An Honest Review Of BeautyTok's Beloved Sleepy Tie Hair Tool

Not to be dramatic, but a good hair day can transform my entire mood. I walk — nay, strut — a little more confidently. My strands bounce as if I’m an Icelandic horse. The only problem? I can’t seem to make it last. When I wake up the morning after styling, my blowout has inevitably fallen flat and lifeless, or my curls have been reduced to a pile of frizz. Then I heard about the Sleepy Tie, an innovative hair tool — not a hot one! — that promises to preserve your blowout in all its bouncy, voluminous glory. The brand promises that you can “wake up with perfect hair” with the Sleepy Tie — and, needless to say, I had to find out for myself whether or not it would deliver.

If you’re wondering what on earth this kind of product would look like, the Sleepy Tie is basically a double satin scrunchie that you can wrap and secure your hair around. It’s like a scrunchie with superpowers. Shortly after this product hit the beauty scene in 2021, it went viral on TikTok — racking up nearly 200 million views and selling out five times over.

As for whether or not this product lives up to its cult-favorite status? Read on for my honest Sleepy Tie review.

Fast Facts

• Price: $29.99
• Best for: Heat-styled hair below shoulder length
• Cruelty-free: Sleepy Tie uses a satin polyester blend instead of silk
• My rating: 5/5
• What we like: Easy to use, comfortable to wear, affordable, impressive results
• What we don't like: May not preserve tighter curls

What Is The Sleepy Tie?

The Sleepy Tie is a heatless overnight styling tool that has a unique design: The thick foam half-circle provides a sturdy base for you to wrap your hair, and the attached scrunchie allows you to secure it in place. It’s designed for anyone who wants to lengthen the lifespan of their blowout or curls.

While the Original Sleepy Tie is best for people with thicker hair that’s at least two inches past their shoulders, the brand also makes a Mini Sleepy Tie for those with shorter or finer hair — or those who just want a tighter curl. Then there’s the Midnight Sleepy Tie, which is made of semi-water-resistant spandex fabric, making it versatile enough to exercise in.

How To Use The Sleepy Tie

The Sleepy Tie was originally designed to be worn overnight, but you can also wear it while running errands or on long flights. If you have the Midnight version, you can also wear it during workouts. Don’t use the tool on wet or damp hair, though — it’s designed only to work on dry, styled hair.

The product comes with step-by-step instructions, but I’m a visual learner — so I relied on this easy-to-follow YouTube video from the founder and CEO Rachael Shtifter.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Brush your hair out — Shifter insists that this step is key for smooth results. Remember: The Sleepy Tie can help to reform curls or waves.
2. Place the foam arch around your wrist, and then scoop all of your hair up onto your head as if you’re putting it in a ponytail. Pro tip: If you place the ponytail too low, your head will end up resting on the Sleepy Tie at night, so for the sake of comfort, make sure it’s high enough on your head.
3. Loop the foam arch around your ponytail, make sure it’s facing forward, and hold it firmly in place as you wrap your hair around it.
4. Once you’ve wrapped the ends of your hair around the arch, take both sides of the attached elastic scrunchie in your other hand. While continuing to hold the arch in place, loop the scrunchie around the base of the bun in a figure-eight motion. It should feel secure, but not so tight that it’s pulling your hair or giving you a headache.

First Impression

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not great at following instructions, but the video tutorial made it a cinch to use the Sleepy Tie. In fact, I was able to nail it on the first try.

After mine was secured, I learned how comfortable this product is to sleep in. In the past, I’ve tried overnight heatless curling methods with socks and bathrobe ties and found it really challenging to rest my head on my pillow. Thankfully, with my hair piled so high on my head, that was never an issue with the Sleepy Tie — which is saying a lot, given that I alternate between sleeping on my back, stomach, and side.

The Results

When I tried the Sleepy Tie for the first time, I had day two curls from blow-drying and using a curling iron — a style I wanted to last. Upon waking up, I couldn’t believe the Sleepy Tie was still completely secure in my hair. Considering how much I tend to turn over during the night, I expected some of my hair to fall out — but it didn’t.

Taking it out was easy enough: I just pulled the scrunchie loose and uncoiled my hair from the foam arch before shaking it out. After quickly combing through it, my jaw quite literally dropped at the level of volume I had. Because the Sleepy Tie requires pulling all your hair high onto your head, it creates a ton of natural lift at your roots.

While I had somewhat looser, softer curls than the day before, the Sleepy Tie definitely helped to preserve their structure so that they didn’t go totally limp. Best of all, I found that these results lasted all throughout the day and night.

Worth It?

Overall, I think the Sleepy Tie is worth the cost. Not only is it the first product of its kind, but the attention to quality shows. If you’re using it regularly, the company claims that it’s meant to last for four to six months. Although you can find plenty of cheaper dupes on Amazon, the reviews speak for themselves: On the whole, customers aren’t nearly as satisfied with competing products as they are with the Sleepy Tie.

Even if you’re not thrilled with the results, Sleepy Tie has a 14-day money-back guarantee, so there’s really no risk in trying it.

Final Verdict

The Sleepy Tie is easy to use, affordable, and comfortable to wear all night long. If you’re looking to make a blowout last longer, this innovative tool will not only help you maintain some body, but may even give you a volume boost. That said, if you’re hoping to preserve tighter curls, I’d try the Mini Sleepy Tie instead.

Bottom line? The Sleepy Tie did follow through on its promise: Thanks to this handy little tool, every day can be a good hair day.