoid it.
2. Quite contrary to popular belief, occlusive based products, even petroleum, do not clog your pores. In fact, it can calm it down.
3. Ensure you have cleansed your skin well before because everything (even dirt, if any) is sealed in Slugging.
4. It is recommended not to slug on nights when you have used retinoids so as not to increase its potency.
5. Only slug on nights and areas of the face when you have to! Always listen to what your skin has to say.

Beauty comes from inside- metaphorically and physically. While topical skincare is the go to for results that are instant and show visibly, there are ways to double down on their benefits. Food habits and lifestyles have a great influence on our external appearance and overall health. Ingestible skincare refers to supplements and daily food you can intake to overall improve your skin and hair internally.

Often the daily food and nutrition are not entirely absorbed by the body and in such situations, we need some extra boost. Ingestible skincare products like supplements come into action at such a point. But do not skip keeping some amazing topical skincare products in your stash because their use along with supplements will give the perfect radiance.

Best Ingestible skincare and vitamins

We have shared the best and safest ingestible skincare products. Let us find out about their benefits and how they can help your skin:

1. Collagen

Collagen supplements are a must-have skin savior that is known for delaying skin aging. It is a protein already produced in our body but over the years its production gets reduced. This is when additional supplements are required. They are available in the form of collagen peptide pills and powders. Apart from ingestible collagen, you can also try out a topical application too.

2. Vitamin C

It is a collagen booster and producer that prevents the breakdown of your body’s collagen further. Today it is a powerful ingredient in many skincare serums and creams today. It works as an antioxidant that also helps to prevent the formation of free radicals that is caused by UV damage as well as from pollution. It is available as gummies and tablets in the market. This supplement is also used in our C For Yourself Face Serum. It contains L ascorbic acid which is the most potent and purest form of Vitamin C that is perfect for brightening your skin and reducing acne marks.

3. Vitamin B

Vitamin B is available in various forms like thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), Niacinamide (B3), biotin (B7) etc. Among these, in the present days, Niacinamide or B3 is a raging ingredient in many cosmetics available. It is the vitamin that helps to maintain the natural skin barrier function, reduce dryness and soothe skin irritation. It also increases lipids or ceramides to maintain skin moisture. There are ingestible supplements as well as topical products available in the market. If you are looking to add Niacinamide in your skincare topically, opt for products with a low concentration as we offer at Foxtale in our Cover Up Sunscreen.

4. Omega 3 Fatty Acids

The benefits of fish oil are widely discussed and considered one of the best ways to nourish your skin and hair internally. We get the benefits from the various daily foods we intake. But we can also take it directly as a supplement like capsules. Moreover, this is not produced by our body internally, thus requiring us to get the benefits from external sources.

The benefits of ingestible skincare are essential for all to maintain the natural beauty and overall health of our skin and hair. So, boost up your topical skincare further by nourishing your body internally with the help of such supplements.

Oils are beauty saviors in many different forms. There are different types of oils we can use to nourish our skin and hair. Amongst these, olive oil is one ingredient that has gained the reputation of being a miracle oil. So much so that it is known as JLo’s liquid gold secret for flawless skin.

Olive oil prevents signs of premature skin aging and sun damage. It contains antioxidants that also fight against free radical damage. From hair to skin and even eyebrows and eyelashes, olive oil has numerous benefits. Let us find out more about the amazing benefits of the product and learn more about how we at Foxtale make the most of this ingredient.

Benefits of Olive Oil for Skin

The following are some of the benefits of using olive oil or olive oil-infused skincare products:

1. It prevents water loss

Olive oil moisturizes the skin and prevents water loss and ensures you stay hydrated. The moisturization provided by olive oil keeps the skin supple and hydrated enough. Overall the health and appearance of your skin are improved from daily use of olive oil-infused products. One of the best olive-oil infused products to use daily is Our Ceramide Supercream. It contains hydrogenated olive oil unsaponifiables which is almost four times more effective than squalene, a well-known ingredient to soothe and moisturize the skin.

2. It has healing properties

Olive oil is very effective in reducing minor scarring and marks from wounds or acne over time. The triterpenes present in olive oil in abundance improve cell migration, cell proliferation and collagen deposition. All these are important stages of healing any wound. Thus, wounds close much faster with daily usage of olive oil.

