If bright lights are interfering with your sleep, it’s time to call in reinforcements.
The importance of a good night’s sleep cannot be stressed enough. Getting a full seven to nine hours can work wonders in reducing anxiety, improving your mental functions and for giving your body a chance to restore and repair.
If you’re not getting the recommended amount, it can be one of the most frustrating feelings in the world. But there is a simple and cost-effective solution that can make a world of difference.
By introducing a sleep mask into your routine, you can create absolute darkness without the need to invest in blackout curtains. You can also ensure a deep, uninterrupted snooze on the move by keeping the essential into your hand luggage.
Eye masks help to block out all the distractions from the world so you can get some shut-eye in peace - a godsend for light sleepers, frequent flyers and those suffering from insomnia, headaches or fatigue.
The most practical options won’t necessarily win any style points, but this is all about substance. They can have pretty designs but if they don’t serve their purpose and effectively block out light, they haven’t made our cut.
Sleep masks come in a range of materials, from cosy cotton to sumptuous silk. It’s important that they are gentle on your skin, while silk fabrics boast a long list of advantages, including absorbing less of your lotions and potions, as well as anti-ageing effects. There are even weighted options or those with innovative self-heating features. For those who oppose the feeling of having something on your face while you doze, see the moulded alternatives or those starring eye cups that have a barely-there feel.
See our pick of the best.
Best eye masks for sleeping at a glance:
- Best for silky smooth comfort with zero pressure: OLESILK Sleep Mask - £12.99, Amazon
- Best for warm summer evenings: Masters of Mayfair Luxury Sleep Masks - £35, Amazon
- Best for a sound muffling and hypoallergenic pick: Drowsy Sleep Co Silk Sleep Mask - £69, Drowsy Sleep Co
- Best for a sleep mask with cooling capabilities: Ayela Eucalyptus Silk Sleep Mask - £19, Ayela
- Best for full black-out: Sysrion Sleep Eye Mask - £5.39, Amazon
- Best for a weighted eye mask: Rest Easy Sleep Better Weighted Eye Mask - £15, John Lewis
- Best for a hi-tech, heated eye mask: PJYU Silk Heated Eye Mask - £25.88, Amazon
- Best for a barely-there feel: Manta Sleep Mask - £39, Amazon
- Best for a kind-to-hair approach: Slip Slip Silk Eye Mask - £50, Cult Beauty
- Best for utter luxury: Olivia Von Halle Aquila Silk Eye Mask - £195, Olivia Von Halle
- Best forwrinkle-reducing rejuvination: iluminage Skin Rejuvenating Eye Mask - £41.62, SkinStore
- Best for sleep-inducing aromatherapy: Hydréa London Bamboo Relaxing Lavender Eye Pillow - £8.99 - FeelUnique
Best silk bedding sets for a truly luxurious night’s sleep
Best electric blankets in the UK: heated over-blankets, under-blankets and duvets
Best weighted blankets of 2023: Calming weighted blankets to order in the UK
Best mattresses 2023: memory foam, pocket sprung and hybrid reviewed
Best mattress toppers UK: Memory foam and down pads to give you extra comfort
OLESILK Sleep Mask
Best for: silky smooth comfort with zero pressure
Constructed with a sumptuous Mulberry silk, this may just be the component that you’re missing for a full eight hours of sleep. More oversized than the freebie eye masks of time gone by and that’s the whole point - it will truly serve to remove all light from your nighttime routine, while removing any pressure on the eyes. The mask has a velcro fastening and so can be adjusted to fit all. The silk fabric is premium and has added benefits - it won’t absorb your creams, maintains moisture on the skin, and helps to minimise the appearance of wrinkles. It’s also breathable, moisture-wicking and won’t irritate skin. Most importantly of all, the mask is super comfortable.
Buy now £12.99, Amazon
Masters of Mayfair Luxury Sleep Masks
Best for: warm summer evenings
Inject a touch of luxury into your dozing with Master of Mayfair’s sleep mask that has been created with the finest natural fabrics to ensure no irritation. It has a bamboo silk lining and is infused with natural lavender flowers to encourage an extra level of relaxation with the soothing botanical (although there are options without this). The mask feels light and soft on the skin with a breathability that is a treat for warm summer evenings. It’s fully adjustable with a flat clip and elastic strap.
