It is hard for me to decide how many stars to give this product as it is my favorite sleep mask I have ever used in the last 15 or so years I've resorted to sleeping masks, but it does have a somewhat frustrating flaw and a few things to consider. That said I finally settled on five stars when I realized I never wanted another type of mask or to be without it.
For reference, I've used masks and earplugs as sleep aids for a long time. I am a very light sleeper so that even with really good earplugs I am often woken up by random noises. Without the eye masks on, any light awakes me and at this point I feel weird without them and can rarely feel comfortable enough to fall asleep unless beyond exhausted.
Over the years I've tried a slew of basic masks and because they aren't as good as I've needed at blocking light (especially when I've worked odd hours that require daytime sleeping) I had actually resorted to sleeping with a lightweight beanie hat on my head pulled down over my eyes. It was fairly good at blocking the light, and due to the cotton yarn it was made of, it was quite breathable. That said, a huge negative was the yarn got fuzzier and I began to get fibers in my eyes. I needed something new.
I looked around, there are a lot of basic masks out there, but I needed something that really blocked the light, felt snug on my head and didn't have any loose fibers in the fabric that could get in my eyes. I found this one. It was a tiny bit more than others, but I liked a couple key features which I will explain below:
1. It is large, and the size and shape really allows it to block the vast majority of light from getting at the eyes.
2. The fabric is silky (well satiny) smooth, so it feels nice against the skin and there is no fibrous bits to get in your sensitive eyes while sleeping.
3. It holds snugly to the head. Some may not like that, but I find it soothing and it keeps the mask on your head.
4. It has a carry bag! This is great and keeps the mask (and earplugs) easy at hand, in nice condition and makes it something you can toss in your bag or purse for travel, too. Great for a business trip.
5. The little earplug pouch is a novel idea. Since I use earplugs nightly I love having this nice little pocket to tuck the plugs away when I wake up.
6. The fabric and snug fit has seemed to allow my eye cream to really soak into my skin and do its business. I will have to see if specific products can mitigate one of the negatives I have encountered, where sweating with this fabric pressed to my skin gave me a pimple on my forehead.
7. Maybe not important - especially when you are sleeping - but this is such a pretty color. I love blue-greens, and both the mask and the bag are the same lovely hue.
8. UPDATE 06/08/16: Made in the USA! I just found this out and I think it's so great when a company chooses to go this route that I had to update and add it to the "PROS!" list. :-)
Things to consider?
1. The satiny fabric - that is manmade I assume - is not very breathable. Combined with the snug fit and the large size, this mask can make you hot. I am not a person who runs hot, but if you are, or if you are in a climate that is hot with no AC (or people who don't like to run the AC until it's like 90... sigh) then you may find this mask hot. It makes ME sweat when it gets to the high 70s in the house. This has caused:
-Sweaty hair that is flat and gross. Something to consider if you are a night showerer. May be mitigated by high ponytail or bun.
-A pimple on my forehead, where I don't usually ever get them. This is purely from the satin pressed to my skin and sweating.
-The heat woke me up once, but the mask exacerbated the issue. It was mitigated by slipping one of these under my head: Ace Reusable Cold Compress, Small, because while the mask holds heat from your body well, it also transmits coolness well. The ice pack cooled the whole mask up and that allowed me to pass out very quickly.
-Please note: all of the above is moot if the bedroom stays under 80 degrees, at least for me as a typically non-sweaty person. Also, since that first pimple I got on my forehead the first time I wore the mask, I've not had one since, though I've still had hot nights (i.e. hot days, since I sleep days and work evenings) because my co-inhabitants think that A/C is too cold unless the weather is threatening to be 90-100 and the indoors is over mid-80s. Sigh.
2, The last thing to consider is that this mask has a long thin nose slit. I happen to have a long thin nose. It's as though this mask was made for me. Now the model has a short thin nose, which probably works great, too, but I wonder how this would suit a wide-nosed person. It might be that the fabric could easily part, fold up and allow the nose to be comfortable - or not - I don't know and cannot say since I have a different face shape. I also wonder if some face shapes may not get the same amount of light blockage. I guess it is hit or miss, and what works for one person may not work for another and you will just have to test it out. That said, I think having this LARGE mask surface means that more coverage in general means it would probably work for more face shapes than the very small contoured masks. The mask is also soft, so could potentially conform to more people better than others.
Side thought: I've already found my favorite earplug. A lucky find at the local drugstore which I am not seeing online to link to you. As such I have not used the provided earplug sample. They look pretty normal, but I think earplugs are even more personal that eye masks, as the wrong size or shape can cause pretty bad pain, or make them totally useless. I recommend trying these if you've not found your favs yet, but since earplugs need replacing I am not sure what you would do if these became your favs. Something to consider!
Bottom line: I really like this mask. It is helpful to allow me to sleep daylight hours and awake refreshed for my graveyard shift. My hair gets a little flat and sweaty, but I am more of a morning shower person, so it's okay. I love the bag and the earplug pocket. The smooth fabric feels good on my skin and that smoothness and the snug fit mean I am not getting fibers or dog hairs in my eyes while sleeping anymore. I expect when I am in a household where I have more personal control over the thermostat I will love this mask even more.