3. It removes makeup effectively

Olive oil is a gentle alternative to your regular, drying makeup remover as it helps to break down those tough, waxy makeup residue easily. Thus, removing mascara and eyeliners are particularly easy using olive oil-infused products. Our Daily Duet Face Wash contains hydrogenated olive oil and is your best friend when it comes to removing makeup as well as cleansing your skin gently. The hydrating formula and skin-loving ingredients make sure to keep the natural oils close and dirt and grime away from your skin.

4. It Prevents premature Aging

Prevention of aging is perhaps one of the most significant benefits of olive oil that attract many of us, irrespective of age. The oil is rich in vitamins A, D, K, and E as well as squalene. All these together help to reduce oxidative stress on the skin. Thus, it prevents the acceleration of skin aging over the years.

Olive oil has been used for skincare and beauty for many years now. These days, you can find more advanced products that are infused with the purest and the best version of the oil that nourishes the skin thoroughly. Enjoy flawless skin and beauty for years to come by including this miracle oil in your daily skincare routine.

Imagine this: You went on a few dates with this person and at first it was all butterflies in the stomach and you thought you loved them. But then, you hit rock bottom and you realize the relationship isn’t working out anymore! This is exactly what might happen with your skincare routine or products as well. They may stop working or worse, make you break out after a while. But why does this happen? Let’s find out the reasons why your skincare isn’t working and what you can do to fix it.

Reasons why your skincare is no longer working

1 Your skin has become used to it

When you start using a new product and it works by giving you a radiant and healthy glow, you continue to use it religiously to attain those results. But then once your skin is adapted to that glow and has reached its optimum level, you feel like it’s not working anymore. This may sound weird at first but it’s very common among people. Here, you don’t necessarily have to toss out your skincare! You can keep them aside for some time and try something else. Also, it’s a good idea to change your products every few months to keep the spark alive.

2 It may be the changing weather

The weather conditions and the environmental factors play a pivotal role in influencing your skincare routine. When humidity levels are low, even oily skin types can experience dryness and dehydration. As a result, this can lead you to think that your lightweight moisturizer isn’t cutting it anymore and you may find the need to add hydrating serums and heavier creams to banish the dryness. Hence, switching up your skincare routine and products according to the weather is necessary.

If you are confused about whether you should wear a lightweight moisturizer or facial oil on a certain day, consider the clothing you are going to pick on that day! If you feel like wearing light, breathable fabric, go for a lightweight moisturizer and sunscreen. If you reach out for woolen clothing, it’s time to up your moisturizing routine.

3 Your skincare may be close to its expiry

If it has been a while since you have been applying your Vitamin C serum but it has suddenly stopped showing results like before, you must know that it may be close to its expiry. Has your Vitamin C serum changed its color from transparent to yellowish? If it has it’s time to toss it out because it is oxidized and no longer of use.

Expired or contaminated skincare can do more harm than good to your skin. It may even sensitize your skin and damage your skin barrier. Hence, do check your products expiration because that’s the reason it’s not working!

4 You might be using too many new products at one time

If you have introduced a few new products in your skincare routine and you haven’t gotten any results from them, you may think that they aren’t working for you. However, you should know that new skincare takes time to get accustomed to your skin and show results. Give them a fair chance and you may be surprised how well they work for you.

5 There might be too much buildup

Do not expect your skincare to work on your skin if you don’t remove your makeup before sleeping! Cleaning your skin well before applying any skincare is crucial or the build-up will not let your skincare penetrate and work its magic.

The key to cleansing your skin properly is double-cleansing. It makes sure you have a clean slate to work on. You can double cleanse your skin by using an oil/balm cleanser at first and then wash it off with your regular face wash. However, if you want a product that does the job of both, our Daily Duet Face Wash is your perfect match! It can remove your stubborn makeup and deeply cleanse your skin without being harsh. The mindful and skin-loving ingredients don't strip off the natural oils of your face, moreover, they make you look brighter after use.

6 You may not be layering your skincare correctly

No matter how expensive or good products you own and use, if you do not layer them correctly, they won’t be effective. The general rule of thumb is applying your skincare products from thinnest to thickest. This means the lightweight, watery formulation comes first and your heavy, occlusive formulation comes last. Also, don’t just slather products one after the other, give a few, at least 30 seconds, to let the products absorb.

7 Your skin (or hormones) may be changing

Stress, pregnancy, diet, medical conditions or any other lifestyle change can be a triggering point for your hormones, and this can lead you to think that your skincare isn’t working anymore. The best way to deal with this is by identifying the reason for your hormonal changes. If it’s stress, meditation and healthy food can help, but if it’s a medical condition, switching your skincare routine is your best bet.