We evaluated 25 mouth tape products against two key criteria: (1) Are the tape's materials safe for daily use? (2) Does it stay securely on during the night and improve sleep; is it comfortable and easy to remove in the morning? See our complete research.
Mouth taping has been proved to be effective at improving sleep and reducing snoring through restoring healthy, calming nasal breathing during sleep.
Sadly, most brands we tested couldn't guarantee the adhesives on their tape are safe, non-toxic and suitable for the mouth. Many use industrial glues which in their original form contain harsh chemicals linked to irritation and long-term risks. These toxic glues can tear, strip the skin and leave residue behind.
Mouth taping is a total game changer for sleep, but only if the product is skin-safe, non-toxic, and designed for lips. Most aren’t. We found one that is.
Sleep Karma is our favorite mouth tape, based on 100% transparent research & testing. #1 of 25 products evaluated.
After thoroughly testing 23 different mouth tapes, Sleep Karma stands out in every way. First, the materials are best-in-class: most importantly, the adhesive is certified non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and skin-safe, meeting ISO-10993-1 biocompatibility standards. The fabric itself is ultra-premium organic bamboo silk — breathable, buttery-soft, and a dream to wear overnight. We also love the performance: the tape stays firmly in place all night, but peels off easily and gently in the morning (without leaving any yucky residue on your lips). The size and shape are another win — the full-coverage design keeps the mouth securely closed (and for beginners, they also offer "slim strips" which go vertically across the lips). Sleep Karma goes above and beyond by including monthly free gifts, such as a stunning bamboo night stand and bamboo travel case (with a subscription) and 24/7 access to a team of sleep coaches. All of this comes at a price that's right in line with most competitors — around $0.83 per night for dramatically better sleep.
• Certified skin-safe adhesive (meets ISO-10993-1 standards)
• Ultra-soft, breathable organic bamboo silk
• Secure hold and easy removal with no sticky residue
• Full-coverage design for complete mouth sealing
• Slim strip option available (perfect for beginners)
• Complimentary bamboo bedside stand and travel case (included with subscription)
• Free 24/7 access to expert sleep coaches
• Excellent value (~$0.80 per night)
• Mouth taping may take a night or two to get used to
• Only available online
A great mouth tape should use adhesives that are safe to wear on your mouth and a breathable, healthy fabric. It needs be sticky enough to stay on all night (without tearing your lips off in the morning) and come in the shape & size that does the job.
We also looked for brands that went the extra mile. We gave bonus points for companies that support its users sleep better (as opposed to just selling tape) and all at a price that makes daily use realistic.
We carefully studied, tested and used each of the 25 most popular mouth tape products ourselves. With our three finalists, we slept for 7 days with each, and recorded our findings across seven factors of comfort, strength and impact on our sleep. Read on for our complete analysis and research findings.
Our review approach is different. We conduct fully independent and 100% transparent reviews. If you’re reading our analysis, and think we’ve missed a detail, we’d love to hear from you.
See our top three mouth tapes below. This is a summary of our complete collaborative research document found here. We welcome anyone with meaningful inputs, comments, corrections, or suggestions to either write us directly.
Rank
Overall score
Is it
safe?
7 Night challenge
Mouth taping. We all remember when we first heard about it. It turns out that the science behind this initially bizarre-sounding practice is pretty air-tight (geddit?). A number of high-quality, peer reviewed clinical studies have shown that to improve sleep quality, reduce snoring, refresh skin and improve facial muscle development, mouth taping actually works.
Insight 1: Less waking up at night
This study showed that using mouth tape significantly reduced nighttime breathing disturbances in those studied. The number of times study participants woke up per hour dropped in all three groups studied.
Insight 2: Reduced snoring
In the same study, mouth taping significantly reduced snoring (measured by a snore index). The chart shows the rate of snoring without (left) and with (right) mouth tape applied. A clear drop in snoring events with mouth tape can be observed for nearly all participants.
Mouth taping is a hot topic on Reddit. While prepping this review, we combed through posts from hundreds of mouth tape die-hards and noticed 3M Micropore® frequently recommended as a cheap alternative to branded mouth tape. So we tested it. But after digging into its materials—and giving it a sniff—we didn’t feel safe putting it on our mouths. It’s made with petroleum-based adhesives and came off almost instantly. We don’t recommend it. It was made for bandages, not mouths. If you’ve had better luck, let us know.
