I’m a light sleeper and through my years of interrupted slumber, I’ve come to understand who my number one enemy is when it comes to waking up earlier than necessary: the sun.
I’ll spare you, dear reader, the details of the trials and tribulations of my sleep schedule but just know that I have an east-facing bedroom in Sydney which means the sun blares in from 6am in the morning – waking me up a good hour and a half earlier than needed. While, this would be great if I was part of the 5am (read: 6am) Club, it’s a club I simply will not trade my Night Owl membership card for.
We’re talking about strong morning light spotlighting through the rolling blockout blind, curtains and my silk eye mask…and so, in an act of absolute pining for a solid seven-to-eight-hour sleep, I took to Amazon to find a potential solution and came across the Halos sleep eye mask that promises “100 per cent blackout”.
Halos blackout sleep eye mask review
Price: $22.99 at Amazon
Notable features:
- Premium grade memory foam padding
- Adjustable head strap
- Included travel pouch
- Lightweight and breathable
- No pressure on your eyes
I knew when I was shopping, I wanted a mask that blocked light and and also didn’t squish my eyelids closed – the latter reason mostly as to not affect my lash lift. Boasting an affordable price, 3000+ five-star reviews and the badge ‘Amazon’s Choice’, this particular mask was an easy choice. Delivery of the mask was prompt within two days.
After trying on the mask when it arrived in the post at lunchtime and the world was completely black, let it be known that for once, I was very excited to go to sleep later that evening. I woke up the next morning slightly earlier than I had to due to the natural call of my bladder – and not due to my nemesis, the morning sun. With glee, I pulled my eye mask down past my eyes, seriously impressed.
The next night, I decided to up the ante and really put the eye mask to the test by not rolling down the blockout blind before sleep – just pulling across the sheer white curtains. (I wouldn’t become a sleeping performance art piece to passers-by on the street.) And again, I woke up the next morning to complete darkness despite it being the start of a sunny 26°C day.
The verdict
I’ve now been using the Halos mask for a few weeks and can truthfully say it’s the best sleep mask I’ve ever used in my many years of wearing one. The flexible nose design really does contour to your face to block out all light, and the memory foam being around (and not on) your eyes is great for preserving your lash extensions (or lash lift in my case) as you can fully open your eyes while wearing the mask and they’re not being pressed closed. Having this space between the mask and your eyelids also means you don’t feel restricted as I have felt before wearing, say, a silk eye mask.
I’d give the Halos mask five stars and would definitely recommend it to shift workers, jetsetters and fellow light sleepers.
What are the best eye masks to shop?
While, I now personally swear by the Halos eye mask, below are a few other top-rated sleep masks if you’re in the market and want more options to peruse.
Manta sleep mask, $66 at Amazon
Another cult Amazon buy with almost 9000 five-star reviews, the Manta sleep mask is another one that uses memory foam around the eyes with its adjustable extra deep eye cups.
Key features:
- No eye pressure
- Adjustable strap and eye cups
- Soft and breathable fabric
Shhh silk eye mask in pink, $55 at Adore Beauty
If you’re not in need of total blackout of light, a silk eye mask does the trick and is a great beauty hack for helping your eyelids and under eyes stay hydrated while you sleep.
Key features:
- 100 per cent pure mulberry silk
- Available in two colours
- Silky elastic band
Slip contour sleep mask in black, $60 at The Iconic
Perhaps, the best of both worlds, this sleep mask from Slip is made from mulberry silk and features a contoured design with eye pockets.
Key features:
- Designed in Australia
- Hand wash
- Available in 14 colours
Is it good to sleep with a sleep mask?
Whether or not it’s good to wear a sleep mask totally depends on you, your individual preferences and sleeping environment. If you have trouble falling asleep due to light pollution (eg. bright street lights) or you work nights and sleep during the day, an eye mask could help to block out light, improve sleep quality and prolong your wakeup time. Happy snoozing!
Looking to save money on your sleep routine? Check out our coupon codes for Canningvale, Ecosa and more.
Related articles:
- 13 best mattress-in-a-box options from $399 that make moving that bit easier
- Slumber sweetly this summer with these sheet sets perfect for hot sleepers
- The $219 bed frame with over 900 five-star reviews you need to get your hands on
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