Alaska Bear Mulberry Silk Sleep Mask, Cool and Smooth (Original Black)
by ALASKA BEAR
Price Analysis
Product Details
Alaska Bear mulberry silk sleep mask - the soft, flat option
This is a flat silk eye mask, and it's about as simple as sleep products get. It costs about $16 and averages 4.7 stars from around 3,300 reviews.
What it is
It's made from mulberry silk (Alaska Bear says grade 5A), and the strap adjusts from 15.8 to 27.6 inches around. The nose cutout sits higher than on most flat masks, which helps it sit snug against your face and block light from below without pressing on the bridge of your nose. The adjuster sits at the back of your head, and the loop is big enough that it shouldn't snag your hair.
It's flat, so the silk rests on your eyelids. Some people find that comforting. Others hate the feeling of fabric on their lashes.
The claims, sorted
Some of what the listing says is sensible. Silk is smooth and doesn't soak up moisture the way cotton does, so it's less likely to soak up the eye cream you put on before bed. The dyes are described as odor-free and hypoallergenic. Alaska Bear says it's CPAP compatible, and since it's thin with only a single strap, that's believable.
Treat the "anti-aging" claims and the line about dry eyes from an unnamed ophthalmologist with some skepticism. If you have real dry-eye trouble at night, talk to your eye doctor rather than relying on a mask listing.
Who it's for
- Back sleepers
- People who find padded masks bulky or hot
- CPAP users who need something thin under the headgear
- Travel, since it folds down to almost nothing
Who should skip it
Side sleepers. A flat mask gets pushed around by the pillow, light creeps in at the edge, and the fabric presses on your eye. The Alaska Bear contoured sleep mask for side sleepers has molded eye cups that keep fabric off your eyes and lashes. It costs about $4 more. Our best sleep mask for side sleepers guide explains the difference.
If you're not sure a mask will help at all, do sleep masks help you sleep goes through the evidence. And if a mask won't stay on however you lie, darkening the room with blackout curtains is the other route.