I turned 41 earlier this year, but everyone presumes I’m 25. Along with a well honed skincare routine, I put this down to doing a sheet mask every day for 20 years. The best sheet masks keep my skin looking plump with hydration, along with many other benefits depending on the ingredients. I’ve tested well over 150 different masks, so have become pretty clued up on which are worth your time and money.
Consultant dermatologist, Professor Firas Al-Niaimi explains that “a sheet mask keeps the product in close contact with the skin for an extended period. This helps lock in moisture and prevents the serum or essence on the mask from evaporating too quickly. As a result, the skin stays more hydrated for longer and active ingredients have a better chance of penetrating the outer layers of the skin compared to a standard serum applied on its own.”
Aesthetic doctor Dr David Jack is keen to point out though, that it’s “relatively difficult to stabilise very high concentrations of actives in sheet masks, so they’re best thought of as a quick-acting treatment for moisture rather than a long-term corrective solution.”
In tandem with serums, they definitely have their place in your skincare routine. These are the best sheet masks that reign supreme in terms of hydration.
Read more: Best anti-ageing day creams, tested by a beauty editor in her 40s
The best sheet masks for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Sarah Chapman skinesis 3D moisture infusion sheet mask: £18, Spacenk.com
- Best budget buy – Garnier hydrating aloe sheet mask: £3.50, Sainsburys.co.uk
- Best for under make-up – 111Skin cryo de-puffing energy mask: £15.96, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for sensitive skin – Eucerin hyaluron-filler sheet mask: £7.45, Amazon.co.uk
How I tested
I’ve been a beauty editor for 20 years, and I learnt very early on just how much of a difference sheet masks made to my skin, especially to prep my skin before makeup or an important event. Given my two-decade long love affair with them, and my historic commitment to applying one daily, I’ve tested a huge variety of different masks.
I put all of my favourites through their paces again for this article, testing each one in the morning after waking up – when my skin had sleep lines, needed a moisture boost, and was looking lacklustre. It was easy to see which were the stand-out hydrating sheet masks, by how they instantly transformed my skin’s look and feel.
Read more: Best hyaluronic acid serums for hydrated skin, even in winter
Sarah Chapman skinesis 3D moisture infusion sheet mask
Best: Sheet mask overall
Wear time: 15 minutes+
Material: Bio-Cellulose
Key ingredients: Pentavitin, skinasensyl tetrapeptide, low molecular weight hyaluronic acid, Defensil-Plus, rose water, Sepitonic M
Why we love it
- Exceptional line-up of ingredients
- It smells beautiful with the rosewater
- Ingredients have good anti-ageing benefits
Take note
- Quite pricey compared to others on the list
This Sarah Chapman bio-cellulose sheet mask fits like a second skin and is the best material for skin absorption. It’s not the most affordable on the list, but you are paying for an exceptional line-up of ingredients, which is why this has to score as the best sheet mask overall.
The inclusion of pentavitin in addition to hyaluronic acid is great, as it provides long-lasting hydration for the next 72 hours after you remove the mask. It also fortifies the skin barrier to prevent moisture loss.
There’s also hydrating rose water; hydration boosting Sepitonic M3; a zinc, copper and magnesium complex to improve cell oxygenation; and skinasensyl tetrapeptide to soothe redness. I love the instant results I get from this mask, but I can also feel that my skin is plumper and more hydrated for days afterwards. It’s not just a quick, temporary fix, which is what makes this mask special.
Buy now £18, Spacenk.com
111Skin cryo de-puffing energy mask
Best: Sheet mask for under make-up
Wear time: 20 minutes+
Material: Hydrogel
Key ingredients: Tetrapeptide, caffeine, glycerin
Why we love it
- Fits perfectly
- Makes you look well-rested
- Great at reducing dark circles
Take note
- It's expensive, but you don’t need to use it often
The 111Skin cryo de-puffing energy mask is a one-way ticket to an instant glow-up. It isn’t the most affordable, but one that’s best saved for before important events. The brand was created by a dermatologist, so you know it has that expert input. It’s incredibly hydrating with humectant glycerin and makes the second-most obvious difference to your skin compared to the others. It was designed around the principles of cryotherapy, so it offers the same cooling, firming and de-puffing effects.
Make-up applies like a dream after it. The ‘energy’ in its name comes from the fact that it increases blood circulation (with caffeine) and stimulates mitochondrial function, which increases cellular energy to make cells work harder to give you a youthful glow. It fits brilliantly too.
Due to how cooling this mask is and its stimulating ingredients, my face feels and looks more ‘snatched’, contoured and awakened after using it. It gives me a red-carpet-ready skin effect instantly and I feel my best once I’ve worn this mask.
