Eye masks, also called sleep masks, are a natural way to help you fall asleep faster.  They keep light away from both eyes, which means you can relax properly in pure, lovely darkness, which in turn means you get a better quality sleep.  There are plenty more benefits and our gorgeous Silk Eye Masks are really special -award winners in their own right.  Here's what you need to know.

Why use an eye mask?

Exposure to light during the daytime stimulates the body and mind, making us feel alert and awake.  It does the same after dark, leaving us feeling alert at the wrong time of day and posing a problem for the healthy, refreshing, abundant sleep we all need.

Humans are designed to sleep best in the dark but modern life can make true darkness a challenge to achieve.  Even ambient light from a street light, your smartphone or light from a full moon can affect our sleep quality.  A good sleep mask keeps out the light so you fall asleep faster, sleep better and naturally stay asleep for longer.  

A silk lined eye mask can also help to protect the delicate skin around your eyes from damage.  Wrinkled sheets, duvets and pillows can leave quite dramatic imprints on your skin.  These imprints can stay on your face for hours, ultimately helping to cause wrinkles and other damage.  If your skin is mature, the effects of sleep wrinkles can be even more dramatic as well as harder to get rid of.  They take ages to fade.  A Silk sleep mask can help prevent those nasty wrinkles from happening in the first place.

Why it pays to invest in a quality eye mask

We think everyone deserves great quality sleep so that’s why we make a great quality eye mask, ideal both women and men.  We think ours are better than the rest and our customers continually tell us this.  Our award-winning ergonomic Eye Mask has a unique design with no padding, which means you enjoy a perfect fit that blocks out all the light, leaving you in lovely, calming, velvety darkness.  And unlike competing masks we construct our masks in a clever way that blocks the light perfectly without padding so our masks are slim and effective without any bulkiness meaning they feel super light to wear.

Because they're generously filled with natural dried Lavender flowers, which have a famously sleep-inducing scent, our sleep masks help you drift off gently and pleasurably.  And because they don't actually rest on your eyes but on your cheekbones and forehead, your delicate eye area is protected.   

• Our top selling pure Mulberry Silk Eye Mask features 100% Silk on both sides.  Because the fabric is non-absorbent it prevents night time skin creases and helps limit skin dehydration, so it's absolutely perfect for people with mature or sensitive skin.
• Our stunning Limited Edition sleep masks are made in small, exclusive runs using seasonal colours chosen personally by Joanna.  You'll find masks made of Silk and Brocade, even the purest Cotton masks with a soft Cotton Velvet lining.  

Two straps for a perfect fit

Sometimes it's the little things that matter, the fine detailing that makes the difference between an ordinary product and an extraordinary one.  This is one of those times.  We add two soft velvet ties to our sleep masks, so that you can achieve the perfect fit.  Simply ties it to fit perfectly the first time you use it then slip it on at night and off in the morning.  Some of our designs are also available with one wide elasticated Velvet strap if that's what you prefer but we would always recommend the two tie version.  

About melatonin, the sleep hormone

Melatonin, the sleep hormone, is produced in the pineal gland, deep inside the brain.  It's responsible for regulating your sleep cycles and body clock and telling your body what time of day and what time of year it is.  Humans, of course, didn't always have electric light.  Our bodies worked to the natural rhythms of the day and night, winter and summer.  Wearing a sleep mask which totally blocks out light helps put your body back in touch with the natural differences between day and night, light and dark and that means the quality of your sleep improves.   

The wonderful properties of Silk and Cotton

Silk and Cotton are both completely natural materials and they have very different properties.  Silk is smooth, fine and low density with a high resistance to deformation – in other words it holds its shape really well.  It's warm in winter and cool in summer.  It's one of the strongest natural fibres in the world with the exception of spider silk.  It shimmers and glimmers beautifully.  And it's one of the most comfortable fibre fabrics of all.

Cotton is also wonderfully comfortable to wear, a natural cellulose-based fibre that breathes really well.  It resists static electricity and withstands heat, detergents, and bleach.  And the longest-fibre cottons of all, including Supima, Pima, Egyptian and Sea Island Cotton make fabrics so silky and smooth they're a lot like Silk.  We also use incredibly soft Cotton Velvets in our masks, the ultimate in luxury as well as a practical choice.

Why not explore our magical eye masks collection and make sleep special?