The Heavy-Duty Moisturizer That Transformed My Dehydrated Skin Overnight

The cold, dry winter, combined with an ongoing (and failing) quest to drink enough water, has left my skin bereft of moisture. I wake up looking like the mom worm from Spongebob. 

I tried slugging, but I couldn’t get over Aquaphor’s greasy texture or my hair sticking to my face. Also—not confirmed—but I think it made me break out.

After getting a medium chemical peel, I was looking for something to apply in the days following to help repair my skin. As timing would have it, that’s exactly when Sacheu We Occlusive came across my desk. 

The thick—but not greasy—moisturizer is actually inspired by slugging. It contains a trifecta of humectants, emollients, and occlusive ingredients. Together, these three elements help prevent transepidermal water loss and seal in your other products. 

Standout ingredients include: 
Sodium hyaluronate – a more bioavailable form of hyaluronic acid
Squalane – an ingredient that mimics our skin’s sebum 
Shea butter – a rich source of antioxidants and fatty acids 
I was expecting a clearish ointment like other products I’ve used. But to my surprise and delight, it came out as a thick lotion—good to know if the only thing keeping you from slugging is the “sluggy” texture. 

Once my skin had healed from the peel, I decided to try slugging again—this time using We Occlusive. 

Even though it’s a thick lotion, it doesn’t feel overbearing, sticky, or like I’m going to wake up with an oil stain on my pillowcase. It does sometimes leave a slight white cast on my face that quickly goes away. 

Important note: Slugging intensifies the effects of skin products, so you should only use it with ingredients your skin can handle at a higher strength. 

That’s why I use this on top of hydrating, nourishing products, and I skip it if I’ve applied a retinol or chemical exfoliants. 

After just one night of slugging with this product, I woke up to noticeably plumper, smoother skin. Not quite a glazed donut, but getting there.