Some pressure-sensitive glues contain residual solvents, plasticizers, or unreacted monomers that can leach into the skin’s micro-tears or be inhaled overnight; over time they may trigger dermatitis, mucosal irritation, or even chronic inflammatory responses in the airway. To avoid those risks, medical-grade mouth tapes should use adhesives that have passed the ISO 10993-1 biocompatibility battery—cytotoxicity, sensitization, irritation, and systemic toxicity tests—which verifies that every ingredient is safe for prolonged contact with skin and the moist lining of the lips and respiratory tract.
If you're familiar with mouth taping, you’ve probably heard of HostageTape®. With its ubiquitous advertising and bold, bro-ish UFC-fighter-inspired brand, it certainly seems to make the loudest noise in the category. We were excited to try HostageTape®. All in all, it’s not a bad mouth tape. The materials used are “ok” (despite a slightly non-ideal adhesive composition). But the glue is insanely strong and the tape is small, which means it stays on OK, but doesn't fully cover the mouth and often painfully ripped the skip from our mouths when removing it.
We’re thrilled to announce our involvement in Sleep Karma. Mouth taping has become a critical part of our own routines, but despite testing every mouth tape we could find, none fully met our standards for quality and safety. We got involved in Sleep Karma to support the creation of a product we wished existed: one with certified non-toxic adhesive and ultra-premium, organic bamboo silk—obsessively crafted to meet the highest standards in health and safety. Sales of Sleep Karma directly support Evident’s on-going efforts to hold the health & wellness industry to account.
Questions? View our complete research or email us directly getevident@gmail.com.
This category is personal to me. And I’m really excited to be reviewing it.
About a year ago, I started to notice that my sleep sucked. My girlfriend pointed out to me that my sleep seemed disturbed and unrestful at night. I was apparently waking myself up gently gasping for oxygen at regular intervals throughout the night. Increasingly, I woke up feeling crappy. Irritable. Sluggish. Puffy bags appeared under my eyes. Most days I existed in a daze of daytime sleepiness that I just couldn't shake. It was insanely frustrating. And judging by my social media feed these days, mine is an experience that many seem to share.
So I went to see an ENT doctor. He inserted a scary-looking probe up my nose to reveal what I’d always known, but paid little attention to: an extraordinarily deviated septum (the soft cartilage between my nasal passages). After consulting with a facial plastic surgeon, I underwent a major septorhinoplasty surgery to straighten my septum. Boom. I’d done it. Nose breathing for life.
But even with two newly refurbished nostrils, my sleep still suffered. No amount of “sleep hygiene protocols”, hours in bed, melatonin, magnesium, meditation or black-out curtains made any difference to this daily malaise.
Enter, mouth tape.
It’s no overstatement to say that mouth taping completely changed my life. I’ve been taping my mouth closed to sleep for five months now, and the results have been nothing short of phenomenal. I sleep soundly, I wake up refreshed and I can see a noticeable improvement in my eyes and and skin glow. And I just feel great. There aren’t many products I’m willing to speak about in such definitive terms, but mouth tape is one of them.
The practice seemed absurd at first. Taping your mouth shut? Isn’t that what kidnappers do to their hapless victims? Surely that’s a recipe for anxiety and panic? It turns out mouth taping is a one-way ticket to peace, calm and tranquility. I couldn't believe how good it felt to be able to fall asleep knowing that I'd be nasal breathing all night. I never woke up with dry mouth any more. I never got up to pee in the middle of the night anymore. I have tons more energy in the day.
This experience has led me to research the effects of nasal breathing. From all the clinical studies I've read, the dentists and sleep specialists I've spoken to, one thing is clear: Nasal breathing is king. Moreover, mouth breathing leads to the slow and steady decline of not only sleep quality, but of oral health and many other critical physiological processes. If you want to read more about the science behind nasal breathing and mouth taping, check out our detailed scientific review of the literature here.
But despite being a total mouth tape fanatic, I wasn't sure which of the many brands made the best product....
Our research is 100% transparent. Please visit our open-source, collaborative analysis to review our data and share any suggestions for improvements. We welcome questions or comments directly.
A safe mouth tape uses non-toxic, hypoallergenic adhesives to prevent irritation while ensuring a secure hold. Breathable fabrics like cotton or silk allow airflow, reducing moisture buildup and skin discomfort.
