“The uglier you sleep, the prettier you wake up.” It’s the kind of mantra going viral on TikTok thanks to the “morning shed” trend, a bizarre beauty ritual where users go to bed wrapped in mouth tape, silicone masks, and face shapewear, all in the hope of waking up snatched and sculpted.
Welcome to the age of bedtime beauty pressure, where even your sleep has to work overtime. And if you think it’s just a passing internet fad, think again. The movement has already been monetised with Kim Kardashian at the centre of it all.
Her shapewear brand SKIMS recently dropped a face wrap designed to “sculpt the face using collagen yarn”. It sold out within 24 hours. But beneath the viral hype lies a bigger question: How far is too far in the pursuit of eternal youth?
@jasmine.alishaa hair had me shook for a sec ngl😭 #morningshed #heatlesscurls #facemask @Medicube Global @Sacheu ♬ Carrie Bradshaw - Gal Matza
The new face of beauty: TikTok filters, face wraps and faux collagen
Face sculpting masks are nothing new; in fact, their origins date back centuries, when women used cloth bindings and cold compresses to firm their skin. The modern twist? They’re now sold as “everyday essentials” to achieve the ideal jawline, no surgery required.
While the SKIMS face wrap is marketed as a non-invasive alternative to procedures like chin lipo and buccal fat removal, experts are calling out the lack of science behind the claims. That retails for $52 (roughly R900).
“These garments may offer some temporary de-puffing due to heat and pressure,” says Dr Anna Andrienko, an aesthetic doctor, in an interview with the BBC. “But long-term sculpting? That’s simply not happening.”
Andrienko also warns of side effects like skin irritation and poor circulation, especially if worn too tightly. And as for the much-hyped collagen-infused fabric? There’s no evidence that collagen can be absorbed by the skin this way.
Kim Kardashian, whose shapewear brand SKIMS recently released a face wrap designed to “sculpt the face using collagen yarn.
Beauty at bedtime: Empowering or exhausting?
For some, these trends are harmless fun. After all, if a face wrap or gua sha massage makes someone feel better about themselves, what’s the harm? But skincare expert Laura Porter says it’s not that simple. The product, she says, is clearly targeted at Gen Z and younger millennials, using influencers and celebrity endorsements to push aspirational beauty standards.
“The branding signals it's for women who are highly online and influenced by TikTok trends,” says Porter.
“The danger is that it’s normalising the idea that even your jawline must be optimised, that your natural face isn’t enough.”
And that’s exactly what critics argue: this obsession with micro-fixes sends the message that every facial detail, even while you sleep, needs tweaking. Over time, this doesn’t just change how we treat our skin. It chips away at how we see ourselves.
Are we regressing on body positivity?
Just a few years ago, social media was flooded with hashtags like #BodyPositivity and #Skincare. People proudly showed off their cellulite, stretch marks and acne. For a moment, beauty felt inclusive and real.
Now, with the rise of "sleep sculpting" and “snatched face” culture, some worry we’re regressing.
“It feels like we’re backtracking,” says former model Chloe Thomas. These products suggest our natural features aren’t good enough that we constantly need to slim, lift or contour something.”
It’s not just adults feeling the pressure. A 2023 Dove Self-Esteem Project study found that 80% of girls aged 10–17 had used a filter or editing app to change their appearance before sharing a photo.
This endless chase for the "perfect" face isn't happening in a vacuum; it’s being shaped, quite literally, by what we see and celebrate online.
@dailymailentertainment Kim's new 'Ultimate Face' product from her shapewear line left fans in hysterics as they likened the garment to the Silence of the Lambs' villain Lecter's bite restraint mask sported by Hopkins in the 1991 film. #kimkardashian #kim #anthonyhopkins #SKIMS #new #silenceofthelambs #hilarious ♬ original sound - Daily Mail Entertainment
Rethinking the definition of beauty
The truth is, most of us want to look our best. And there’s nothing wrong with enjoying skincare, experimenting with makeup, or even getting a bit of “work” done.
But when self-care turns into self-surveillance, and beauty sleep becomes a job, we have to ask: Are these rituals making us feel empowered or just more exhausted and insecure? Perhaps the real rebellion is not in resisting beauty altogether, but in redefining what it means.
True beauty isn’t about chasing eternal youth with face wraps and filters. It’s about honouring our skin, our stories, and the real faces we wake up with, whether they’re sculpted or not.
The future of beauty doesn’t have to be dystopian. It can be honest, inclusive, and, most importantly, human.
Original article appeared on IOL
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