I Tried 7 Eye Masks From Amazon And This Is the Only One That Worked

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Whether it’s on an airplane or in my own bedroom, I can only sleep well if it’s totally dark. Since I don’t have hotel-quality, remote-controlled blackout binds at home, I’ve turned to eye masks to block out the light. Turns out, it’s surprisingly difficult to find a sleep mask that’s comfortable and effective. I tested out seven of Amazon’s top-rated eye masks to find the best one.

Nidra Luxury Sleep Mask

The Nidra Luxury Sleep Mask was the clear winner in my test. It actually provides total darkness (even in a brightly lit room), and it’s comfortable to wear. The lightweight, contoured design doesn’t restrict eye movement or put pressure on your face. Despite the “luxury” name, this sleep mask was one of the more affordable ones that I tested—when I purchased it, it was $11.95.

ZGGCD 3D Sleep Mask

This 3D Sleep Mask’s design seemed promising—it’s molded around the eyes and nose which should help block out light. However, this mask was just too big for my face and didn’t fit well, which meant it let in a lot of light. If you have a larger face, this mask might work for you.

Bucky 40 Blinks No Pressure

The Bucky No Pressure eye mask has 4.5 stars on Amazon, and over 1,000 glowing reviews. It also comes in fun colors and prints, unlike many other masks. However, I found that the Bucky didn’t fit well around my nose, letting in more light than the similarly-designed Nidra. It might be worth trying both brands to see which one fits you better.

Unimi Sleep Mask 2020

The Unimi Sleep Mask was one of the largest masks that I tried, which should mean it can block out light the best. However, the mask has more of a flat design that didn’t quite mold to my face, meaning a lot of light got in. The mask is made from a memory foam fabric topped with a soft breathable material, so it was one of the more comfortable masks on this list, even if it didn’t totally block out light.

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MZOO Sleep Eye Mask

The MZOO sleep mask was another promising contender, with a comfortable molded memory foam design. However, the mask was a little too stiff and failed to conformed to my face, letting in light. This one also had a very chemical smell when I took it out of the package, which made me leery of putting it on my face.

Tempur-Pedic Sleep Mask

The Tempur-Pedic Sleep Mask was by far the worst one that I tried (and it was also the most expensive on the list, at $29). The mask is made from a heavy “tempur” material (similar to what is used in Tempur-Pedic mattresses) and topped with a microfiber fabric, which combines to make a thick and bulky mask that’s uncomfortable and hot to wear. The mask was too thick to form to my face, and let in a ton of light.

Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask

Another highly-rated mask on Amazon, the Alaska Bear Natural just didn’t work for me. This mask is an oversized version of the traditional sleep mask, so it’s not contoured and just sits flat on the face. It’s extra-large, which helps block out light, but I found that I preferred having a contour so that there is no pressure on the eyes while sleeping. The Alaska Bear Natural was made out of the nicest material that I tried, a 100 percent mulberry silk. If you could combine this silk material with the Nidra’s design, you would have the perfect sleep mask.

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