I Have Some Thoughts About TikTok's Controversial 'Morning Shed' Trend

I remember thinking that the ‘everything shower trend’ was excessive, but nothing prepared me for TikTok’s latest ritual: the ‘morning shed.’ It follows that after your nightly skincare routine, you layer on products to sleep in. Come morning, you 'shed' it all off. The idea is that you wake with refreshed, cared-for skin and also spend less time in front of the mirror in the A.M. But is a Sleeping Beauty skincare routine worth the fuss? I tapped three experts to find out.

• Sylvia Brownlee is an esthetician and founder of Skin By Brownlee & Co. She has 30 years of experience in the industry, starting her career in salon management before becoming the Director of Education at a skincare institution. She specializes in acne, hyperpigmentation and corrective skincare treatments. 
• Paula Brezavscek, PA-C is a board-certified physician’s associate and the founder of AZALA Skin Clinic in Miami, Florida. She received her Bachelors in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and a Master’s in Clinical Medical Science from Barry University. Her background is in dermatology and aesthetics, specializing in hyperpigmentation, acne treatments and skin firmness. 
• Dr. Mona Gohara is a board-certified dermatologist based in Connecticut. She is a member of The American Academy of Dermatology, The Women’s Dermatologic Society,and The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery; holds faculty appointments at Yale; and serves as a medical expert for mainstream media outlets.

It’s all about, says Brownlee, layering products before bed to “work” while your sleep. When you wake, you strip it  all away with the idea that you’ll “wake up with the healthiest and most glowing complexion and/or hair.” It consists of multiple steps (not including your actual skincare routine or brushing your teeth), with common products such as:

• Wrinkle patches
• Overnight face mask
• Under-eye patches
• Lip mask
• Mouth tape
• Jaw straps
• Hair wrap
• Heatless curlers

As Brezavscek explains, “The visual of shedding layers to reveal ‘the new you’ is deeply appealing and very TikTok-friendly. It also taps into the collective desire to optimize our time. Why not wake up more beautiful with zero effort while you sleep? Plus, there’s a level of self-care and control built into this ritual that feels empowering. It says, ‘I’m investing in myself, even in my sleep.’” But while the trend is meant to be this creative self-care regimen, it still begs the question: Is this really necessary?

I’ll admit, the videos enticed me to sit down and watch the whole process. While I don’t often see a significant change in their morning results, I merely witnessing product after product being removed has me, the viewer, waiting for the reveal. It’s also just straight up satisfying watching them pull each ‘layer’ ceremoniously off one by one.