This TikTok

I will try almost anything to extend the life of a good blowout. With the popularity surrounding dry shampoos, root boosters and volumizing sprays, I know I can't be the only one. But I do seem to be the only one who has never heard of the Sleepy Tie, a hair tool that is said to help prolong your style (up to a week for founder Rachael Shtifter). I'm not sure how I missed it — the hashtag #sleepytie has almost 200 million views on TikTok ...

So, what exactly is the Sleepy Tie? Essentially, it's a satin double-scrunchie with a unique arch that when you wrap your hair around it and wear it overnight, you wake up with perfectly styled hair. According to the brand, it's been tested on all hair types and textures — and with obvious success since the viral product has sold out five times since releasing in Feb. 2021.

When I first heard about the Sleepy Tie, I was intrigued … and maybe even a little intimidated? I’ve tested many hair “saviors” in the past, but not many have worked for me. In the end, my curiosity got the best of me, so I tried it.

The Original Sleepy Tie is recommended for individuals with hair that is at least 2 to 3 inches past shoulder length. My hair fits the description, but when I tried it the first time, it didn’t work at all. I felt super defeated and confused after seeing such good results on the website and social channels. I did some digging on the brand's TikTok and discovered that they also have a Mini Sleepy Tie, which is made for people with thinner hair and who want a tighter curl result. I definitely fall into the finer hair type, so I quickly requested the mini version for a redo.

The first step had me nervous from the get-go: Brush your dry, styled hair. Brushing out my waves?! It seemed a little counterintuitive, but I went with it. Then place the Sleepy Tie around your wrist and gather your hair into a high ponytail. When you're ready, pull the tie over your ponytail with the arch facing front. Initially, I was a little confused here since the colors of both the scrunchie and the arch are so similar, but once I figured it out, it ended up being a lot easier than expected.

Next, loop your ponytail around the arch of the Sleepy Tie in a forward motion — you can compare this step to wrapping your hair around a curling iron barrel — and continue wrapping until your ends are securely tucked. Lastly, hold both sides of the scrunchie and create a “figure eight” that wraps your hair into a bun at the top of your head. This step threw me off a bit, so I recommend watching Shtifter's how-to video for a clear and easy-to-follow visual. (If you don't get it right at first, don't fret. This is the kind of product where once you successfully do it once or twice, you’ll nail it every time.)

Your Sleepy Tie bun should now feel secure atop your head. I was able to toss and turn throughout the night, without my hair falling out of the scrunchie. As someone who moves a lot while sleeping, I'd have to say I was impressed.

Overall, I’m pretty happy with the way my hair held up. Did it stay absolutely perfect? Not exactly. I had to use my flat iron for touchups on the back of my hair, which creased a bit while I slept. However, the majority of my loose, beachy waves were still perfectly in place when I woke up the next morning. I also noticed that my waves had a little extra bounce to them, presumably from being wrapped around the scrunchie, which somewhat acted like a heatless curler. Plus, my hair didn’t have any greasy residue or flatness at the top like it normally would after one night of sleep.

An added bonus was that the scrunchie was super comfortable to sleep in, which made me want to use it even when I wasn't trying to preserve a blowout or style. A few days ago, I used it on straight hair and woke up to a little extra volume and bounce. After that, I tied my hair up while doing an at-home Pilates workout, and it didn’t get doused in an ounce of sweat like it typically would. Multi-use!

While I think this would probably work even better for someone with thicker hair, I'm not mad at these results. But if you want to give it a try (or maybe grab a Galentine's Day gift?), I wouldn't dally — I'm sure their sixth sell-out is just around the corner.