I Tried TikTok's 'Morning Shed' trend for 2 weeks - Here are my brutally honest thoughts
For the skincare aficionado, a nighttime routine is a ritual of sorts. At its core, you have your go-to products that you apply in a specific order to address your most pressing skin concerns, but it has evolved into incorporating multiple steps and sensory experiences for a more pleasing (or at least amusing) experience. The latest trend involves the promise of a more defined and glowing complexion with the use of some non-conventional items (think mouth tape and a chin strap).
Meet the morning shed.
Unlike, say, the 10-step K-Beauty routine, which can be applied day or evening, the morning shed is specifically about pulling together products that will work overnight to give you a fresh face in the morning. But why are so many people turning to this now? And—more importantly—does it actually do anything?
“I do think there is something to be said about wellness as a whole being a driving force behind this—it feels good to take time to yourself, and I am all for it,” says Dhaval G. Bhanusali, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Hudson Dermatology and Laser Surgery. “That said, there are a few specific steps I’m not sure about.” Honestly, same. And that’s where we do some digging to see just how legit this trend is.
Meet the experts: Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FAAD, is a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue in New York City. Dhaval G. Bhanusali, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Hudson Dermatology and Laser Surgery. Chloe Tsang, DMD, board-certified dentist at Tend West Village.
What is the morning shed?
The morning shed involves layering products—both topical formulations and physical items such as chin straps and mouth tape—overnight in order to wake up “beautiful,” says Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FAAD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue in New York City.
“The idea is that these products will work while you sleep to improve the skin’s health and appearance, so you reap the benefits the next morning, and in the long term,” Dr. Engelman explains. You can customize your morning shed steps, but, generally, people use the following products: heatless curlers, mouth tape, a chin strap, an overnight sheet mask, and a castor oil stomach wrap. You go to bed wearing all and then "shed" them off in the morning to reveal smoother, more defined, and brighter skin.
TikTok is flooded with testimonials of morning shed success stories, but what do the experts say—and what was my personal experience shedding? Some steps proved to be beneficial, while others may be more of a placebo effect if anything.
Here, experts sound off on the steps, one-by-one:
Heatless Curls
A TikTok trend on its own, heatless curls refers to styling hair with either rollers or some form of cloth (socks, bathrobe belts, a long thin towel) the night before so that you wake up with full, luscious curls in the morning. After dampening your hair a bit, you simply wrap your strands around your tool of choice, sleep with it on, and remove it in the AM. There’s little downside, as you’re not using heat—just be sure not to create tension from wrapping the hair too tightly.
Mouth Tape
Aptly named, mouth taping involves placing an adhesive on to keep your mouth shut as you sleep. "This is done to 'train' the brain to breathe through the nose instead of the mouth, which comes with many benefits such as a reduction in cavities, improved sleep quality, and better oxygenation to improve your health overall," explains Chloe Tsang, DMD, a board-certified dentist at Tend West Village. But it's hardly a foolproof plan if you have underlying airway issues, so Dr. Tsang advises those with severe nasal congestion or moderate to severe sleep apnea ask their doctors for more reliable solutions.
Overnight Masks
A good overnight sheet mask can hydrate the skin by delivering nourishing ingredients and create a barrier to protect your outer layer from transepidermal water loss (which Dr. Engelman says happens more when we sleep). It’s especially beneficial for those who have dry skin, but most people can do this as long as they choose the right type of mask. “Overnight sheet and sleep masks are generally fine to use,” agrees Dr. Bhanusali. “But if an inappropriate mask is left on too long, it can cause irritation and even a chemical burn.”
Chin Straps
Wanting defined cheekbones a la Bella Hadid are high on many people’s skin wish list, and TikTok is convinced that wearing a chin strap every night will give you just that. “There is no evidence to support that chin straps actually help slim or define the jawline,” says Dr. Engelman. “There is also no evidence to support the claim that chin straps can prevent snoring or improve breathing when used as part of a morning shed.”
