The latest skincare trend called “slugging” just might be the answer to our winter skin problems. It involves slathering your face or under-eye area in petroleum jelly at night to lock in your skin care.

This might sound a bit odd considering petroleum jelly is popularly known to be a terrible ingredient for the skin. While this may be true for certain skin types such as oily, sensitive or acne prone, it works amazingly well for those who have trouble retaining moisture.

How to slug:

1. You’ll need a thick, ointment based moisturizer like Vaseline, Aquaphor, CeraVe Healing Ointment.
2. After completing your skincare routine, spread a layer all over your face or a dab for underneath your eyes.
3. Go to sleep and wake up with super moisturized, plump skin.

Board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Lindsey Zubritsky shares that when using this method for your entire face, only a “very thin layer” should be used. She also suggests completely avoiding slugging if your skincare routine includes products with active ingredients, such as alpha-hydroxy acids, retinoids, retinols, etc. Slugging can cause sensitivity and irritation by locking those intense ingredients into your skin when they wouldn’t be otherwise.

So if you have dry skin and don’t use anything with active ingredients, happy slugging!