Buy now £100, Libertylondon.com
Eucerin hyaluron-filler sheet mask
Best: Sheet mask for sensitive skin
Wear time: 5 minutes+
Material: Bio-Cellulose
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin
Why we love it
- Great value for money
- Feels like a second-skin
- Made from biodegradable material
Take note
- Only hydrates and plumps
This cooling, soothing mask is great for sensitive skin. With its bio-cellulose, ‘second skin-like’ material, and the enhanced skin absorption benefits that come with that, the Eucerin hyaluron-filler sheet mask is a great, reliable, and affordable option. Not only does it really hydrate and plump the skin with its multi-molecular hyaluronic acid and glycerin, it also calms stressed skin instantly.
It’s a simple hydrating mask with no bells and whistles, but it does its intended job very well. My skin always feels calmer when I’ve used it, especially after I’ve had my eyebrows threaded or have had a perioral dermatitis flare-up.
I also love to use it when I’ve been ill, as it makes my skin feel like it has replaced a whole week of lost hydration. It definitely exceeds what you would expect for this price point, especially being bio-cellulose.
Buy now £6.41, Lookfantastic.com
Garnier hydrating aloe sheet mask
Best: Budget sheet mask
Wear time: 15 minutes+
Material: Fabric-style
Key ingredients: 2% hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, glycerin
Why we love it
- You really can’t argue with the price
- It’s soaked in an entire bottle of serum
Take note
- It performs just one job - hydration
This sheet mask is the most affordable on this list, but it performs brilliantly. Garnier’s sheet masks are the best value as they are soaked in so much more serum than most of the others on the list. They are a biodegradable paper mask (in a home compost), but the amount of serum means they don’t dry out before properly doing their job.
Infused with three hydrating powerhouses, your skin will be properly quenched and plumped after one use, with longer lasting results if used three times per week.
It’s a basic hydrating mask, with no other benefits, but I love how much it plumps out my fine lines, or sleep lines in the morning. It makes my cheeks so bouncy in texture too, and these results last for a couple of days – so you know that the ’one whole bottle of serum’ isn’t just a gimmick.
Buy now £3.5, Sainsburys.co.uk
Anua PDRN hyaluronic acid capsule 100 serum mask
Best: Sheet mask for 40+ skin
Wear time: 10-20 minutes+
Material: Hydrogel
Key ingredients: 11 types of hyaluronic acid, PDRN, glycerin, niacinamide, hydrolysed collagen
Why we love it
- Targets all layers of the skin
- Has texture-refining niacinamide
- Works in just 10 minutes
Take note
- Whether the collagen molecules are able to penetrate the skin is debatable
- Not hydrogel or biocellulose, so dries out faster than others on the list
The Anua PDRN hyaluronic acid mask is one incredible hydrator, with PDRN, glycerin and 11 types of hyaluronic acid at different molecular weights, targeting all layers of the skin fast. As well as being one of the fastest working masks in the list, it’s also one that offers more incredible skin benefits with continued use over time. PDRN – a salmon DNA-derived active – is the hot ingredient on everyone’s lips and on everyone’s faces right now.
It has a host of proven benefits, including hydration at a cellular level, accelerated skin healing and damage repair, reduction in hyperpigmentation and scarring, increased skin elasticity and collagen production, and more.
For me, I really notice how well the niacinamide performs when I use this a few times per week – it minimises pores and makes my skin look smoother. As a one-off mask, it really plumps my skin temporarily for the day; but when I use this a few times per week, I notice how plump and juicy my skin looks before I reach for the mask.
Buy now £24, Lookfantastic.com
Medik8 ultimate recovery bio-cellulose mask
Best: Sheet mask for immediate skin rescue
Wear time: 15 minutes+
Material: Bio-Cellulose
Key ingredients: Zinc, hyaluronic acid, rockweed algae extract
Why we love it
- Instant comfort for your skin
- Made of the best type of material for ingredient absorption
Take note
- Pricey if you just have normal, non-irritated skin
This snug fit Medik8 ultimate recovery bio-cellulose sheet mask is like a cocoon for the skin. It will bring it back from the brink if you have irritation, extreme dryness, or if you’ve just had an aesthetic treatment like microneedling. But, most importantly for those looking for hydration, it will give your skin a huge boost in moisture.
Its powerhouse ingredient is calming zinc, but it also contains rockweed algae extract that improves the skin’s resilience, as well as hydrating hyaluronic acid.
I am always blown away by the immediate changes this makes to my skin – it’s visibly calmer, with reduced redness, and plump with dewy hydration. It never fails me.