And while there are some cases in which a doctor may recommend a chin strap in certain sleep apnea treatments, she says this is usually done in tandem with other continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines and treatments. “The chin straps are likely only transient in benefit and won’t change your jaw structure in any way,” adds Dr. Bhanusali.
Castor Oil Stomach Wraps
The morning shed doesn’t only apply to the face. Many people are turning to castor oil to help get rid of unwanted belly fat and to tone the stomach area. It’s an Ayurvedic practice that's believed to treat constipation, promote bowel movements, and detoxify the body. Some people simply rub oil all over while others add an extra step of wrapping their stomachs for extra definition.
But Dr. Engelman stresses that topical use of castor oil is not well-studied, it may not even be suitable for all skin types. Pure castor oil is known to be irritating on the skin and can cause allergic reactions, redness, and irritation, she says. It might only be tolerable if diluted with another oil or designed specifically as a patch. If you’re intrigued enough to try this, she recommends doing a patch test on a small area of the body to see if you have any adverse reaction to it before you leave it on overnight.
Reusable V Line Lifting Mask with Chin Strap
Slow Aging Phyto Collagen Gel Mask
Velvet Sleeping Mask
HoliRoots Hair Growth Oil & Scalp Oil Treatment
GRO+ Advanced Hair Serum
My results after trying the morning shed
For the sake of my own curiosity (and journalism), I set out on this journey for two weeks to see if I would indeed wake up “more beautiful.” But I quickly learned that the morning shed is not for the weak (and by 'weak,' I mean 'low maintenance').
I skipped out on the castor oil stomach wrap and the heatless curls, instead opting for hair oiling, and used the following products for my morning shed: the Juskaa V-Line Lift Mask chin strap, the CAXEBST Hypoallergenic Tape, the Luvum Slow Aging Phyto Collagen Gel Mask and the Sisley Paris Velvet Sleeping Mask (I alternate between the two), and the Fable & Mane HoliRoots Hair Oil and the Vegamour Gro+ Advanced Hair Serum (another pair that I alternate between).
There’s no way around it—you will look a little crazed. Should someone try to break into my apartment in the middle of the night to rob me, I am certain I could scare them off with my Michael-Myers-but-make-it-glam appearance—and that feeling was somewhat comforting. As a side sleeper, there’s nothing more annoying than being forced to sleep on your back. But alas, I persisted.
The real issue I had was with the chin strap. No matter how much I adjusted it, it just felt like I was suffocating and I ended up waking up around 4am to rip it off. Luckily, it's the least important of all the steps. “At best, chin straps may be harmless but ineffective,” says Dr. Engelman. “At worst, they can dangerously inhibit breathing in individuals suffering from sleep apnea or similar breathing disorders.” By the second week, I gave it up entirely and stuck with the other products in my morning shed lineup.
To my surprise, the mouth tape was pretty comfortable. The clear strip comes with a small breathing hole to make it easier and I found myself being able to sleep a full seven hours a day. If it’s your first time trying mouth tape, Dr. Tsang recommends starting for a short period of time before using it overnight. She says you’ll also want to monitor how you feel afterwards to see if it’s something you’re comfortable with. Opt for skin-safe adhesives over strong ones so it won’t feel as restricting.
When it came to the overnight masks, I was worried about a sheet mask triggering my already oily skin, and, sure enough, Dr. Engelman doesn’t recommend that those with oily and acne prone skin wear a sheet mask overnight as it can trap oils, bacteria, and other pore-clogging agents and cause unwanted breakouts. Instead, she recommends using a non-occlusive cream mask or moisturizer instead as that won’t suffocate your skin, which is why I alternated between the Luvum sheet mask and Sisley Paris’s overnight cream.
Bottom line: Will I do the morning shed again?
After the first day, the first thing I noticed was how soft my skin was, and it was honestly quite nice. Over time, my skin did look more glowy and fresh, but the difference was minimal.
So this begs the question: Will I do this again? Probably not. My nightly routine hasn’t let me down thus far and if it ain’t broke, then why bother trying something new?
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