I Thought I Hated Sleep Masks Until I Tried This One
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In the lead-up to Sleep Week, I tested out a slew of products and practices that involve wearing something — be it tape, silicone patches or a mask — on your face. I came to a pretty predictable conclusion: Having a bunch of unfamiliar stuff on your face is not inherently conducive to relaxation and falling asleep. (For fans of Tim Robinson's "I Think You Should Leave," I kept lying awake thinking of the prank show guy quietly telling the producer, "There's too much fucking shit on me.")
In particular, sleep masks are something I've always liked the idea of — and used out of necessity on airplanes or while dealing with migraine-related light sensitivity — but never really enjoyed sensorially. They've either felt too heavy, too tight on my eyes, or so loose or slippery that they'd move around my head or get in the way if I switched sleeping positions. But in my Goldilocks-esque trial, I've finally found one that, for me, is "just right."
It's the Contour Sleep Mask by Slip, an obvious leader in the silk sleep accessory category. What differentiates this mask from others is the indentations on the inside of the mask, which allow space between your eyelids and the mask itself. Slip actually designed this for people with eyelash extensions, and while I don't have any (nor are my natural lashes exceptionally long), there's something comforting to me about the fact that the mask isn't literally pressing onto my eyelids, allowing me to open and close my eyes without taking the mask all the way off.
The seamless design also seems to help the mask stay in position all night, and the contour also provides a nice firm-ish cushion for my eye area and nose when I'm sleeping on my side. I used it during a recent migraine attack and truly felt better with it on, regardless of what position I was in, and I genuinely feel like wearing it improved my sleep quality.
Slip Contour Sleep Mask, $55, available here
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