Beauty and wellness trends come and go, but one thing that it becoming recognised more and more as being crucial to our wellbeing is getting enough good-quality sleep. And one practice currently trending on social media that's said to help with this is mouth taping. As its name suggests, mouth taping involves sealing your mouth closed as night while you sleep using medical tape or special mouth strips. This directs breathing through the nose instead of the mouth, reportedly resulting in a range of benefits including deeper sleep, reduced snoring, better 'morning breath' as there's less bacteria entering your mouth, and even a more snatched jawline.
Gwyneth Paltrow is one of the celebrities said to be a fan of mouth taping, but does it really work? Beauty and wellness editor Laura Mulley has been trying it out, and asking the experts what they think... READ MORE: ‘I hate wearing lipstick but this viral make-up product has changed my mind’. READ MORE: Treatment trends for 2025 tried and tested – from anti-ageing aesthetics to hair boosters. Ever in search of a better night's sleep and always one to jump on a wellness trend, I've been trying mouth taping at night for a few weeks, much to the alarm of my boyfriend (see above photo). The Skinny Confidential Mouth Tape is the most aesthetic product to buy for this – pink, lip-shaped and coming in a cute little tin – but, looking for something cheaper, I bought this £9.99 pack of sleep tape from Amazon (and you'll find plenty of options on the site), sticking this on over my mouth just before my head hit the pillow. You can also use simple surgical tape, which costs pennies.
First up, the obvious: you look ridiculous, and a little terrifying. You can't talk while it's on, or drink (The Skinny Confidential's strips do have little straw-sized slits), and it is a little disconcerting at first. It's also not recommended if you have any sort of respiratory issue (more on that further down), and I'd suggest that if you're claustrophobic, you won't like this either. It's also not great for the skin. I found that it clung to dry skin on my lips if I didn't apply lip balm before, yet slid off if I applied too much. I felt like it clogged pores in the skin around my mouth if I used for a few nights in a row, resulting in under-the-surface bumps. And if, like me, you often apply tanning drops into your nighttime skincare, this tape will immediately remove it, leaving you with a lower face that's a lighter colour than the rest.
I do, however, think mouth taping made a slight improvement to my sleep quality. I don't snore but I do wear an Invisalign retainer at night, which does make me sleep with my mouth open, something that does sometimes wake me up in the night; this kept everything feeling neater and more secure – in the same way that tucking yourself up in a cosy duvet feeling comforting. While I won't say that I woke up with noticeably more energy, I did feel that my sleep was slightly better quality.
It's not something I'll do every night, but I'll definitely reach for my tape strips when I feel like my sleep needs some attention. But do the experts agree...?. "Nasal breathing is thought to improve oxygen intake, reduce throat dryness and help filter out impurities, all of which can contribute to better sleep quality and consistent breathing throughout the night," says Dr Rizwan Mahmood, dentist, doctor and co-founder of luxury dental clinics Ruh Dental. "Additionally, nasal passages can slow the airflow, which calms the breath and encourages deeper sleep, similar to the benefits of yoga and mindfulness practices.
"Mouth taping can help maintain a nasal breathing pattern, potentially leading to better energy levels and improved recovery upon waking. "On the contrary, habitual mouth breathing comes with several risks to oral health including dry mouth, gum disease, tooth decay, bad breath, enlarged tonsils and mouth ulcers." he adds, although stresses that there is limited scientific evidence into the benefits of mouth taping. “Many of the benefits are anecdotal, and the technique may not be suitable for everyone, particularly individuals with pre-existing respiratory issues or sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnoea.".
“Before trying mouth taping, consult your doctor or a sleep specialist. Nasal obstructions, undiagnosed sleep apnoea, or other respiratory conditions could make mouth taping unsafe," advises Dr Mahmood. "A medical professional can assess whether this technique is appropriate and advise on safer alternatives if necessary.”. The experts' answer is clear on this one – and it's a resounding no, unfortunately. "There is zero evidence whatsoever that mouth taping can improve the look of your chin or jawline," says aesthetic doctor and founder of Illuminate Skin Clinics Dr Sophie Shotter. "Any type of face taping or mouth taping cannot provide lasting changes to the face structure.".
