The Best Eye Masks for Solid Sleep on Any Trip

Oh, cashmere! What could be better? In sweaters or a blanket, it keeps us warm, gives us maximum coziness, and adds luxury. In an eye mask, it becomes a happy dose of hygge for your face. This version from Herschel Supply Co.—yup, the same family-run company that makes those charming backpacks—gives just the right amount of cushion so you feel like you’re swaddling your eyes in cashmere. A stretchy elastic band keeps everything in place, too.  

At under 10 bucks, Amazon’s best-selling sleep mask will lure you in with its price, but its real selling point is its unbelievable softness. One reviewer compared the Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask to a “tuft of cloud.” Other reviews—which total more than 10,700—praise the mask’s light-blocking properties, airiness, breathability, and great fit. In other words, you won’t wake up because your mask has slipped off and started to strangle you. It’s made with 100 percent hypoallergenic mulberry silk, making it an excellent choice for people with sensitive skin or the germaphobes among us.  

How relaxing can a sleep mask be if it pulls on your skin or snags your hair as you toss around or lift it on and off? The Slipsilk Pure Silk Sleep Mask gets it right, using mulberry silk to ensure a super-soft luxe feel on your face and no-fuss gliding on and off. This 100-percent-silk mask comes in a variety of colors and patterns (all of which use nontoxic dyes), including a few limited edition metallics.

If you’re saving your pennies for the trip itself, you might want to opt for cheaper in-flight comforts. Enter the Contoured Sleep Mask by Dreamweaver, a sleep-saver that’s just over six bucks. The contours allow you to open and shut your eyes, and the mask’s roomy sockets means any contact lenses or eye makeup will stay put even as you travel. Got a smudge? No biggie. This featherweight, all-black mask is washable (although, frankly, at this price you could just buy another). Each mask also comes with its very own set of earplugs for added value.  

If you run a little hot, this mask is for you. A special gel insert (secured with a Velcro closure) keeps its cool temperature for up to 20 minutes, enough time to get you from takeoff to ZZZZZZZZ. The Gaiam Relax Cooling Eye Mask helps reduce puffiness and irritation, so you’ll deplane looking more like you and less like a marshmallow. The mask’s exterior is made with a satiny material, and its interior has a terrycloth-like texture—a nice sensation even after the coolness has worn off. A pair of adjustable straps let you fit the mask however you want.  

Some find security in the gentle weight of a sleep mask, while others can’t stand the thought of something touching their eyelids. For that latter camp, this mask is for you. Velcro straps let you adjust the fit of this mask, whose raised eye pads give your eyelids and eyelashes room to blink. As a bonus, the Flight 001 Contoured Eye Mask is a great light-blocker, which means you won’t get disturbed when your neighbor decides to stay up reading the latest thriller after the cabin goes dim.

For those that want an eye mask that’s both comfy and Instagram-ready, this Fitglam mask is for you. It’s covered in a breathable, hypoallergenic mulberry silk, plus it’s got two adjustable straps and a lightweight feel. But the thing that makes it irresistible is the embroidery in the shape of white eyelashes. It’s fun, flirty, and functional. If you’re feeling punchy, you can consider getting one with the embroidered message “F**k Off,” which is guaranteed to end any conversation from disruptive seatmates.

Filled with nontoxic, latex-free gel beads, the Earth Therapeutics Cooling Gel Sleep Mask combats those dreaded dark circles that feel inevitable. The beads soothe tired eyes, decreased inflammation, and lessens puffiness; the only thing that would make this mask even more perfect is if it somehow simultaneously gave you a foot rub. The other side of the mask feels like velvet. If you have a mini-fridge in your hotel room, consider cooling the mask there, or pop it in the hotel’s microwave for extra pampering. (Ten seconds is all it takes.)

This Armand Diradourian mask combines two top-shelf materials—cashmere and silk—for the best of both worlds. Made from knit cashmere, the mask’s exterior provides a warming weight, while the interior is lined in 100% silk, perfect for avoiding those sleep wrinkles. A slim little strap keeps everything in place. Tuck it away in its own little pouch for safekeeping between moments of shut-eye. The olive-green color is also perfectly on trend.  

Activated charcoal is having a moment. It’s popping up in cleansers, makeup, tonics, and even cocktails. But practitioners of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine have relied on activated charcoal for thousands of years to promote wellbeing. If you’re a fan, the Binchotan Charcoal Eye Mask will deliver your daily dose. The mask itself is four layers, from a sleek, shiny satin exterior to the innermost cotton layer. And here’s where the benefits lie: the organic cotton comes infused with articulated charcoal in the form of extremely fine-grained powder, which fans claim promotes circulation. Plus, travelers who tends to sweat—excuse us, glisten—will appreciate the mask’s absorbent qualities, too.