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Mouth tape should be the right size & shape, and reliably stay put during a night of tossing and turning. We looked for a tape with a secure hold, but that wasn’t horrendous to remove in the morning.
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Mouth tape prices vary to some extent and some brands also include free added extras like night stands, travel cases, and access to dedicated sleep coaches.
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We tested each of our three finalist mouth tapes for 7 nights each, evaluating them across seven factors of comfort, hold strength, and impact on sleep.
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Unlike most review sites that rank products based simply on price, hidden affiliate incentives or highly subjective factors like color preference, we took a cleaner, deeper, and more scientifically rigorous approach. We analyzed all 25 mouth tapes against four objective factors. We looked for a mouth tape that we’d be happy to stick to our face every single night. That means we hunted for the brand that are honest and transparent about its material and adhesive ingredients, and a tape that sticks well, doesn’t hurt the skin and is a size & shape that really works.
We started by scouring the internet and creating a database of every single mouth tape brand that delivers to the US. We then reached out to every single brand, asking them for clarification of their material and adhesive ingredients. We then selected 25 mouth tape products out of the list to buy and test in person, based on:
• Popular choices: We included the most recognizable and popular mouth tape brands.
• We ruled out any mouth tapes with really nasty ingredients. We knew they wouldn’t win our final study, and frankly didn’t feel compelled to sleep with them on our mouths.
• No price bias: Price wasn’t a factor in our selection—at Evident, we’re interested in finding the actual best quality product, regardless of cost. And then reintroduce price as a contextual factor at the end of the review.
When evaluating mouth tapes, health and safety comes first. I plan to put this thing directly over my lips and mouth for over 7 hours every night. I don't want skin irritation, an allergic reaction, or exposure to harmful chemicals.
To assess whether mouth tapes are safe, we identified two core material components in each tape:
1. The adhesive (the glue that sticks the tape to your lips)
2. The fabric (the material that sits against your skin)
Our pick: we reached out to every brand in our review to ask them to confirm their adhesive ingredients and to prove compliance with ISO 10993-1 biocompatibility standards. Most brands refused to provide them claiming "proprietary trade secrets". Some brands confirmed their adhesive ingredients and supplied certificates and independent biocompatibility testing documents.
The adhesive is the sticky part that holds the tape in place, ensuring it stays put throughout the night. But just because something sticks well doesn’t mean it should be anywhere near your mouth. For each tape in our review, we wanted to understand whether the adhesives used were non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and gentle on the skin. Over consistent nightly use, harsh adhesives can lead to irritation, redness and even long-term skin damage. Worse, some ahesives release fumes that should not be inhaled all night long.
We set out to understand a basic but surprisingly overlooked question: how can adhesives that start out as toxic liquids end up safe enough for skin contact? After speaking directly with Henkel USA, the original manufacturer of many of the adhesives found in these tapes, we found is that it all comes down to the curing process.
Adhesives, like cyanoacrylates and epoxies, begin as toxic and reactive mixtures—chemical monomers and solvents that can irritate skin, eyes, and lungs. In their raw form, they release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other potentially harmful byproducts. But once they’re fully cured—using a complex and specific steps including heat, UV light, and chemical catalysts—those reactive elements are chemically transformed. Through polymerization, they become stable, inert solids with dramatically reduced toxicity.
That transformation is what makes them viable for medical use. Cured cyanoacrylates, for instance, are now common in wound closure products. Properly cured epoxies are also used in medical coatings and devices.
But there’s a critical catch: if the curing isn’t complete, some of those original toxic ingredients can linger, potentially posing health risks. So while adhesives can be made safe, they’re only as safe as the curing process is thorough. We set out to verify the manufacturing processes of each of the brands we tested.
Confirming non-toxicity
We reached out to every brand in this review directly, requesting full transparency about their adhesive formulas and manufacturing processes. We asked them to supply two documents: (i) an ISO 10993-1 Biocompatibility Certificate -- which proves that the adhesive they use is skin-safe for humans; and (ii) a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) -- which details the exact materials & ingredients used, direct from a brand's manufacturer.
If you’re a mouth tape brand reading this and want to clarify the chemical composition of your materials, feel free to contact us here and we’ll be more than happy to update our analysis.
