Hair slugging is the latest trend taking over TikTok with Google trends reporting a 127% increase in searches. It dates back to ancient Egyptian times when they used castor oil to protect the hair.
As a result, The Organic Pharmacy have answered everything you need to know about hair slugging:
Hair Slugging: expert reveals everything you need to know
Run-down of the trend and its’ benefits
Hair slugging is the process of coating the hair in oil or a mask to act as a barrier so that nothing can get into the hair. It then involves wrapping it into a sock or silk bonnet to protect it from damage and friction caused while you’re sleeping. It works to repair the hair from the inside and the more time you leave the oil in, allows it to get deeper into the hair.
Some of the benefits of hair slugging include:
- Hydrating the hair
- Reducing frizz
- Leaving your hair shiny and silky
- Helping to repair damage and brittleness
- Protecting and reducing damage caused from friction caused by bed sheets and pillowcases
- Locking in moisture
History of hair slugging
The importance of protecting and caring for your hair has been around for centuries and is extremely important in many cultures.
The use of hair oil dates back all the way to ancient Egyptian times when they would use castor and almond oil to protect their hair.
Having long healthy hair is important in South Asian countries such as India, the routine of hair oiling is not only beneficial for the hair but is also seen as a form of bonding, passed down through generations. This was recently featured in Netflix’s Bridgerton. Series 2 shows Kate Sharma, played by Simone Ashley comforting her younger sister Edwina, played by Charithra Chandran while oiling her hair
Wearing silk bonnets, wraps and scarves have served as hair protection for black women for centuries. Wearing protective hairstyles is a huge part of black beauty culture.
How to do it:
Generously apply hair oil or mask to dry hair, focusing on the mid-lengths and ends. Brush the product through to evenly distribute the oil or mask and pop your hair into a low ponytail – using a silk scrunchie for this would be ideal.
Then pop your hair into a sock, wrap or silk bonnet. If you have longer or thicker hair you may need to secure it with a scrunchie.
Leave your hair in the protective style overnight. Take your hair out the next morning, if you’ve used oil then just brush your and style as you normally would. If you applied a hair mask then you’ll need to rinse it out to avoid your hair looking heavy.
There is some debate over the sock method – some say the sock will soak up all of the product so it’s best to opt for a silk bonnet or wrap. If you want to go even further, sleep on a satin pillowcase too for extra protection. If possible, put your hair into a protective style, such as a braid, before putting it into the silk bonnet.
Social media stats and search data
The hashtag #hairslugging currently has over 16 million views on TikTok with many users sharing their tips and tricks on how they get their hair to look silky and shiny.
Google Trends reports have seen a 127% increase over this last year for the term “hair slugging” with 2.5k searches last month alone.
Margo Marrone, the founder of The Organic Pharmacy, offers her thoughts on the trend:
“As with any new trend, it’s easy to get excited and jump straight in. However, when it comes to adding anything new to your hair, skin, or makeup, I’d advise researching first.
Hair slugging is a great way to add some moisture back into dry, damaged hair and it comes with a whole host of other benefits too.
Ensure you’re sleeping with a protective style in order to lock all of the moisture in and follow up with hair masks throughout the week to keep your hair extra healthy.”