Buy now £70, Medik8.com
Bioeffect imprinting hydrogel mask
Best: Sheet mask for flights
Wear time: 15 minutes+
Material: Hydrogel
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin
Why we love it
- Oil, fragrance and alcohol-free
- Reliable as a boost of skin moisture
Take note
- Works best for anti-ageing when combined with other Bioeffect products underneath
- Pricey for what it is – a simple hydrating mask
I’ve loved this hydrating, cooling sheet mask for many years. It’s hydrogel and has a great tight fit due to it coming in two parts. I often rely on this on flights to rehydrate my skin, as it’s reliable and doesn’t dry out.
It’s designed to enhance the benefits of the Bioeffect EGF serum you’re supposed to put underneath, but I don’t use any other products under it as it’s a great mask just on its own. If you use Bioeffect’s other products however, and want to enhance EGF’s work, you’ll also get the anti-ageing benefits of this.
I like to keep this on for as long as possible, as its cooling effect really firms my skin the longer I wear it. The mask has an occlusive effect on the skin, so my face always feels very deeply hydrated after using it, rather than just plumped on the surface, and it feels like this for days afterwards.
Buy now £75, Lookfantastic.com
Biodance hydra cera-nol real deep mask
Best: Sheet mask for firmness
Wear time: Overnight, or several hours until it turns clear
Material: Hydrogel
Key ingredients: Low molecular hyaluronic acid, glacier water, panthenol, ceramides
Why we love it
- Very affordable
- Covers skin hydration, both immediately and over time
- Cools and firms the skin amazingly
Take note
- It’s a bit big for the face so gapes, until the skin starts to absorb some
- Takes a few hours of wear for it to fully work
The Biodance hydra cera-nol real deep mask mask hydrates with hyaluronic acid molecules that can penetrate deep into the skin. It contains soothing glacier water as a hydrator, and its hydrogel material delivers the ingredients well, and is cooling and firming.
Despite being big on the face on initial application, it does have good occlusive benefits as it starts to absorb. It’s designed to offer hydration absorption slowly over a number of hours, rather than one quick and over burst, and it adheres tighter to the face as it does so.
I love how it also fortifies the skin barrier (with panthenol, ceramides and the minerals in its glacier water). An effective skin barrier keeps water locked in where it’s needed, contributing to more hydrated skin over time. My skin looks and feels so happy and comforted after using this mask, feeling significantly firmer, smoother, with more refined contours too. I feel like it gives me perfected glass-like skin and I love it.
Buy now £14.9, Amazon.co.uk
Sephora watermelon quenching & plumping effect sheet mask
Best: Sheet mask for those short on time
Wear time: 10 minutes+
Material: Fabric-style
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, glycerin, watermelon fruit extract
Why we love it
- Very affordable
- Quick boost of hydration
Take note
- Dries out a lot faster than the other fabric-style masks I tested
- Has a strong watermelon fragrance, so not the best for sensitive skin
This traditional fabric-style sheet mask from Sephora is very effective at hydrating and plumping. It’s not the best mask out there, or indeed on this list, but with its low price and the fact that it works effectively in just 10 minutes, it’s a great option for those looking for a budget hydrating sheet mask that will give your skin a temporary boost. It hydrates and visibly plumps the skin, but that’s as far as its benefits go.
I wouldn’t recommend it for sensitive skin because of the potentially irritating fragrance and fruit extracts it contains. I found that it sometimes irritated my skin around my perioral dermatitis areas.
My skin looks and feels plumper and more hydrated after using the sheet mask, but this doesn’t last into the following day.
Buy now £4.99, Sephora.co.uk
Skinrepublic hyaluronic acid + collagen sheet mask
Best: Sheet mask for antioxidant protection
Wear time: 15-20 minutes+
Material: Fabric-style
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, collagen, Vitamin E
Why we love it
- Delivers on hydration
- Affordable
- Biodegradable
Take note
- The collagen isn’t going to do much beyond surface level
Skinrepublic’s hyaluronic acid and collagen sheet mask is definitely a cheap and cheerful one, but it does leave your skin feeling very hydrated. Let’s take the collagen out of the equation, as that isn’t going to be penetrating the skin due to the size of the molecules. A temporary surface level effect from the collagen is what we have with this. So, taking it only as a hydrating mask, this original-style fabric mask does deliver.
It’s soaked in an incredible amount of serum, so it doesn’t dry out too quickly, and it leaves skin very plump and dewy. Adding the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory vitamin E is a nice touch, as it also aids skin repair and reduces the appearance of scars.
Its claims are that it increases skin hydration by 67 per cent after one application and provides 48 hours of long-lasting hydration. This is in line with the results I experienced. It’s not the biggest boost of hydration compared to other masks on the list, but the plumpness does last for days.