Brands that were unwilling to disclose their adhesives:
Some brands just plain refused to clarify what material they use:
VIO2 Tape
Dream Recovery
ShhTape
PapMD
Our pick: all in all, we strongly prefer bamboo rayon. It hits the sweet spot across the board: naturally hypoallergenic, impressively breathable and moisture-wicking, and soft enough for sensitive skin. Unlike some synthetics, it rarely needs heavy chemical processing, and it offers just the right amount of structure to keep your lips gently closed without feeling stiff or sticky. In our testing, it was the fabric that we most often forgot we were even wearing... a massive plus!
The material that sits on your lips all night matters almost as much as the adhesive that keeps them closed. Mouth tape isn’t just about adhesion, it's about the material that stays in constant contact with your skin for 6–8 hours. The right fabric can mean the difference between a comfortable, effective night and waking up with skin irritation, moisture buildup, or worse.
Common fabrics we found in the tapes
Through our review of leading products, we found three categories of fabric that dominate the space, each with distinct strengths:
Cotton (and blends): Cotton’s a solid pick for people with allergies or concerns about synthetic materials—assuming it's not heavily dyed or treated. A go-to for sensitive skin. Cotton feels gentle on the lips and face, especially when undyed and minimally processed. It’s a top choice for people with textile sensitivities or skin prone to irritation.
Rayon (non-woven, e.g. bamboo): Typically found in high-quality tapes, rayon is a medical-grade staple. It’s soft, breathable, and structurally reliable, often used in wound care products. Frequently paired with an acrylic binder to add elasticity and support without sacrificing airflow. Many premium tapes use microporous versions for better comfort and airflow.
Synthetic (non-woven, e.g. polyester blends): These include materials like polyethylene, polypropylene, latex and polyester. Often engineered to meet specific medical-grade performance standards. When well-designed, they can offer good structure and moisture management. When poorly executed, they can trap heat or cause breakouts.
Brands that use cotton
Adellina
VIO2 Tape
Brands that use majority rayon fabrics:
Sleep Karma
PapMD
Skinny Confidential
Dream Recovery
awwawe
Brands that use majority synthetic fabrics:
Dryft Sleep
ShhTape
Hush Strips
Viory
Brands unwilling to disclose:
Some brands just plain refused to clarify what material they use:
Hostage Tape
Goodnight Tape
Niveus
DreamState
Breathability
There’s a common misconception that mouth tape needs to fully seal the mouth shut. In reality, good mouth tape doesn’t aim to be airtight, rather it aims to keep the lips comfortably together to promote nasal breathing. That distinction affects how fabrics are chosen:
Breathable materials have small gaps between fibers, allowing air to passively circulate while still applying enough pressure to keep the lips closed.
This breathability prevents moisture and heat from accumulating under the tape, especially important during REM sleep when body temperature rises.
Importantly, breathability supports comfort without compromising effectiveness. You’re not trying to glue your mouth shut, you’re offering your lower jaw gentle support to stay closed.
Moisture Management
Breathability and moisture-wicking are often lumped together, but they’re not the same:
Breathable fabrics allow air and some vapor to pass through, which helps with overall dryness.
Moisture-wicking fabrics, on the other hand, actively pull sweat or saliva away from the skin using microporous structures, promoting faster evaporation.
Tapes that combine both features (like those using microporous rayon) are better at preventing that clammy feeling that can come from breathing through your nose while your skin is still adjusting from habitual mouth breathing.
Allergens and Irritants
Fabric-related allergic reactions don’t get as much attention as adhesive allergies, but they’re just as real, especially when synthetic materials are heavily dyed or chemically treated. Here’s what stood out in our research:
Dark-colored tapes, particularly those dyed blue, black, or purple, are more likely to trigger textile dye allergies.
Sweating during sleep can cause dyes or finishes to leach into skin, increasing exposure.
Some studies report rates of textile dye sensitivity as high as 16%, though the average is closer to 1–2%.
For safety, look for brands that use undyed or naturally light-colored fabrics and disclose their dyeing and finishing processes.
With hundreds of mouth tape options flooding the market, choosing the right mouth tape isn’t just a matter of comfort, it’s a matter of health and safety. Many products use questionable adhesives or low-quality materials that can irritate the skin or even introduce toxic compounds to mouth or lungs. That’s why it’s essential to look for tapes specifically engineered with non-toxic adhesives and fabrics suited to overnight wear on human skin. We found the handful of brands that were transparent about the safety of their adhesive application procedures. We are strong fans of bamboo rayon fabric as these are typically breathable and skin-friendly. These details may seem small, but they make a big difference over the long-haul. Pick the wrong tape, and you risk rashes, discomfort, or worse. Pick the right one, and mouth taping becomes a genuinely safe and beneficial part of your sleep routine.
