Baby soft, plump, bouncy skin, anyone? When it comes to radiant, glowing, vibrant skin accompanying us through all of our days, we take a firm approach: hydration, hydration, and, you guessed it, hydration.
When our skin barrier is damaged it can lead to dryness, redness, and even inflammation. When our skin barrier is healthy and hydrated, it’s better able to do its job — which means our skin looks and feels plump, smooth, and radiant.
On your quest towards radiant, seriously hydrated skin you may have come across 'slugging' - it's what the cool kids (and dermal therapists) do these days. By definition, slugging is the practice of covering your skin with a petroleum based moisturiser or Vaseline to lock in moisture, and preventing trans-epidermal water loss. Slugging is meant to be the last step in your skincare routine, and does not replace your regular moisturiser, as it seals moisture into your skin rather than delivering it.
Melissa Di Mieri, licensed dermal therapist and aesthetician at IMBIBE, explains:
Your skin is essentially built like a brick wall; your skin cells represent the bricks, which are being held together by the mortar, the lipid barrier of your skin. If your lipid barrier is compromised, the wall will not hold up to environmental stressors, and your skin can feel damaged and sensitive.
Your 3-step routine incorporating slugging:
01. Exfoliate
Apply an exfoliator, such as Collagen Lift onto clean face. Certified organic liquid acid with AHAs, BHAs and probiotics resurface and lift the skin and create a perfect canvas for moisturisers and serums. 14 high performing active botanicals and naturally occurring lactic acid probiotics dissolve acne-causing bacteria to strengthen the skin's protective barrier and actively support a healthy pH. Plant-based AHAs + BHAs gently resurface, exfoliate and refine for brighter, smoother skin overnight.
02. Hydrate
Apply a good moisturiser or moisturising serum, such as Collagen Restore, our intensely hydrating gel-serum that locks in cellular hydration, repairs and restores collagen and reduces the signs of ageing. Soothing cucumber, sea kelp and vitamin C calm inflammation, reduce fine lines and wrinkles and draw hydration into skin to deeply nourish and repair. This step is important as it serves as the basis for successful slugging.
We use a low molecular weight hyaluronic acid that’s small enough to penetrate the top layer of the skin, which can help improve hydration from the underlying skin layers.
03. Slug
Apply a heavy, occlusive moisturiser or oil such as Collage Protect on top of your moisturiser. This clean, certified organic oil-serum does not only lock in the moisture within the skin, but also protects and firms collagen with Golden Sea Kelp, active botanicals, vitamin E and caffeine.
23 high performing active botanicals including essential fatty acids, antioxidants and Australian Golden Kelp protect collagen, hydrate the skin's cells and defend against both environmental, blue light and cellular damage. Caffeine extracts help stimulate microcirculation to the skin's surface, encouraging collagen synthesis and repair for fresh, hydrated, luminous skin.
