For that reason – as well as the pressure over my eyes and the fact that it loosely covered my ears to dull background noise – I fell asleep within minutes. In fairness, it has never taken me an age to drop off, but this speed was impressive.
Overnight, I can safely assume the mask didn’t budge an inch, as when I finally woke up to the sound of my alarm in the morning (not the light streaming through my windows), it was still perfectly in place. I think the fact that I stayed asleep for ~so much longer~ in the morning was the biggest benefit of them all for me. This thing’s light-blocking abilities are impressive.
Another huge benefit was that when I woke up, I wasn’t left with a single mark on my face – and after a week of use, I felt my skin looked glowier when I woke up in the mornings. An eye mask improving your skin? Really? I’ve not lost it – trust – there’s a legitimate reason as to why (and how) this is possible.
The Drowsy sleep mask is made from 22 Momme mulberry silk, where the Momme count refers to the density of the silk – and indicates the quality of the material. A bit like thread count. Most quality silk products – like silk pillowcases – run between 19 Momme to 22 Momme, so Drowsy’s sleep masks are up there with the most luxurious. Outside of Momme count, Mulberry silk, also, is a great silk choice. The fibres are longer and more uniform than you might get with cheaper silk variations, which makes the fabric super smooth and durable.
Not only is sleeping on a silk pillowcase – or with a silk eye mask instead of a cotton one – good for your hair (the reduced friction reduces frizz, tugs, static, breakage and split ends), but the reduced friction means that your skincare products won’t rub off, instead being given the chance to really soak into the skin and work their magic. My eye cream suddenly seemed endlessly more effective, and my skin, plump.
That plays into another benefit of silk: it helps our skin to retain its natural moisture while we snooze, keeping it soft and supple – and in turn reducing fine lines, wrinkles and breakouts. Magic.
I’ve scratched my head for a Drowsy silk mask “con” over the course of the past week – surely nothing is perfect – and honestly? It was a struggle. The only thing I could think of was the fact that my paler-coloured Drowsy eye masks (cream or light pink, for example) became a little discoloured when I wore fake tan on my face overnight. Perhaps slightly obvious, but to keep your eye mask in tip-top condition – and make the £69 price tag worthwhile – I’d go for something darker. The burgundy is new new fave.