Buy now £4.99, Superdrug.com
Hada Labo Tokyo moisturising sheet mask
Best: Sheet mask for visible plumpness
Wear time: 15 minutes+
Material: Fabric-style
Key ingredients: Multi-molecular hyaluronic acid, glycerin
Why we love it
- Soaked in a huge amount of serum
- Visibly plumps and transforms the skin immediately
Take note
- Basic hydrating mask
The Hada Labo Tokyo sheet mask is a basic hydrating one, but it does that job very well, to all levels of the skin, thanks to its hyaluronic acid and glycerin ingredients. It’s a great one for those with sensitive skin, and it’s a very popular mask on social media due to its amazing visibly plumping and hydrating abilities.
It doesn’t leave a sticky residue on the skin after use, so is perfect for no-make-up days as you can just mask and go.
I feel like this makes such a visible difference to the plumpness of my skin with just a single use, making it appear more youthful and healthier. The effects last for a couple of days afterwards, so I know that the hydration has got deep into my skin.
Buy now £3.49, Superdrug.com
Dr Jart+ vital hydra solution pro hydrating sheet mask
Best: Sheet mask for not drying out
Wear time: 15 minutes+
Material: Fabric-style
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, pentavitin, SJC-GG
Why we love it
- Ingredients list is top tier for hydration
- Visibly plumps the skin
- Doesn’t dry out quickly
Take note
- Only benefits are hydration
The Dr Jart+ vital hydra solution is a great hydrating sheet mask. While it is one of the traditional fabric-style masks, it’s infused with a ‘water gel’ rather than a serum. That wallpaper paste-like formula keeps the mask wet for way beyond its allotted treatment time, meaning you can keep it on for at least an hour for a more intense treatment.
The inclusion of pentavitin (like the Sarah Chapman mask) is great, and if that’s not enough, SJC-GG (glyceryl glucoside, glycerin, and water complex) improves water flow throughout the skin’s layers.
I can use this mask just once a week and my skin feels incredibly hydrated and plump the rest of the week from it, which means the ingredients are working invisibly under the surface too, to boost hydration. It claims to boost hydration by 108 per cent, and it definitely feels and looks like it has this effect.
Buy now £8.5, Drjart.co.uk
What are the best sheet masks?
The best sheet mask is the Sarah Chapman skinesis 3D moisture infusion sheet mask as its stellar ingredients line-up offers so many different hydration benefits during and after using it. It also has some anti-ageing benefits and is made of the best material for skin absorption.
The 111Skin cryo de-puffing energy mask comes a close second, if you’re looking for one that offers great hydration, firms the skin, acts as the best base for make-up, and eliminates dark circles. If you are looking for a mask that’s more affordable – that instantly hydrates as well as offering many anti-ageing, line-reducing benefits over time with continued use – the Anua PDRN hyaluronic acid capsule 100 Mask harnesses the viral power of PDRN (an ingredient I’ve personally had great results with) and is an effective, affordable choice.
How I tested sheet masks
I tested a wide range of sheet masks using the criteria below, applying each one in the morning to give my skin a moisture boost:
Material: I partially judged each sheet mask based on the material it’s made from. According to Professor Firas and Dr Jack, this makes a big difference in terms of how well the ingredients are absorbed by the skin. I can attest to this also. Dr Jack explains that “cotton and bamboo masks are the traditional format and are essentially fabric soaked in serum. They’re effective but can dry out quickly and often don’t mould closely to the contours of the face, which limits delivery.
“Hydrogel and bio-cellulose masks can form a more tightly adherent second skin. Hydrogel has a cooling, jelly-like texture, while bio-cellulose clings to the face improving the penetration of actives. From a performance perspective, bio-cellulose generally wins as it is breathable and occlusive and provides somewhat improved ingredient transfer.”
Ingredient formulation: As Dr Jack says, “efficacy ultimately depends on the formulation.” I assessed the ingredients of each mask to see which had the most beneficial hydrating ingredients, paying particular attention to the molecule size of additions like hyaluronic acid, as this affects how deeply it can penetrate and hydrate the skin.
Skin changes: Because of a sheet mask’s ability to instantly transform your skin, albeit temporarily, I looked at how much they improved the look and feel of my skin. I paid attention to how well they plumped out fine lines, how firm they made my skin, and how refreshed it appeared. I also assessed how much my skin stayed hydrated throughout the day, and how long the effects of the mask lasted.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
As a beauty editor for a host of respected publications, Laura K Pearson has been testing and writing about skincare for over 20 years – everything from scientific ingredient deep-dives, to shopping guides on the best moisturiser for dry skin. She’s also interviewed countless leading skin experts and doctors on ingredients, formulations, and trends. The number of sheet masks she’s tested over recent years is immense, so you can trust her when she says that these 12 are the best of the bunch at hydrating your skin.
For more skincare recommendations, read our guide to the best night creams to soothe your skin