Now I haven't washed it yet, but when I do I will update this review to let you know how it goes. I also will update if anything goes wrong. And I tend to update way down the line with long term thoughts on the product. Hope this helps! Best of luck with getting YOUR best sleep! :-)
UPDATE 04/22/2016: Although I still think this mask works best in a cool sleeping environment, I have found something that seems to be a side effect of the large, warm satin surface. My eye creams seem to really, really absorb and the mask seems to keep me from smooshing my cheek up into my eye area (I am a side sleeper) so that my undereye crinkles have somewhat dramatically reduced in a very short time frame. This is a very happy side effect, and I will keep an eye on how this is going and reply back with an update on more long term thoughts on the matter.
UPDATE 04/26/2016: I washed it on gentle with lightweight clothes in cold water. I also went against the manufacturer's instructions and tumble dried it with the same soft clothes on a low heat. I wish I had time to drip dry things but it simply isn't in my schedule to launder something in the morning (night for me) and drip dry it for use the next early afternoon. As I cannot sleep without the mask my only solution was 1. To dry the mask, but try to be gentle about it. Or 2. Get a second mask to rotate when I launder them. I may someday pick up a second mask and do just that, but I thought I would mention that the washing AND drying worked out fine. The mask is clean, in perfect shape, no warping, no funky seams, no shifted stuffing, etc. I can't in good conscience say HEY IT'S OKAY TO DRY IT JUST DO IT! because if you did that and your mask croaked or shrank, well, I'd feel bad, but I took the risk, tried to be careful and it worked for me. Hope this helps!
UPDATE 05/10/16: I keep trying to update this post and the last few days the system won't allow it. Hopefully this sticks! I brought this mask to work to aid in my late-night lunchtime nap. Again, I work graveyard, so my sleep system is a little weird for it and I am a light sleeper anyway. I used to never nap but have found my lunch naps to be restorative so it has become my habit to take them. Well, the couch I snooze on is comfy but the lights go on and off as the security guard makes rounds or coworkers go to grab food. I decided to try bringing this mask and earplugs to work. It was glorious from day one! I fell asleep swiftly (unusual for me) and slept deeply (also unusual for naps since I am usually woken up many times by aforementioned distractions). It was my best nap ever! And then I left the mask on my desk and was miserable trying to sleep at home without it -- so I promptly went online and bought a second mask to wear at work and leave at work. I absolutely LOVE this sleep mask! I sleep well at home because of it, and I sleep well at work on my nap breaks. It has made my odd schedule livable and I am extremely grateful for that. If anything happens to it I will surely buy again, and I recommend highly to those around me and YOU! :-) Best of luck to you.
UPDATE 06/06/16: I use these masks every time I sleep, whether with the one I keep at home for the day (I work graveyard shift) or the one I leave at work at night for my nap. With these masks I fall asleep more quickly than ever before and sleep more soundly. I am glad I decided to get the extra one for work, and I won't ever be without them. Highly recommended product. Worth its weight in gold! :-)
UPDATE 01/23/2017: I no longer work a night shift, but I find the feel of the mask so comforting that I still rarely sleep without it, and it also allows my boyfriend to stay up and watch TV, play on the computer or read without bothering me so much. The one overall con I found to the mask, once I was no longer dealing with a too hot room making me sweaty during the summer, was that the mask use has flattened my eyelashes. Flat as a board. The body heat retained in the mask and the way it fits against my face means I am basically slowly ironing my lashes flat. It's fine, but some ladies might be bothered by this as it is even a bit hard to curl them with a lash curler. Also, got one as a gift and the recipient was quite pleased - as he worked a graveyard shift with me and was curious when I mentioned how much I loved mine (that I had bought two!). Good luck, hope this helps you sleep as well as it has helped me this past year. :D
UPDATE 03/08/2019: Soooo I have had these for years now. I love them. They are still nice. I've washed them a lot. The worst thing that occurred is a bit of stuffing came out through the seams - not broken seams - just some strands eeked their way out somehow through the holes where the thread comes out. I tiredly snipped at this with scissors - because it was at the end of the nose area and woke me up with fibers tickling my nose - and I accidentally cut the fabric like a sleep walking doofus. So, yea, I had to sew that up, but it worked fine and yep, still have two of them and rotate and use them ever night. They still look pretty nice considering the heavy use and I love em. In a little while I plan to buy one as a gift, so, there ya go! Hope this helps and good luck!
This is my 2nd one. I LOVE to sleep with this on! My husband watches TV to fall asleep, I get up much earlier than he does. This is the perfect solution for me.
It is well padded, fit around my nose perfectly and keeps the noise level low enough for me to sleep. The material is quite "silky" which makes it very comfortable, if you know how silk starts to fray after awhile, that happens with this too. My 1st one lasted about a year, I would periodically trim the small frays but then the padding became too worn to stop the noise as much. So I bought another and keep the 1st as an emergency backup.
