Another month, another viral beauty trend dominating TikTok’s #fyp. But are everyday people really embracing the #morningshed routine? Lucy Slight investigates this latest craze and consults a local skincare expert to find out if this nighttime ritual is worth giving the time of day.
If BeautyTok is part of your TikTok algorithm, you’ve probably already encountered the ”morning shed” skincare trend. It’s a bit of a jump scare at first, with clips of women sporting unusual headgear — silk hair bonnets, chin straps, mouth tape, silicone patches for the eyes and forehead, sheet masks and lip stains.
The concept is simple: the more you do to your skin and hair overnight, the better you’ll look in the morning, leaving you with more time to get out the door without the usual zhuzhing.
Much of it is fairly harmless — take the hair bonnet, for example. There’s not much damage to be done by sleeping in hair rollers or protecting your blow-dry with a silk cap, aside from a little discomfort. Since doing your hair can be time-consuming, prepping the night before has its advantages, particularly if you have an early start or kids to organise.
The chin straps are worn in an attempt to “snatch” the face and slim the jawline, however, the benefits have not yet been proven. Mouth tape, worn in order to promote breathing through the nose during sleep, is also a popular addition to this routine, but problems can arise when the tape prevents sufficient airflow into the body.
Silicone patches applied over layers of skincare are used to prevent evaporation, and enthusiasts rave about their ability to plump the skin, minimising wrinkles and creating that “glass skin” effect — another viral TikTok trend.
However, when it comes to skincare, the risks can be considerable. According to Linda Sharrem, national skincare educator at Caci, layering too many products could do more harm than good.
“We need to understand how our skin responds to skincare and use products specific to our needs,” she says.
“Like us in a crowded room, too much conversation and noise can get confusing and tiring. Skin responds similarly when overwhelmed by too many layers of products. Instead of amplifying results, we can end up back at square one.”
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Advertise with NZME.When products are layered incorrectly, or when too many are applied, the skin can become weighed down, inhibiting its overnight repair process. This can increase the risk of congestion, irritation, inflammation and breakouts.
As I often do when exploring viral beauty trends, I posted an Instagram story asking followers if they’d tried the “morning shed”. The response? Absolute silence. It seems we Kiwis aren’t keen on such complicated nighttime routines.
Perhaps this trend is simply something beauty influencers do for likes, views and shares — because, let’s face it, many of us are watching. On TikTok, there are over 75 million posts about #morningsheds, and watching someone transform from looking like a horror movie extra to glowing and glamorous in five seconds flat is undeniably fun.
But if you’re feeling like this is something you should be doing because it looks like everyone else is, I’m here to tell you that’s far from the truth. In reality, a good night’s sleep is far more beneficial for glowing skin than trying to sleep perfectly still to keep your sheet mask or silicone patches in place.
“Most people don’t sleep on their backs all night without moving, which is what you’d need to do to keep a sheet mask or patches in position,” Sharrem explains. “With movement, the patches or mask can shift and crumple, potentially leaving you with deep lines instead of smooth skin.”
A skincare routine is important, but you’ll likely see better, long-term results by keeping it simple and consistent, both morning and night.
“Make sure the products and ingredients are working towards the results you’re striving for,” Sharrem advises.
“So many people buy ‘trending’ ingredients that might not be suitable for their skin or won’t deliver the desired outcome.”
Sharrem suggests adding a weekly at-home treatment to your routine, such as a vitamin C mask for radiance, a hydrating mask for moisture, or investing in an LED mask for overall skin health.
When it comes to viral trends, ”skin cycling” — a TikTok sensation in 2022 — is one Sharrem believes has great benefits.
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Advertise with NZME.“If you’re using high-dose retinols every night, give your skin a break to regenerate and fully absorb the benefits,” she explains, recommending switching between retinol and a hydrating serum for enhanced results.
“It’s all about alternating and giving your skin the opportunity to truly drink in the benefits of each product.”
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