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In our experience of 100s of hours of mouth taping, it only works if (1) the tape is the size & right size, (2) stays securely on throughout the night and (3) peels off in the morning without ripping or tearing the lips. If it peels off after an hour or shifts around as you move, it’s basically useless. At the same time, no one wants to wake up feeling like their lips have been ripped off. A good mouth tape should strike the perfect balance: secure enough to last through a full night of sleep but easy enough to remove without irritation or leftover gunk.
To find the sweet spot, we tested each of the 25 products on:
Size, shape and coverage
Hold strength
Ease of removal
Our pick: We loved the larger tapes that fully covered the mouth and were a simple rectangular shape. Sleep Karma, Awwawe, PapMD and the larger Adellina tapes all consistently performed well during the night. The smaller tapes just didn't feel as secure and relaxing.
Size: small, medium or large?
Mouths aren’t one-size-fits-all, and neither should mouth tape be. From all of our testing, the ideal mouth tape needs to be large enough to keep your lips fully sealed without feeling overwhelming or uncomfortable. We found that larger-sized tapes performed best. Because they ensured complete coverage of the mouth, reducing any risk of relapsing into mouth breathing during the night. A wider tape also prevented the mouth from overpowering the adhesive and reopening while asleep.
For us, smaller mouth tapes often failed to provide a reliable seal, sometimes shifting or peeling at the edges, particularly for restless sleepers. If you want full confidence that the tape will hold through the night, opting for a larger size is the way to go.
Shape: strips, ovals, or x-shaped?
In our testing, shape mattered more than we expected. Some brands have opted for simple rectangular strips, while others go for oval, X-shaped, or even butterfly-like designs.
Rectangular strips: Basic but highly effective, as long as they’re on the larger size.
Oval & rounded designs: These tend to conform to the lips reasonably well, but don't cover .
X-Shaped & Specialty Designs: Some brands claim these allow for ‘partial’ mouth taping, but we found that they sometimes lacked staying power.
The best-performing mouth tapes molded well to the lips, creating a secure but breathable seal without feeling stiff or awkward.
Coverage: full vs. partial
Full coverage tapes completely seal the lips, while partial coverage tapes support allow small gaps for airflow. Full coverage: These provide the most effective seal but can feel a little intense for first-time users. Partial Coverage Ideal for those nervous about mouth taping, but we found they sometimes didn’t stay put as well.
If your goal is consistent nasal breathing, full coverage tapes generally worked best, as long as they weren’t overly aggressive in their adhesive.
Our view: Some tapes fell off, some tapes were agony to remove in the morning, but a handful were just right. We loved the hold strength of Sleep Karma, Dream Recovery and VIO2. Tapes from Dryft Tape or 3M Micropore came off way too easily, while removing Hostage Tape was firm, ripped and hurt our faces.
Finding the perfect level of stickiness is key. The tape needs to hold firm all night—even if you’re a restless sleeper—but it shouldn’t feel like you’re peeling off duct tape in the morning. We tested for staying power by simulating a full night’s sleep with tossing, turning, and repositioning. The best tapes remained securely in place for 7+ hours without shifting or lifting at the corners. Some brands, however, either barely stuck at all or went way overboard, making removal a nightmare.
The best-performing mouth tapes molded well to the lips, creating a secure but breathable seal without feeling stiff or awkward.
Our view: A lot of the tapes with great hold strength were tricky to pull off in the morning. They can sometimes pull hard at the lips and leave a bit of sticky gunk behind. Tapes like Hostage Tape, Viory, or Goodnight Tape just felt too aggressive on the mouth. Dryft Sleep, 3M Micropore, and Hushstrips were very easy to pull off, but didn't have the hold strength we were looking for. Sleep Karma and Dream Recovery, and PapMD get the balance between hold strength and ease of removal just right.
No one wants to start their day with raw, irritated lips. In our testing the best mouth tapes peeled off easily without pain or leaving behind any sticky residue. We rated removability based on how much force was needed to take each tape off and whether the lips displayed any redness or discomfort. The top-rated tapes removed smoothly and painlessly, while the worst ones clung aggressively, leaving lips feeling raw.
