6 BENEFITS of Silk Sleep Masks

Sleep masks feel so luxurious. There’s just something about them that makes us feel extra indulgent or princessy, like Holly Golightly sleepily answering the door in her teal false lash mask pushed up against her adorable bedhead.

While sleep masks may seem a feminine luxury, they really deserve to be genderless — and receive some serious recognition. Sleep masks, namely in silk, have major benefits for both the quality of our beauty sleep, as well as the health of our skin!

Helps with circadian rhythm

Not only are silk sleep masks much prettier and more discreet than heavy blackout curtains, they do just about the same thing! Light is the main culprit when it comes to disrupting our sleep cycles — so if your partner is reading in bed and you’re ready for lights out, pop on your eye mask for pure, blissful darkness. Or if you’re looking forward to sleeping in on the weekends but the Saturday sun gets you antsy by 7am, your sleep mask will help you clock a few more well-deserved z’s.

Helps you sleep faster

Now that you’re adjusting your own circadian patterns, understanding that dark = sleep is so much more than just darkness being relaxing or minimizing distractions. Total darkness kickstarts our body’s production of melatonin, the chemical responsible for that feeling of sleepiness that helps us to drift off in the first place. Put down that device, and slip on a sleep mask instead.

Prevents wrinkles

The smooth, soft, breathable natural material of silk doesn’t promote creasing the way that linen or cotton does. This particularly applies if you’re a side or stomach sleeper, as we tend to smoosh our faces into the sheets, creating unwanted creases around our eyes while we sleep. Have you ever woken up with deep blanket marks on the side of your face? Over time, that repeated creasing can actually become real wrinkles.

Locks in moisture

Make the most of your nighttime skin routine and favorite eye creams with a silk sleep mask. Silk itself has unique moisturizing properties, and the fabric’s tight weave helps lock moisture in close to the face — while still letting your skin breathe. This prevents the evaporation of your favorite products at night.

Great for sensitive skin

Silk lets in oxygen — even while it holds in moisture. This means that our skin can literally breathe, and the silk won’t cause excess sweating or wreak havoc on our sebum glands. It also won’t cause chafing or any strange skin reactions — and if the band also happens to be silk, it likely won’t cause any annoying creasing to the hair in the morning!

Regulates body temperature

Silk is very adaptive: It keeps us cool in the heat, but is warming in the cold. Body temperature is a sensitive thing when it comes to sleep, and we often need to be at a lower basal body temperature during sleep than when we are active throughout the day. Silk will make sure we don’t get too hot — even on warm summer nights.

So for those prioritizing sleep as a pillar of their health and beauty routines, a silk sleep mask is a necessary tool. It may also make you feel extra glamorous, but that’s up to you.