Buy now £35.00, Amazon
Drowsy Sleep Co Silk Sleep Mask
Best for: a sound muffling and hypoallergenic pick
The Drowsy Sleep Co puts comfort at the forefront to make sleepless nights a thing of the past. This mask has a calming cloud-like feel with super soft padding over the eyes that acts as total black out to light pollution, while also muffling out sound. It is made from 22 momme pure mulberry silk - a fabric that is hypoallergenic, lightweight and breathable.
Buy now £69.00, Drowsy Sleep Co
Ayela Eucalyptus Silk Sleep Mask
Best for: a sleepmask with cooling qualities
If you swear by a cold pillow, you’ll be delighted with this sleep time companion. Ayela offers this mask that is woven entirely from cosy Eucalyptus thread. This keeps the mask as a cool temperature that when worn encourages a longer, deeper sleep. It is available in three colours.
Buy now £19.00, Ayela
Sysrion Sleep Eye Mask
From the upgraded design, to the cosy cotton construction, this mask brand has thought of everything to ensure optimal comfort. The material is breathable and has a lovely skin feel as well as serving its true purpose to block out the light. Full darkness is achieved with a lightweight padding that is even included around the nose area that is too often forgotten by brands. The straps are fully adjustable with a crossover design so you lose a clump of hair in the process.
Buy now £5.39, Amazon
Rest Easy Sleep Better Weighted Eye Mask
Working in much the same way as a weighted blanket, this eye mask is designed to lull you into a deep sleep. While many on the list are renowned for their lightweight quality, this takes the opposite approach with a relatively heavy filling that offers a gentle pressure on the eyelids to promote a sense of calm and reduce anxiety.
Buy now £15.00, John Lewis
Silk Heated Eye Mask
For serious shut-eye, this sleep mask takes a hi-tech approach with a self-heating function. Those that prefer their sleep environment hot, hot, hot will love this eye mask that provides relief for tired, sore and dry eyes. Use it as a sleep mask to block out the light, or as part of your self-care rest routine after a long day staring at screens. The silk construction feels lovely on the face and is very comfortable to wear.
Buy now £25.88, Amazon
Manta Sleep Mask
Long flights and bright mornings - meet your match with the Mantra eye mask. The perfect alternative for those who don’t enjoy the feel of eye masks on their face, this causes zero eye pressure with soft foam adjustable cups that offer a barely there feel. Even the strap is made from a soft, breathable fabric with velcro fastening that won’t snag or pull.
Buy now £39.00, Amazon
Slip Silk Eye Mask
Whether you are having a mid-day siesta or nodding off at night, this Slip eye mask will ensure you get your beauty sleep without being interrupted by light or any disturbances. Available in a range of pastel and bold colours, this luxurious mask gently shields your eyes with its sumptuous 100 per cent mulberry silk and elasticated strap. Particularly great for anyone with lots of hair or those that sleep in a cap or bonnet, this eye mask has a weighted feel that is especially cosy.
Buy now £50.00, Cult Beauty
Olivia Von Halle Aquila Silk Eye Mask
Modern day Sleeping Beauties with a penchant for luxe will already know and adore Olivia Von Halle’s collection of silk sleepwear. Whether you are at home or on a long-haul flight, this mask not only feels good but the pure silk construction means it’s packed with skin and hair benefits. Adding a fun and original pop of colour, pair it with a matching pyjamas set for the ultimate in luxe nightwear and a thoroughly stylish snooze.
Buy now £195.00, Olivia Von Halle
iluminage Skin Rejuvenating Eye Mask
This eye mask is infused with copper which aims to reduce wrinkles and fine lines in as little as a month. It succeeds in blocking out all the light with its silky texture that steers clear from slippery territory. Prepare to feel rested with brighter eyes but perhaps lower your expectations when it comes to the anti-ageing claims - it won’t turn back the clock overnight but we did notice a decreases in our morning eye puffiness after a few weeks.
Buy now £41.62, SkinStore
Hydréa London Bamboo Relaxing Lavender Eye Pillow
This padded eye mask contains lavender flowers and rice and is designed to relax muscles and help with headaches and sinus issues. Either pop it in the microwave or fridge/freezer- depending if you’d like to relax or refresh. As a heavier option it can used as part of your pre-bed routine to unwind, or as an overnight mask but will provide a good night’s sleep either way.
Buy now £8.99, FeelUnique
Verdict
For all the key elements - comfort, a luxury feel, kind to skin and black-out - combined with an extremely purse-friendly price tag, OLESILK Sleep Mask takes our best pick.