Adhesive Residue
A huge issue we ran into? Adhesive residue. Some tapes left behind an annoying layer of sticky gunk that required scrubbing to remove. Not ideal. The best brands used clean-peeling adhesives that left no mess behind. Meanwhile, lower-quality tapes left residue that felt like peeling off a price sticker—frustrating and unnecessary.
A mouth tape that works should stay on all night, remove easily, and leave no sticky surprises behind. Our top picks in this chapter were, by far, Sleep Karma, PapMD and awwawe. They have a great size and shape, with a super comfortable fabric, and have totally nailed the balance between strong adhesion and easy removal.
Choosing the right mouth tape isn’t just about health, safety, comfort and performance, it’s also about value. In this part of the analysis, we explored what you’re really getting for your money. From premium materials and packaging to free gifts, and added extras.
Pricing in mouth tapes is about affordability in the long run. The benefits of mouth taping build over time, so the true cost of a chosen product is the on-going cost over weeks and months of consistent use. A mouth tape that seems cheap per pack may not be so budget-friendly if you’re reordering frequently due to ineffective adhesion or discomfort. While a premium-priced tape can actually represent better value if it performs well for you and offers bulk discounts, free gifts or other added benefits.
To determine value for money, we calculated the cost per night for each of the 25 products we reviewed. Price per night varied widely across the products, with 3M Micropore tape costing an estimated ~4c per night (at the cheapest) and Goodnight Tape costing $1.17 per night (at the most expensive). Over the course of a year, that difference can add up: $15 vs. $425, annually.
We found that the best-value mouth tapes weren't necessarily the very cheapest upfront, but the ones that strike the right balance between affordability and quality. A poorly designed tape that falls off in the middle of the night or irritates the skin means wasted money (on top of disrupted sleep). 3M Micropore is certainly the cheapest option we reviewed, but was never designed to be a mouth tape and doesn't perform.
For those looking to save money on great mouth tape products, subscription plans and bulk purchases offer meaningful discounts. Some brands offer up to 30% off when buying in bulk or committing to a subscription, reducing a cost-per-night from $0.95 to as low as $0.60, in some cases.
We found that some mouth tape brands really go above and beyond just supplying mouth tape. Some provide truly useful (and sometimes beautiful) free gifts and services including bedside tape holders, travel cases, free memberships to sleep tracker apps, or access to sleep coaches etc. We liked Skinny Confidential's white tape container: it's sleek and stylish. But all-in-all, Sleep Karma really stood out. Their bamboo bedside holder, bamboo travel case, free month of a sleep tracker app (amongst other things) all come free with their subscription.
Bedside tape holders - Sleep Karma is the only brand that supplies a free bamboo bedside table holder with a subscription to their mouth tape. We found that the holder really helps to keep tapes organized, available and it looks amazing next to our beds.
Travel cases and tins – Some brands help to keep your tape clean and clear on the go. Again, we loved the super chic and effective bamboo travel case from Sleep Karma. Skinny Confidential's free case is also very elegant, and Hostage Tape's travel tin is robust and lightweight, but costs ~$10. These cases are a small touch, but surprisingly useful to keep the mouth taping habit going when you travel.
Support and Dedicated Sleep Coaching – While researching this category, we reached out to all brands directly for further information about the composition of their materials. A handful of brands offer exceptional customer service, while many others completely ignored us. In particular, we were impressed by the responsiveness and support of GoodNight Tape, PapMD, Dryft Sleep and Sleep Karma. As part of their subscription, Sleep Karma offers 24/7 access to dedicated sleep coaches to help their users troubleshoot issues like discomfort, fit, or concerns about nasal breathing. This is an unexpected but valuable perk, especially for those new to mouth taping.
Brands that bundle these perks into their pricing make it easier to justify a slightly higher cost, as they provide a more comprehensive sleep-improving experiencenot just a roll of tape.
Mouth tape is an investment in better sleep, so price must be considered through a long-term lens. In our opinion, the best value comes from brands that offer a great, safe tape at reasonable per-night pricing, and meaningful free gifts and added benefits. If you’re committing to mouth taping as a permanent habit, we were blown away by the value of Sleep Karma given it's middle-of-the-road pricing for an excellent tape, a handful of amazing freebies and great support. A few cents saved per night can make a difference over time—but only if the tape actually works and the brand will respond when you need them to.
