What is the "Morning Shed Routine", the latest beauty trend from TikTok
The latest beauty trend, called the morning shed routine , is bringing back old beauty pressures—and it's not nearly as glamorous as it sounds
In the age of social media, beauty trends come and go, but the pressure on women to conform to unattainable beauty standards seems to remain constant. Society has long held women to unrealistic beauty ideals. The ideal of a woman was once to look flawless at all times, often to please her husband. If this sounds like a throwback to the 1950s, it really is. Yet a new TikTok trend , the morning shed routine , seems to be reimagining the same dynamics in a modern guise.
You might think that by 2025, certain impositions would be outdated, but this trend suggests otherwise. The morning shed routine is a self-imposed beauty ritual that dangerously resembles the rigidities of the past, this time fueled by social media, unbridled consumerism, and a growing obsession with "optimizing" the self, almost as if we were automatons.
“Although self-expression through beauty routines can be enjoyable and rewarding for some, the constant pressure to conform to changing and extreme beauty standards is a step back from self-acceptance and freedom from social expectations,” explains Dr Phillippa Diedrichs, a body image expert and psychology lecturer at the University of the West of England, in an interview with L’OFFICIEL . “ The real question is whether people are freely choosing to adhere to these practices, or whether they feel forced to do so out of fear of not living up to society’s standards.” But what is this trend? Why does it represent a potential step back for self-love, and what do experts think about its impact on mental health?
What is Morning Shed Routine?
The increasingly popular TikTok practice involves applying an excessive amount of beauty products before bed, then “getting rid” of them in the morning, with the idea that it will help you wake up looking fresher and more flawless. Products used include silk headbands , mouth strips , eye masks , wrinkle patches , face tape , multiple layers of moisturiser , and even a chin strap. At first glance, the trend seems so extreme it could be a parody, almost inspired by a Saturday Night Live gag or a TV drama overkill. Those who’ve watched Euphoria might recognize some similarities to Cassie Howard’s 4 a.m. beauty routine—an infuriating, drawn-out process designed to attract the attention of the show’s most popular (and toxic) boyfriend, Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi). At the time, the public saw Cassie's behavior as obsessive and unhealthy. Yet today, the same dynamic is being re-enacted and normalised on social media. What has changed? Social media has the power to turn extreme beauty routines into role models, rather than warnings to be learned from.
The impact of the trend and why it's a step backwards
When these routines are presented as elaborate, expensive, and product-based, they can create feelings of inadequacy , especially in those who don’t have the means to support them, says Dr. Diedrichs. “ This fuels the perception that our appearance is never good enough without continuous ‘improvements,’ reinforcing a distorted idea of beauty that ties personal value solely to appearance,” says Dr. Diedrichs, highlighting the deeper implications of the morning shed routine . “ Influencer marketing culture has also made beauty increasingly consumerist, insinuating the idea that ‘improvement’ is something that can be purchased.” When considering whether a trend is harmful, context is key. Dr. Diedrichs emphasizes the importance of intentionality: if someone adopts this routine purely for personal pleasure and integrates it into a self-care journey, the risk is limited. However, if the motivation is dictated by the fear of not meeting the aesthetic standards imposed by society , that’s a different story. In the long term, people who internalize these pressures are more likely to develop low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety.
How to protect your self-esteem from these tendencies?
To avoid falling into the spiral of potentially damaging trends for self-esteem, Dr. Diedrichs suggests some effective strategies. First of all, carefully selecting the content you follow on social media can make a big difference: it is useful to follow accounts that promote an authentic and diverse image of beauty, and unfollow those that fuel comparison and insecurity. Developing a critical thinking towards the media is equally important: recognizing when an image is retouched, staged or sponsored helps to unmask unrealistic and harmful aesthetic standards. Finally, one of the most valuable tips concerns self-compassion. " Learn to talk to yourself with the same kindness with which you would talk to a friend," suggests Dr. Diedrichs. " Instead of focusing on how your body looks, focus on what it can do for you."
