What Is Hair Slugging? 

Wondering how to restore your hair’s natural hydration and help alleviate the dilemma of lifeless, dull hair? Well, social media has answered our prayers with a popular haircare trend known as hair slugging. 

What is hair slugging? Adapted from the famous TikTok Korean skincare trend, skin slugging, hair slugging is the process of applying a hydrating or nourishing haircare treatment to the hair and wrapping it up to help protect it and allow the products to sink in and absorb overnight.  

If you need a new haircare routine to revive dry, damaged hair, follow our extensive guide on all things hair slugging, including how to slug hair and what products will help you achieve the best results. 

Does hair slugging work? 

Whenever a new beauty trend pops up, along with the hype comes a certain amount of scepticism about its effectiveness. While every person is different depending on their hair type, condition, and routine, the concept behind hair slugging is fairly simple and, for the most part, seems beneficial for most people. 

First, the kind of hair slugging product you use is totally up to you and should cater to your personal preferences. While some prefer a light oil, others with dry or brittle hair might opt for a treatment with a rich consistency to coat and penetrate the hair. Whether you have thick or fine hair, every hair types can benefit from a little added treatment every now and then. 

Aside from the treatment type, a key aspect of hair slugging is hair wrapping. Using a hair slugging sock or a silk scarf to wrap your hair is proven to reduce friction and help minimise hair breakage during the night, leaving you with a healthier, shinier head of hair. 

How to slug hair 

While the term hair slugging may seem foreign to some, learning how to slug hair is actually a relatively easy and straightforward process with only a few steps. Though it’s a simple solution to dry hair, hair slugging seems to have yielded amazing results.

Apply a hair treatment 

Start by finding a hair product that works well for you. The most popular hair slugging products seem to be oils, like our nutriplenish™ multi-use hair oil, or hair masks, like our nutriplenish™ masque light moisture. Apply the product from around mid-way to the ends of the hair; focus the product on the ends of the hair.

Wrap hair 

Next, use a hair slugging sock (which is just a regular sock but for the purpose of hair slugging) or a silk scarf and wrap it around your hair. Use a silk scrunchie to secure it in place, so it stays put during the night. Leave it on overnight. 

Wash hair 

This step is optional and will depend on how your hair responds to treatments. If you use oil or if your hair has absorbed most of the product, brush out your hair and style it as usual. For those who use a thicker hair slugging product, like a hair mask or butter, or notice some residue or clumpiness in the morning, wash out the product before proceeding with your hair styling. 

Frequency 

This depends on your hair type, but it’s best to avoid hair slugging every night. This can strip your hair of its natural oils and actually have the opposite effect of what you’re looking for. If you have dry, frizzy or damaged hair, try repeating this process 2-3 times a week for optimal results. For those with oilier hair, you want to avoid over-moisturising your hair, so give your hair a pick-me-up and try hair slugging once a week. 

The best hair slugging products

For those with fine, oily hair types, avoid heavy oils or thick hair masks, as these may weigh your hair down. Instead, we’d recommend a lighter oil that hydrates the hair without resulting in an build-up of residue. For fine hair, the best oil for hair slugging is lightweight and moisturising, like our dry remedy™ daily moisturizing oil. Containing certified organic buriti oil, it instantly hydrates dry hair and is perfect for slugging fine hair. 

For deeper hydration, particularly for those with thick, brittle hair, you’ll need a heavier-duty hair slugging product. Try a thick oil or a moisturising hair mask, like our nutriplenish™ masque deep moisture or our botanical repair™ intensive strengthening masque: rich. Both hair masks offer deep hydration, helping to restore damaged hair and providing the ultimate silky shine. You’re bound to wake up after a night of hair slugging with soft, luscious locks.  

There are countless tips and trends that constantly emerge that claim to transform your hair, but only once in a while does one completely take the beauty community by storm. The popularity of hair slugging is no doubt a result of its effectiveness, but more importantly, how easy it is to do. The minimal input for optimal output is what makes it such an appealing treatment. If you’re keen on hair hydration, discover our tips on how to customise your dry hair routine with nutriplenish™. 

Hair - @amykirkpatrickhair
Model - @siobhansteindl
Makeup - @s.c__artistry