Does TikTok’s “Morning Shed” Skincare Trend Actually Work?

Spoiler alert: a derm says don’t waste your time.

As anyone who has ever dealt with acne, dark circles, or fine lines knows, a skincare routine can literally transform your face. It’s why so many of us are tapped into the products and routines of our friends and strangers, especially if they promise to revolutionize your beauty routine. So it’s no surprise that something called the “morning shed” is going viral on social media right now. With 77 million views on TikTok, #morningshed is the latest buzzy trend where you load up on skincare products and treatments before bed, then take it all off in the morning (hence: the morning “shed”).

The trend has captivated beauty enthusiasts who are eager to try anything for that morning glow. Some creators keep it simple with face and lip masks allowing these products to work their magic overnight. However, some take it a step further by taking a more-is-more approach, like wearing chin straps, eye masks, overnight creams, or even mouth tape. The idea is to wake up looking more refreshed and renewed than you did the day before, and #morningshed devotees swear by their results.

Still, with all the fad beauty tricks out there, is “morning shed” actually a helpful hack? To find out, I tapped Nava Greenfield, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City for her expert opinion on the latest TikTok fad.

What is the morning shed trend?

As the name suggests, “morning shed” is the very long process of taking off—or shedding—all the beauty fixings you wore to bed. “I think I’m spending too much time on this app,” creator Kayla Lee Mills (@kaylaleemills) says in a TikTok clip as she starts to remove her mouth tape, eye masks, and jaw strap. In Mills’ video, it’s unclear if she did an entire morning skincare routine, but she does prep using red light therapy on an LED tool—only to reveal bright skin and a bouncy blowout.

@kaylaleemills

Morning shed. Honestly the jaw strap was an eliet addition & idgaf how silly it looks #morningroutine

♬ original sound – kayla lee

Creator Maur (@maurslives) took the morning shed trend to the next level, taking off mouth tape, a nose mask, eye masks, a silk bonnet, and a jaw strap. As with every TikTok video and social media trend, reviews have been mixed, and the comment sections on #morningshed videos are full of skeptics. “Overconsumption is killing my people,” one commenter writes, while another notes, “I think I have sleep apnea, cuz’ I almost died mouth taping.”

@maurslives

the chin strap + mouthtape combo is lethal…#morningshed #skincareroutine

♬ Carrie Bradshaw – Gal Matza

Is morning shedding safe or necessary?

While you can certainly do what you want with your face, Dr. Greenfield says that the morning shedding trend bubbling up on TikTok has lots of shock value, but holds no real weight from a professional standpoint. “Not only is the theory behind its effectiveness is not compelling, but there’s also a lack of data to support its use, and the trend may even be harmful,” Dr. Greenfield says.

Take, for example, the mouth-tape trend that’s typically seen in morning-shed videos. “Taping one’s mouth closed at night prevents normal physiologic changes in breathing patterns,” says Dr. Greenfield. “Our body normalizes and regulates during sleep, and it’s important to allow that process to occur uninterrupted.” Same goes for using a chin strap or sleeping in an eye mask: all are things that aren’t proven to make a huge difference in the quality of your skin—or your sleep—overnight. In fact, some users have reported that preparing for their morning shed gave them a worse night’s sleep.

If your goal is to wake up with radiant skin, try investing in a serum for fine lines or a editor-recommended moisturizer. Of course, if you have a persistent concern, your best bet is talking to a board-certified dermatologist who can help you pinpoint a routine that works for you.

Final takeaway

Listen, if your nighttime skin-care routine already involves mouth tape and a chin strap, then keep doing you. But if you’re hoping that adding a layer of tape, straps, and patches will give you tighter, smoother skin when you “shed” them in the morning, you’ll likely be disappointed. “I suspect creators are using these techniques for the shock appeal and rarely actually use them as a committed routine,” says Dr. Greenfield. All in all, do things that make you feel good about yourself in the long run. Yes, you can sleep with your heatless curl rod and wear an overnight mask if you so wish. But definitely be mindful of spending time and energy on trends that may actually be harmful (or, at the very least, unproductive) down the line.