Eye masks are not a superfluous accessory when sleeping — many are quite glamorous, yes, but they are also helpful in trapping any extra light in your sleeping area. Even the tiniest light can send a signal to our brain to stay awake, so the key to quality sleep is to encourage darkness as much as possible. Nurani finds these particularly helpful for her wind-down routine: “As soon as I wear an eye mask, I can get off and go to bed immediately,” she explains.
The problem is, the fabric has to be quite secure to stay comfortable snug all night. This constant pressure on the delicate eye area can result in compression wrinkles (known as “pillow lines” in conversation), especially if you sleep with your face on the pillow. And if you toss and turn all night, that fabric can pull the skin around your eyes – which can lead to fine lines over time. As you grow older, as your natural collagen levels decrease, these folds can begin to stick around: “These will thicken over time as the skin’s thinness and elasticity decrease with age and sun damage,” notes a board-certified dermatologist. Cynthia Bailey, MD, is the founder of Bailey Skin Care.