A good quality sleep mask should completely block out all light to help you fall sleep faster and stay asleep.
It should also feel comfortable over your eyes. Look for those that use soft fabrics like cotton, silk and polyester. For extra comfort, look for cushioned sleep masks.
In this buying guide, we are going to review the best sleep masks for use at home, for naps at the office and for sleeping on the go.
We’ve picked the best and highest rated sleep masks available on the UK market, that guarantee a soft, comfortable and dark (literally, that is) experience.
But first, a few things to keep in mind when shopping for a sleep mask.
What to Consider When Buying a Sleep Mask
a. Material
The material is the most important thing to check. A mask that makes your skin itch and leaves your skin sweaty and clammy is worse for your sleep than no mask at all.
Look for a sleep mask that uses a comfortable, moisture-absorbent and breathable material.
Cotton is good. It’s soft and absorbs sweat. Silk is also a good choice as is polyester and bamboo.
Natural fabrics are generally better than synthetics. They feel softer and they are less likely to cause any skin irritation.
Also check whether the mask uses a cushioning material inside and what it is. Most sleep masks with padding use memory foam.
b. Adjustable Straps
It’s difficult to pick the perfect size for your face. In fact, most sleep masks don’t come with any size specifications.
Instead, they are designed to adjust to different sizes using adjustable straps or bands.
So before you buy an eye mask, check that you can adjust its size for a perfect fit.
c. Recessed Cavities
A normal eye mask touches your eyes when you wear it. Some people love this slight pressure on their eyeballs. It helps them sleep faster.
But some find it uncomfortable and irritating.
If you don’t want the mask to touch your eyes, look for one with recessed cavities for your eyes. It will be much more comfortable.
d. Cleaning
Don’t forget to check what kind of maintenance and cleaning the sleep mask requires.
Can you clean it in the washing machine? Can you put it in the dryer?
e. Portability
If you spend a lot of time on the road, a good quality sleep mask is a must-have.
Before you buy a certain sleep mask, check how easy it is to carry around. I know you could easily stuff it into a bag or even your pocket but the most travel-friendly masks come with a pouch.
This keeps the sleep mask clean and makes it easy to find when you need it.
f. Ear Plugs
Finally, check whether the sleep mask comes with earplugs.
The earplugs block out most of the noise in your environment, helping you sleep faster and deeper.
The Best Sleep Mask Reviews
1. Gritin Sleep Mask
This ultra-soft sleep mask consists of 100% cotton inside a mulberry silk fabric. It feels very light and airy but it’s dark enough to block out most of the light.
If you have sensitive skin, no need to worry about itching and irritation. The silk fabric is hypoallergenic and non-irritant.
The cotton padding absorbs any sweat on your skin, ensuring your skin remain cool and dry.
The sleep mask has a soft adjustable strap that goes around your head. The strap works perfectly whether you have short or long hair (or no hair) without getting tangled.
You can easily adjust it to get the best fit.
In addition to the mask, you also get two pairs of rubber earplugs that block out snoring from your partner or noise from the outside.
The Girtin sleep mask is perfect for use at home or on the road. Just put it in the included pouch when you are travelling by train or plane.
What we like about it:
- Soft and comfortable.
- Blocks out almost all light.
- Adjustable strap.
- Includes bonus earplugs.
2. HOMMINI Eye Mask for Sleeping
If you want something more luxurious, try this total blackout eye mask from HOMMINI.
It’s thicker than your standard eye mask. That’s because it is padded with memory foam, giving it an ultra-soft feel.
On the outside, it consists of velvet velour, a soft and breathable fabric that feels gentle on your skin. This material is safe even for those with extra-sensitive skin.
The sleep mask is not only thicker than most sleep masks; it’s wider too. The extra width provides better coverage against light.
The wider design also provides extra room for the large eye cavities. When you put the mask on, you don’t feel the fabric pressing against your eyeballs.
The cavities are wide enough that they don’t damage your makeup when you take a daytime nap.
In addition, the mask has nose wings that do two things.
One, they make sure the mask is comfortable where it touches your nose. Two, they prevent any light from seeping under the mask, ensuring total darkness.
The sleep mask comes with bonus ear plugs as well as a travel/storage pouch.
What we like about it:
- Very comfortable thanks to the soft fabric and memory foam.
- Light and breathable.
- Eye cavities and nose wings for added comfort.
- Includes bonus earplugs.
3. ALASKA BEAR Silk Sleep Eye mask
The Alaska Bear silk eye mask is the most versatile of our picks.
It’s the only eye mask to offer multiple colour and pattern options.
There are 9 style choices in all including black, black and white stripes, one with the words ‘Leave Me Alone’ and another written ‘Relax’.
You can also select between a mask with a single strap and another with two straps depending on which configuration you find most comfortable.
The double-strapped mask is ideal for those who want to feel less pressure on their head.