After a deep dive into the materials, adhesives, size & shape, hold strength and easy of removal of 25 mouth tapes, three standout finalists earned a spot in our ultimate showdown: Sleep Karma, Dryft Sleep, and Adellina. But to understand how these tapes actually perform where it matters—in bed—we put each one through a 7-night sleep challenge. The goal: to evaluate comfort, effectiveness, and real-world usability over a full week of wear.
Our methodology
For each product of mouth tape, we measured their performance across seven factors:
1. Hold strength: Does the tape stay securely on all night without feeling irritating or too sticky?
2. Breathability: Can you breathe easily through your nose without feeling suffocated or panicked?
3. Skin sensitivity & comfort: Any redness, breakouts, or irritation in the morning?
4. Sleep impact: Improvement in sleep quality (fewer wakeups, deeper sleep, more energy in the day).
5. Discretion: Does it feel natural or intrusive during sleep—and would you use it with a partner around?
6. Ease of use: Is application straightforward and consistent night to night?
7. Ease of removal: Does it peel off easily, cleanly without leave adhesive behind?
Hold Strength — 9/10
The Sleep Karma tape stayed firmly in place through the night, even during tossing and turning. I followed the instructions provided that told me to wash & dry my mouth area before applying. Doing so made the tape hold incredibly securely. It struck the perfect balance between secure and comfortable.
Breathability — 9/10
Once applied, I found myself calmly nasal breathing without the tape ever feeling restrictive. Even during moments of congestion, airflow felt surprisingly manageable and never caused panic.
Skin Sensitivity & Comfort — 10/10
There was no redness or irritation after use. Skin felt smooth and happy.
Sleep Impact — 10/10
Wow. This really blew me away. Sleep Karma's tape noticeably improved my sleep from night one. Fewer wakeups, deeper rest, and a clear boost in morning energy. It genuinely felt like my sleep had leveled up.
Discretion — 9/10
It’s definitely one of the larger tapes, but frankly, I loved that. When it's properly applied, it felt like my mouth was completely securely held. This meant I could utterly relax, knowing it wouldn't come off if I moved my mouth or chin. I also love the oatmeal color, it's much less aggressive or startling than a lot of the other black or pink tapes.
Ease of Use — 10/10
Application takes seconds. The tape peels off the white backing easily and applies in seconds.
Ease of removal — 9/10
No stickiness or residue left behind (which is impressive for such a secure hold!). It pulled a little bit on my lips, but came off in one smooth motion without residual or flaking adhesive.
Hold Strength — 3/10
This was the biggest letdown. The tape just doesn’t stay put. Over half the nights, I woke up to find that it had come off. Which defeated the purpose. The adhesive feels more like a gentle sticker than something meant for overnight wear.
Breathability — 7/10
The mouth-shaped design keeps things from feeling too claustrophobic, and it’s easy to breathe through the nose. But since the tape often comes loose, it felt less relevant.
Skin Sensitivity & Comfort — 8/10
It’s soft, smooth, and gentle on the skin. No irritation or redness, even after several nights. One of the few areas where Dryft really delivers.
Sleep Impact — 4/10
It’s hard to improve sleep when the tape won’t stay on. On the few nights it held, we noticed slight improvements. But overall, its unreliability meant inconsistent results and interrupted the experiment more than it helped.
Discretion — 6/10
The mouth-shaped design is cute but looks a bit weird (in my very subjective opinion). It felt like more of a silly novelty than a serious sleep aid.
Ease of Use — 6/10
Application is quick, but the tape's small form factor makes alignment finicky. We occasionally had to reposition it, which was frustrating just before bed.
Ease of removal — 4/10
Even though it’s not particularly sticky, it still left behind slight residue on a few nights—probably due to the fact that I had to repeatedly re-apply new versions. Not a major mess, but not spotless either.
Hold Strength — 8/10
The Adellina tape felt like a solid, functional tape. It held strong every single night, no slips, no curling at the edges. That said, the adhesive felt borderline aggressive. Peeling it off in the morning wasn’t painful exactly, but it wasn’t pleasant either.
