Mulberry Silk Sleep Eye Mask – 19 Momme, Six Colours

As seen inBritish Vogue · Tatler · Grazia

Deeper dark, and no crease lines in the morning. This sleep mask is cut from 19-momme mulberry silk — heavy enough to block light properly, fine enough that you forget you are wearing it.

Cotton and polyester masks press skin into a fold and hold it there for seven or eight hours. That is where the fine creasing across the temple and beneath the eye comes from. Silk has a fraction of the friction, and it is far less absorbent than cotton — so the serum you applied before bed is still on your skin in the morning rather than in the mask.

The contoured shape sits above the lashes rather than on them, which matters if you wear extensions, or simply dislike the feeling of pressure on closed eyes.

Specification

• Fabric: 100% mulberry silk, 19 momme — both faces, not silk on one side and polyester on the other
• Fill: pure silk fibre
• Shape: contoured, so it blocks light without resting on the lashes
• Colours: White, Silver, Beige, Baby Pink, Navy Blue and Pattern
• Care: hand wash cool, or dry clean. Dry away from direct heat
• Packaging: arrives in a Silk & Bears gift box

Why 19 momme matters

Momme is the weight of silk per unit area — the higher the number, the denser the cloth. Most eye masks sold as silk sit at 16 momme or below, and a good many are silk on the outer face only, with polyester against the skin. At 19 momme in pure silk throughout, this one is opaque enough to block light without needing to be tightened against the face.

If you would like to understand what silk labels actually mean before you buy anything in silk, we took it apart in full here: Habotai Silk vs Mulberry Silk.

As a gift

It arrives gift boxed, which makes it a straightforward present for a birthday, a new mother, a frequent traveller, or anyone working nights. It also pairs naturally with a silk pillowcase — the same reasoning applies to what your face rests on for the other seven hours.

Made in China from OEKO-TEX® certified mulberry silk. Our hand-dyed scarves and dresses are made by artisans in Nha Xa, Vietnam — we source each piece where the craft for it lives. Silk & Bears has been featured in British Vogue, Tatler, Grazia and T Magazine (The New York Times).

Questions

Will it slip off during the night?
The strap is adjustable and the silk grips hair far less than elastic does, so it tends to stay where you put it. If you sleep face-down, loosen it slightly — a mask under tension is what works its way off.

Is silk actually better than a cotton mask, or is that marketing?
It is mechanical rather than magical. Silk's surface friction is markedly lower than cotton's, so it does not tug or fold the skin as you move, and it absorbs far less moisture, so it draws less from your skin and from whatever you have applied. Both effects are small per night and noticeable over months.

Can I wash it?
Yes — by hand, in cool water, with a detergent made for silk or wool. Never biological detergent: the enzymes that break down food stains also break down protein fibres, and silk is a protein fibre. Dry flat, away from radiators.

Will it block light completely?
In a dark room, yes. In full daylight a little will reach you at the bridge of the nose, which is true of every mask that is not moulded plastic. The contoured cut minimises it.

Which colour should I choose?
They are identical in silk and construction, so it is purely preference. Navy Blue is the most forgiving with make-up traces; White and Silver show them soonest.