As a proud winter lover, there are a lot of things about this season that I appreciate.

Whether it’s cosying up with a throw, holding onto a hot cup of tea or taking a crisp morning walk, winter usually brings me nothing but pure joy – except for one thing: dry, cracked lips.

Thankfully, there’s a new trend that may help stop us from constantly slathering on lip products throughout the day in a bid to keep the dryness at bay, and it’s called lip slugging.

What is lip slugging?

Lip slugging has risen in popularity on TikTok, with the term gaining over 807 million views on the app. It’s described as a conditioning treatment to help soothe cracked, dry lips.

It consists of mixing a layer of thin and thick lip products to help the moisture penetrate and repair the skin barrier.

How does lip slugging work?

According to Dr Shah (@dermdoctor), lip slugging involves applying gentle moisturiser to your lips followed by a thick lip ointment or vaseline. The key is to do this before going to bed and then leave the products on your lips overnight.

Skincare chemist April Basi (@aprilbasi) also suggests an alternative lip slugging routine, using an overnight lip mask and vaseline to help hydrate your lips.

“Lips masks, unfortunately, don’t have enough hydrocarbon chains to keep your lips from drying, Vaseline/petrolatum has carbon chains to trap in moisture,” she advises.

Are there any cons to lip slugging?

While lip slugging can be a helpful way to help hydrate your lips during winter, it’s important to acknowledge that dry lips aren’t just a result of cold weather and can be due to other factors, including a lack of vitamins, such as vitamin B9.

Another thing to consider is the type of products used for lip slugging. In a TikTok, dermatologist Dr Lindsay Zubritsky (@dermguru) shared that some chapsticks and lip balms contain fragrances that can cause contact dermatitis, which can irritate lips, highlighting that choosing the right products like vaseline, Aquaphor lip repair or Burts Bees unscented advanced relief balm when lip slugging is key.

While slugging is a craze that has dominated 2022 (hand and body slugging anyone?), lip slugging might be the beauty trend to help our lips get through whatever harsh wintry conditions come our way.

Image: Getty