A perfect tan, curled lashes, fluffy blowout — according to TikTok, these beauty elements make up your “shell.” And everyone needs a day to put it back on, metaphorically speaking.
The idea takes inspo from an actual hermit crab — or Mr. Krabs from SpongeBob SquarePants, to be specific. Creator @serenaneel, whose “shell day” series went viral, joked that she goes through all her beauty and self-care rituals to look less like the cartoon character whenever he’s naked. In the March 6 clip, she said, “After six months I finally got my hair done.” Once her strands were bleached, she installed clip-in extensions, applied self-tanner, and fake lashes. After curling her hair and finishing her makeup, Serena flicked her bouncy waves and said, “This is my shell. Happy shell day!”
Think of yourself as a hermit crab: they upgrade their shells on the regular, and a shell day is your chance to do the same.
The Case For A “Shell Day”
A shell day is the perfect way to beat the winter blues — that time of year when you might feel worn down after a season spent inside. Maybe your hair needs a trim, your brows are overgrown, or you just aren’t running at 100%.
In a way, a shell day is also about “being high maintenance to be low maintenance,” another viral BeautyTok trend. The idea: go all out on self-care one day so you can wake up the rest of the week ready to go. For example, applying self-tanner as contour means less makeup stress later.
Other creators have hopped on the trend, like @wtf.denee who grabbed a beverage, put on a TV show, and then did her brows, lashes, and hair to feel more like herself. The total transformation? That’s the magic of a shell day.
How To Have A Shell Day
Shell days take time — @wtf.denee didn’t finish her routine until 3 a.m. — but that’s the point. Commit to doing everything you’ve been putting off: the mani, the pedi, the full-body exfoliation. This is when you let a hair mask marinate for eight hours while you watch Love Story.
It’s also an excuse to try something new. You might dye your hair, give yourself bangs, or try a new makeup look. While you can visit a salon, the trend has major DIY energy — like @natalies_niches applying tanner to her back using a mitt and a hanger. Genius.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how you shine — just that you’ve put your shell back on.
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