Does The “Morning Shed” Trend On TikTok Take Wellness Routines Too Far?

Most people don’t have to peel off much in the morning, save for a pimple patch or an eye mask. Meanwhile, on TikTok, many creators start their day by peeling off countless layers of wellness and beauty treatments in what’s been labeled the “morning shed” — and it’s fascinating to witness.

The “morning shed,” which has over 30 million views on the platform, stems from the notion that “the uglier you go to bed, the prettier you wake up.” It’s encouraging people to fall asleep decked out with face masks, lip serums, heatless curls, and other beauty-boosting techniques, as well as mouth guards and eye masks that are said to help improve sleep.

Since many of these tools and treatments completely cocoon your head, they need to be peeled off or “shed” in the a.m., and the hope is that they’ll reveal glowing skin and bouncy, effortless hair. While everyone who tries this trend really does look glowy and gorge — and they say this routine saves them time in the morning, too — it does make you wonder if the sheer number of products and potions might be overkill.

So, what is the morning shed all about, and is it really worth the effort? Keep reading below for more information on TikTok’s latest wellness hack and what skin and sleep experts have to say about it.

What Is The “Morning Shed”?

The morning shed is the last step in the complicated beauty and wellness routines made popular by several creators on TikTok. It quite literally involves “shedding” all of your skincare and sleep-boosting accouterments.

In a viral video posted May 17, user @virtualkayla shared her pre-bed routine which includes slugging her face, using a gua sha tool, twisting her hair for heatless curls, and packing on eye cream.

After that, she applies moisturizing eye patches before dotting on sunless tanner as an overnight contour, as well as several coats of brow and lash serum. She then wraps a chin strap around her jaw to prevent snoring and spritzes lavender essential oil on her pillowcase to help her fall asleep.

By the time she’s ready for bed, she looks like a pro wrestler about to enter the ring, but she says it’s all worth it to sleep well — and wake up with dewy skin.

Creator @courtneysnelll also has a lot to peel off in the morning. She likes to snooze with her hair in a silk bonnet to prevent frizziness. She also applies mouth tape, which is said to improve sleep, and she uses a nourishing sheet mask, too.

In her viral video, shared June 9, @courtneysnelll can be seen shedding each layer come morning, and she really does look refreshed and well-rested.

That said, her viewers weren’t so impressed. In her comments, one person wrote, “life is too short for [all] this,” while another said, “this is crazy ngl.” Others chimed in to say they’d be “too overstimulated” to sleep with that many masks on their face. Another said, “damn, I just sleep.”

Is The Morning Shed Worth It?

While all the effort that leads up to the morning shed seems worth it at first glance — seriously, look at @cammydmay’s or @kirby_j’s before and after results — skin experts say you have to be strategic about what you sleep in.

Dr. Hannah Kopelman, a dermatologist at Kopelman Aesthetic Surgery and host of the weekly podcast called Derm Club, says some elements of the morning shed trend will provide skin-boosting benefits, like lip balms and under-eye serums, while others could actually be bad for your face.

“Skin needs time to breathe and recover and piling on numerous products can clog pores, cause irritation, and disrupt the skin's natural barrier,” she tells Bustle. “Additionally, using too many active ingredients simultaneously can lead to over-exfoliation, redness, and sensitivity.”

Many creators layer multiple face and eye treatments, and they sleep in their sheet masks for eight hours. Instead of gaining more benefits by wearing the mask long-term, Kopelman says the benefits tap out after a certain point.

Sheet masks, in particular, are generally recommended for short-term use, which is typically 15 to 20 minutes. “Wearing them overnight can lead to excessive moisture, which might cause skin irritation and even promote bacterial growth,” says Kopelman. “The skin also has its own renewal processes at night, and overloading it with products might interfere rather than enhance these processes.”

If you want to target your eye area, she recommends using an eye cream with ingredients like hyaluronic acid or peptides and saving the sheet masks and other treatments for daytime. If you still want to wear something to bed, Kopelman says to opt for products specifically designed for overnight use, and avoid overloading your skin with multiple treatments.

That said, the silk hair bonnet is an excellent idea, especially if you need to protect your hair from friction to prevent breakage, and many of the viral heatless curling techniques are also OK, as long as you don’t find them uncomfortable. According to Kopelman, this trend is all about picking and choosing without going overboard.

How Do You Sleep In All That?

When morning shed videos pop up on your FYP you might be mesmerized by the creator’s process of peeling off layers of face, lip, and eye masks, but you’ll also wonder how it’s possible for them to fall asleep with so many things on their head.

According to Dr. Shelby Harris, a licensed clinical psychologist and director of Sleep Health at Sleepopolis, the answer comes down to personal preference. Sleeping with lots of tools and treatments encourages some people to lay extra still, she says, instead of tossing and turning all night long. It can also promote back sleeping, which is an ideal sleep position for some.

Julia Forbes, a certified sleep science coach with Sleep Advisor, agrees. “The feeling of having these items on may provide a calming, grounding effect, encouraging focus on sleep,” she says. On the flip side, though, it’s possible that gooey eye patches, sticky lip masks, and tight neck wraps could be uncomfortable enough to keep you awake.

“Overheating from a mask or restricted movement from wraps could lead to fragmented or non-restorative sleep, too” says Forbes. Not to mention, all the stress that goes into applying these things could amp you up before bed, making it impossible to slumber.

You’ll know this sleep hack isn’t for you if you wake up a lot during the night to scratch or readjust your masks or if you notice skin irritation or marks in the morning, says Harris. The same is true if you feel tired since that indicates you didn’t fall into a deep sleep.

The best thing you can do for your skin — and your overall well-being — is get good sleep, so stick with what feels best for you. If that means shedding 10 layers before you eat breakfast, so be it.

Sources:

Dr. Hannah Kopelman, dermatologist at Kopelman Aesthetic Surgery, host of the weekly dermatology podcast called Derm Club

Dr. Shelby Harris, licensed clinical psychologist, director of Sleep Health at Sleepopolis

Julia Forbes, certified sleep science coach with Sleep Advisor