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What is hair slugging? I tried TikTok's latest viral beauty trend

Hair slugging young asian woman using a towel on wet hair
Is hair slugging the secret to shiny hair? I tried it to find out. (Getty Images)

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If you've spent much time online recently, then you'll know that slugging has become a popular trend to lock in moisture and get a "glass skin" look. In case you're unfamiliar with the technique, it's an intensely moisturizing K-Beauty skincare process that originated in South Korea and involves lathering your face in Vaseline or a petrolatum-based product to help hydrate your skin overnight.

It has been a game-changing technique for my skin, so when hair slugging went viral on TikTok, I knew I had to try the trend too.

What is hair slugging?

The idea is simple: before bed, put a hair serum or oil on your hair, cover with a fuzzy sock to protect ends from friction and damage while you sleep, and you'll hopefully wake up to the shiny hair of your dreams.

Because oiling and hydrating hair has been a part of my South Asian heritage for centuries, the concept didn't feel foreign to me. However, I had never tried wrapping my hair in a fuzzy sock before, so that was a unique twist.

Instead of a hair oil, I used Dove's Hair Therapy 7-in-1 Miracle Mist, which not only works as a serum to treat hair, but has also acts as a heat protectant and styling spray.

Dove Hair Therapy 7-in-1 Miracle Mist

Dove Hair Therapy 7-in-1 Miracle Mist. Image via Shoppers Drug Mart.
Dove Hair Therapy 7-in-1 Miracle Mist. Image via Shoppers Drug Mart.

$11 at Shoppers Drug Mart

The Dove 7-in-1 miracle mist is formulated to help repair, strengthen, and nourish hair. It's great for day-to-day styling to control frizz and smooth hair, but works just as great as an overnight serum for slugging.

Since my hair is prone to breakage, a nourishing serum like this one from Dove is ideal for adding extra hydration overnight. Ingredients like vitamin C and amino serum are just an added bonus to help with repair.

I tried the hair slugging trend using Dove's serum and a fuzzy sock. Here are the after results from slugging overnight.
I tried the hair slugging trend using Dove's serum and a fuzzy sock. Here are the after results from slugging overnight.

My thoughts

I naturally have curly and frizzy hair, but the morning after I tried this haircare method, my hair felt super soft, hydrated, less frizzy and my curls were more defined.

Since the serum is applied in a spray form, I sprayed on quite a bit to make sure it covered all my hair. After putting my hair in the sock, it felt like some of my hair was still wet overnight, which made for a slightly uncomfortable experience.

Also, I used a fuzzy sock according to the trend, but I personally prefer the feel of silk bonnets while sleeping. If I were to try this method again, I might opt for a bonnet rather than a sock, and a more absorbent oil so that my hair wouldn't feel quite so wet.

The final verdict

While I loved the results of hair slugging with the combination of Dove's 7-in-1 miracle mist overnight and the sock, there were some bumps along the way. My hair felt very soft, and looked shinier than ever, but the wetness did take some getting used to while sleeping.

Given that you don't have to use this exact serum (hair slugging can be done with any other serum or oil), if you already have nourishing oil at home I'd suggest giving it a try one night. You may just need to experiment to find the right balance of moisture needed for your own hair.

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