I also recommend it for side sleepers. It stays more secure on your face compared to a mask supported by a single strap.
You can also select an eye mask with contoured cups that provide space for eye movements.
What we like about it:
- Silk fabric feels gentle and comfortable against your skin.
- Versatile style and fit options.
- Soft and comfortable silk fabric.
- Blocks out most of the light.
4. Unimi Upgraded Sleep Mask
This is another good choice if you want more colour options other than just black. The Unimi sleep mask comes in 3 styles: pure black, black with colourful drawings and a combo of black and purple.
The eye mask features a special 3D contoured design that curves perfectly around the eyes. The design provides a comfortable snug fit around your eyes without inhibiting eye movements.
In fact, the eye space is so big that you can use the mask comfortably with eyelash extensions. The contouring is also handy if you want to nap without smudging your makeup.
The contoured design extends to the nose bridge it provides total shading against any light trying to seep in.
The eye mask secures to your face using an elastic strap that you can adjust to get the most comfortable fit.
As for the material and fabric, the Unimi eye mask consists of two layers.
On the inside, it contains memory foam padding. The foam provides a soft feel against your skin and prevents the mask from exerting too much pressure.
The outer fabric is elastic polyester. It’s soft, breathable and doesn’t fade. It’s also anti-mite and anti-bacterial.
What we like about it:
- No-pressure memory foam padding.
- Soft and breathable polyester fabric.
- Contoured design provides plenty of space for the eyes.
- Completely blocks out light.
5. Goodsays Silk Sleep Mask
This sleep mask uses natural mulberry silk to provide the most comfortable sleeping/napping experience.
Natural silk is soft and most importantly, hypoallergenic. If most fabrics easily irritate your skin, this sleep mask is the best.
The silk is also breathable, ensuring your skin doesn’t get hot and clammy.
The mask comes with a wide strap that ensures the mask stays on your face no matter how much you turn at night. The strap is elastic and fits snuggly around your head.
For the perfect fit, you can also adjust its size.
You also get two pairs of noise cancelling earplugs and a PVC travel pouch for easy portability.
What we like about it:
- Soft and hypoallergenic natural mulberry silk.
- Includes earplugs and travel pouch.
- Uses a wide elastic strap that is adjustable and doesn’t get tangled in your hair.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to wear a sleep mask?
Once you have chosen the right sleep mask for you, wearing it right is also important. If you are not wearing it properly it will not be effective and won’t do its job, and if it is not comfortable you will spend all night tossing and turning, and probably end up removing it anyway!
- Choose the right mask for the way you sleep. If you sleep on your back and the clasp is on the back of your head, you will be uncomfortable. Similarly if you sleep on your side, and the clasp is at the side.
- Choose a natural fabric. Synthetic fabrics can be itchy, and can get hot. Being comfortable is just as important as blocking the light out, and you won’t want to spend the night sweating or scratching.
- Check the fit. It will need to be tight enough on your face that it doesn’t slip around, but not too tight that it cuts off your circulation.
- Make sure it sits snugly around your nose. If there are gaps then light will be able to sneak in and ruin your blacked out sleep.
- Relax in low lighting before you snuggle up in your mask. This will allow your eyes to adjust to the dim light and make it less of a shock when you do eventually put it on fully.
- You should wash your sleep mask around about every two weeks; any less frequently and it might start to harbour bacteria, and more often and it could lose its effectiveness and need replacing more often.
2. How to clean a sleep apnea mask?
Keeping a sleep mask clean is very important, because you spend the whole night breathing through it, and clean air is essential for health.
- Disconnect the mask from its power supply, first and foremost.
- Take the mask apart until you have the frame, the cushion and the headgear.
- Clean the cushion and headgear in a sink full of warm water to remove any oils. You can use soap, but avoid using harsher cleaners like dish washing detergent.
- Rinse the items in clean water to remove any soap residue.
- Dry the cushion and frame on top of a dry towel, in a warm dry place, out of direct sunlight.
- You should wash the air tube using mild soap, cleaning both the inside and the outside.
- Rinse it well in clean water to remove any cleaning product.
- Dry it on a flat surface on top of a towel, out of direct sunlight.
- Disconnect the humidifier from the machine, and wash it with a mild soap.
- Rinse it well, and dry it flat, in a warm place. You can also soak the humidifier in a 50 50 solution of water and white vinegar for 20 minutes once a week, then rinse it thoroughly and let it air dry.
3. Where to buy a sleep mask?
Sleep masks are available from all over the place, but finding a good quality one may be a little harder. You can get them from chemists; clothes shops; supermarkets, hotels, airport lounges – anywhere that people sleep you can find a sleep mask!
To find one that is perfect for you, and can help you sleep better, you may have to look a little further afield. The internet is a great place to look for a good sleep mask, and you can find a huge variety of different shapes, fits, materials and even ones that are filled with beads to help with heating or cooling.
