Waking up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed doesn't come easy. In fact, for many, it takes sleeping in an abundance of beauty products to prep for the next day. There's even a term for this practice: "morning shed," which currently has millions of views on TikTok.
Improving your beauty sleep doesn't have to be that difficult, though. It can be as simple as integrating a new facial patch into your nighttime routine, turning on a humidifier, or switching out your pillowcase to a reversible one that aids in drying post-shower hair.
TODAY contributor and Senior Editor-at-Large at NewBeauty Magazine, Sarah Eggenberger, stopped by Jenna and Friends to highlight products that put in the work while you rest, as well as items to help refresh your overall look post-wakeup.
Beauty sleep products seen on TODAY
Frownies Forehead and Between Eyes Facial Patches
According to experts, the results of wearing wrinkle patches depend on how often you do so. The more you wear them, the more long-term effects you're going to see, as well. For more hydrated, plump skin that's free of wrinkles that may form while you're asleep, Shop TODAY editors turn to Frownies.
After your typical nighttime skin care routine, run the patch under warm water and apply it to your forehead. Then, the next morning, rinse it again with warm water for a pain-free removal process.
DryZzz Microfiber Pillowcase
Is it okay to fall asleep with wet hair? Experts say no. The common act has the potential to cause hair breakage and the growth of yeast, they say. This pillow is determined to help on those nights when the last thing you want to do is blow dry your hair before bed.
It includes a microfiber towel material on one side, and a smooth polyester fabric on the other. When falling asleep with wet hair, the microfiber towel fabric absorbs moisture while a waterproof interior liner ensures no water seeps through.
Geniani Portable Cool Mist Humidifier
Humidifiers can help add moisture to spaces that need it most — especially during the wintertime or transitional seasons where the weather is indecisive.
This portable and affordable option can be taken on the go — business trips, sports tournaments, or even family vacations. It has a USB charger that powers it to last up to eight hours on a single charge, and two different mist settings.
Dr. Idriss The Depuffer Roll-On Serum
Made for all skin types, this serum features an easy, roll-on applicator and is designed with key ingredients meant to reduce redness and inflammation.
Arnica and centella asiatica help to decrease swelling and redness, while niacinamide helps hydrate and moisturize the skin at the same time that ash bark extract works to depuff — putting in overtime while you sleep.
Anthony Wake Up Call Gel
Caffeine, menthol, shea butter and green tea make for a jam-packed, beneficial ingredient list that helps target troubles like puffy and fatigued skin.
The brand describes its feeling like a jolting "slap in the face," helping you feel refreshed, even if you only got a couple hours of sleep.
bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer
"I’ve been using this tinted moisturizer for over five years, and I plan to always keep it in my skin care rotation," says commerce editor and producer Julie Ricevuto. "My skin always look naturally flawless all day long with this tinted moisturizer — to the point that people are shocked I have anything on."
This skin tint has SPF 30 for an extra layer of skin protection. It's made for combination and dry skin, according to the brand and employs the use of hyaluronic acid to add and lock in moisture.
More beauty sleep items to shop
Burt's Bees Overnight Intensive Lip Treatment
I'm a big fan of Burt's Bees' lip masks for leaving my usually-chapped lips feeling silky and smooth. Their traditional lip mask just got an overnight upgrade, proving to be a more affordable option for waking up with fuller, visibly-repaired lips.
The brand says it works to diminish lip lines that are a result of dry or cracked lips, with reviewers saying they notice a difference after just one use.
Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Overnight Dry Shampoo
This dry shampoo is production associate Audrey Ekman's go-to choice for those day three and four strands that are clinging onto any last bits of moisture, saying it does a great job of absorbing oils.
And, it took home the award for best overall dry shampoo during Shop TODAY's 2024 Beauty Awards.
RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Night Capsules
"As your skin naturally regenerates overnight, retinol enhances the process, helping to reduce fine lines, refine texture and improve overall radiance," says Eggenberger.
These petite, portable capsules make it easy to maintain your skin care routine while on the go, promoting hydration when our skin needs it most — during a red-eye, while staying in a hotel or those nights when you need an extra boost on vacation.
Casper Sleep Essential Cooling Hybrid Pillow
Long gone are the days of tossing and turning, folding and molding your pillow to find a comfortable position. This pillow comes complete with a soft, foam foundation on one side, then a more firm base on the other.
Designed with overheaters and side sleepers in mind according to the brand, this pillow has a polyester 'cool touch cover,' that reviewers say helps them sleep through the entire night.
Soft Services Theraplush Retinol Refillable Overnight Hand Cream
Anti-aging hand care is a thing, according to Ekman. Experts agree, saying that our hands are often neglected when it comes to SPF, hand lotions and creams.
This retinol-based hand cream is meant to be applied once a day (ideally before you go to bed), and doesn't look out of place on any nightstand thanks to the aesthetic capsule it comes in.
L'Oréal Professionnel AirLight Pro Hair Dryer
If you prefer to doze off with dry hair (unlike most of our editors), this blow dryer combines infrared light and heat to provide faster, less frizzy results, according to reviewers.
It also comes with a diffuser attachment for those with curly and coily hair. Both attachments — the diffuser and the concentrator — can be controlled in the app, with users creating custom temperature and airflow settings based on what kind of hair they have.
How we chose
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews and even use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers.
As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think TODAY.com readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not TODAY. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time. These picks were chosen by Sarah Eggenberger and members of our editorial team.
Meet the expert
- Sarah Eggenberger is the Senior Editor-at-Large at NewBeauty, a digital beauty publication. As an experienced beauty and lifestyle expert and published author, Eggenberger acts as an on-screen spokesperson regularly, sharing beauty and fashion tips and tricks.