I really hope they continue to make these!
This is my third time ordering this mask. It is absolutely the best sleep mask ever. We travel a lot and always carry the same condo/cabin kit so I'm adding this mask to my kit so I'll never forget it again. The other two I keep at home. When I wash one I use the other while it's drying. I can't do without this mask. I sleep better and it's wonderful for when I get migraines. Completely blocks out all light. Add in earplugs and helps migraines. Also it is completely comfortable to wear. I thought it would be claustrophobic when I received the first one. There was really no adjustment period. It was immediately comfortable to use.
I usually don't write reviews but this product has impressed me so much, I just had to! I've had it for a little over 8 months and it's held up very well. The two main things I was looking for in a sleeping mask, was: 1. 100% light blocking 2. No elastic bands/straps. Elastic straps around my head had caused dull headaches in the past so I was looking for something gentle and comfortable. This mask fit my needs so perfectly! It completely blocks out the light and the fabric is so soft/silky that it doesn't irritate my skin at all. And for me, the best part has been its comfortable fit. Almost every sleeping mask out there comes in some form of elastic band, so it was a relief to find this. I probably wouldn't recommend this to someone who wants their sleeping mask to stay put and not move around at all. It will shift around a little, but since I'm a pretty still sleeper this hasn't been a big issue for me. Excellent light blocking, gentle fabric, comfortable/relaxed fit- Overall a great product. Well done Sleep Master.
Only way I can sleep at night is with earplugs and this mask. I actually have two, so I don't have to worry about it drip -drying in time for bed. Blocks out all light, comfortable, and a lifesaver for those of us working odd hours without black-out curtains.
Feature Product
- Amazingly light-weight, soft, cool satin fabric mask, that is comfortable and breathable
- Flexible, durable, wide, surrounds your head and is easily connected in the back by velcro strips
- Multi-Patented Design -- MADE IN USA
- Synthetic Shell/ Cotton Interior -- No Latex, Hypoallergenic and Hand Washable
- This Deluxe Version features Earplugs Storage Pocket and Carry Pouch
Description
LOOK NO FURTHER! You've found the BEST sleep mask on the market. A good night's sleep is finally GUARANTEED! Hundreds of thousands sold. CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED! THE REVOLUTIONARY PRODUCT: After extensive research, the inventor of SLEEP MASTER TM (an insomnia sufferer) couldn't find a sleep mask that combined the conditions necessary for deep sleep: light elimination and sound reduction. Traditional sleep masks didn't fit or last. They all had thin elastic straps that shift uncomfortably during sleep, fray apart quickly or simply snap off after only a few uses, never mind the disastrous results from washing them! Thus was born SLEEP MASTER utilizing a soft, cool satin fabric, that is comfortable, LIGHT WEIGHT and BREATHABLE, FLEXIBLE, DURABLE, wide and easily connected in the back by Velcro. The ear area is padded for sound muffling. It stretches or constricts for the fit you desire. SLEEP MASTER is a simple, all-in-one, one-size-fits-all product, which ELIMINATES LIGHT and REDUCES SOUND, giving you a deep, refreshing sleep by shutting out the world in an immediate, intimate way... Normal use MUFFLES SOUND significantly, providing a sense of separation from ambient activity and noise, but not complete isolation. For total sound elimination, you may choose to insert the top quality ear plugs (provided with the mask) before placing SLEEP MASTER around your head, which will block out sound completely & hold the earplugs securely in place. CPAP users report comfortable fit when used with a CPAP! Superior quality materials and construction, along with washability, make SLEEP MASTER a far superior value than other masks: It is much more hygienic & lasts many times longer than other masks on the market... MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE! If for any reason you are not satisfied with SLEEP MASTER return it within 30 days, undamaged, for a full refund. US Pat Nos D668,703 and D465,234
I was only getting 5-6 hours of interrupted sleep before using this, now getting 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. I bought this because it covered the ears, preventing my ear plugs from coming out, and it does just that. This thing is pretty darn comfortable. I haven't experienced this product slipping off like other users.
The only improvement that I would like to see is a bigger piece of velcro along the back. I have experienced slight trouble putting this thing on when I am in zombie mode from 3rd shift, and lining up the small pieces of velcro in that state inst always the easiest task.
This is by far my favorite sleep mask. Very comfortable. Great at blocking light and does slightly muffle sound but doesn't replace ear plugs. But one request, Sleep Master please do another color. Just Black please!
I travel a lot and have used a sleep mask much of the time. This is the most comfortable and most effective I have used. It is meant to also cover the ears. Using this on a plane with a noise cancelling ear plugs were held in well.
I love this mask! I have used several others over there years and never had any luck. I would still wake up from slivers if light. This over blocks it all plus covers my ears some to block out extra noise!!! Love them!!!
I've tried various sleep masks in the past, but this is my favorite. I bought it for travel, but I've been using it at home too. It's very comfortable and well made.
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