Breathability — 7/10
I never felt suffocated or panicked. It promoted solid nasal breathing. However, the narrower shape meant that it didn’t feel quite as airtight or confidence-boosting as larger designs. It worked, but I was always slightly aware of my mouth under the seal.
Skin Sensitivity & Comfort — 6/10
This is where Adellina took a hit. By night three, I really started to feel the adhesive’s impact. My lips were a little tender in the mornings, and the corners of my mouth felt slightly chafed. No redness or visible irritation, but enough internal discomfort to make me notice. I'm not sure I'd be down to wear this every night for a year.
Sleep Impact — 9/10
Despite the comfort drawbacks, my sleep was noticeably better. Fewer wakeups, and I woke up feeling more rested—even on nights where I didn’t clock a full 8 hours. I’d call this a strong performer when it comes to sleep quality, which is the core reason most people tape up to begin with.
Discretion — 7/10
It’s not flashy or weird-looking, and I wouldn’t hesitate to wear it around a partner. But the rigidity of the tape made me feel like I had something on my mouth more than I wanted to. It’s not distracting, but it’s also not invisible once you’ve worn ultra-soft alternatives.
Ease of Use — 9/10
Application of Adellina was super simple. The backing peeled cleanly, the tape lined up easily, and it held exactly where I put it. The only reason it’s not a perfect 10 is because of how firmly it sticks when removing it.
Ease of removal — 5/10
Definitely left behind some tackiness each morning. Nothing dramatic, but enough that I needed to rinse with warm water or use a cleanser to feel completely clean. Over time, I found this a little annoying. A cleaner peel would’ve made a big difference.
After seven nights with each finalist mouth tape, Sleep Karma stood out as the clear winner. It struck the best balance of comfort and sleep quality—with a secure hold that never irritated the skin and a full-coverage shape that felt natural night after night. Adellina was functional and dependable, but the overly aggressive adhesive left our lips sore and required cleanup in the morning. Dryft, while gentle and beginner-friendly, simply didn’t hold up, literally. It fell off on multiple nights and lacked the secure seal needed for real sleep improvements. The 7-night challenge made one thing clear: design details matter, and Sleep Karma nailed the ones that count.
Mouth taping isn’t a gimmick—it’s a low-tech sleep tool that can fundamentally upgrade your sleep quality (particularly if you're a mouth breather, like I was). But as we found, not all tapes are created equal, and not all brands take health and safety seriously. Many tapes are too flimsy, too sticky, too small, or just poorly designed. Worse, most brands can’t guarantee the safety and biocompatibility of their adhesives. For us at Evident, this is an unsettling fact for something that sits on your skin over your mouth for 8 hours per night. After reviewing 25 of the most popular sleep tape products and sleeping with the top three finalists, Sleep Karma emerged as by far and away the best option: skin-safe materials, strong and secure adhesion, gentle on skin, and genuinely effective at improving sleep. If you're serious about trying mouth tape, skip the noise and start with the one that actually works.
Sleep Karma is our favorite mouth tape, based on 100% transparent research & testing. #1 of 25 products evaluated.
After thoroughly testing 23 different mouth tapes, Sleep Karma stands out in every way. First, the materials are best-in-class: most importantly, the adhesive is certified non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and skin-safe, meeting ISO-10993-1 biocompatibility standards. The fabric itself is ultra-premium organic bamboo silk — breathable, buttery-soft, and a dream to wear overnight. We also love the performance: the tape stays firmly in place all night, but peels off easily and gently in the morning (without leaving any yucky residue on your lips). The size and shape are another win — the full-coverage design keeps the mouth securely closed (and for beginners, they also offer "slim strips" which go vertically across the lips). Sleep Karma goes above and beyond by including monthly free gifts, such as a stunning bamboo night stand and bamboo travel case (with a subscription) and 24/7 access to a team of sleep coaches. All of this comes at a price that's right in line with most competitors — around $0.83 per night for dramatically better sleep.
• Certified skin-safe adhesive (meets ISO-10993-1 standards)
• Ultra-soft, breathable organic bamboo silk
• Secure hold and easy removal with no sticky residue
• Full-coverage design for complete mouth sealing
• Slim strip option available (perfect for beginners)
• Complimentary bamboo bedside stand and travel case (included with subscription)
• Free 24/7 access to expert sleep coaches
• Excellent value (~$0.80 per night)
• Mouth taping may take a night or two to get used to
• Only available online
