The journal

What's inside our Weighted Eye Mask (and what isn't)

by Ezra Shevick 5 min read

What's inside our Weighted Eye Mask (and what isn't)

Our Weighted Eye Mask works through three mechanisms: calming weight, gentle scent and complete darkness.

We designed the mask with these three mechanisms in mind. We chose the materials deliberately – the linen to black out light. The flaxseed provides a gentle weight. The dried lavender with its calming aroma. Here is a look behind the curtain – what each material does, why we chose it and what most other weighted masks use instead.

Linen is the only fabric that touches your skin

The shell is stonewashed Turkish linen, world renowned for its breathability and durability. It's the layer against your face, and stonewashing means it starts soft and keeps softening every night you use it.

We chose linen for how it handles warmth and moisture. Your skin gives off moisture all night, even when you don't feel sweaty. Linen absorbs that moisture into the fiber, where it can release it back into the air over time. Linen can hold about 20% of its weight in moisture from the air before it feels wet. Polyester can hold less than 1%.

Linen also carries heat away from your skin, which is why it feels cool when you first touch it. In a small Japanese sleep study in warm, humid conditions, people woke less often on linen bedding than on cotton sheets with a polyester pad.

Because the linen is the only textile that directly touches your skin, our linen is sourced from a supplier that has it independently tested for harmful materials.

New Zealand flaxseed gives it a gentle, even weight

The weight comes from New Zealand grown flaxseed. Small, smooth seeds shift to follow the shape of your face, so the weight spreads evenly instead of pressing on one spot. This weight is what gives the mask its calming feel. It works on the idea of Deep Touch Pressure – the same concept as a weighted blanket. The effect of gentle weight has been shown to help calm and improve sleep.

The mask is shaped to keep the weight off your eyes. There are two seams sewn into the mask for your eyes. This keeps the weight on your cheekbones and brow bones where it can provide its gentle, calming feel.

Because the fill is natural, it can be gently heated in the microwave. The seeds store heat and release it slowly. Just a short warm-up in the microwave turns the mask into a warm compress for winding down.

This also works in reverse – the mask can be chilled for a refreshing cool-down. This is ideal for hot days or screen-tired eyes.

The lavender is dried flowers, mixed through the fill

We mix dried lavender flowers through the flaxseed fill. You smell it most when you first put the mask on and when you breathe out, and it fades to a soft scent over time. Most people find it soft and calming rather than overwhelming. I like to give the mask a good smell before I put it on.

Lavender's scent has been studied in sleep labs. In one study of 31 young adults, lavender oil scenting the room at bedtime increased their deep sleep. The studies use essential oil, which is far stronger than dried flowers, so think of ours as the gentle version.

And for those that don’t like the smell, we offer a lavender free version.

What we left out

Most weighted eye masks are filled with polyethylene (plastic) or glass beads, usually wrapped in a polyester cover. Polyester holds almost no moisture. Whatever your skin gives off overnight stays on the surface. In heat studies on clothing, people wearing polyester sweated more and ran warmer than people in cotton or wool.

Plastic beads can't be warmed without melting. That rules out the warm compress.

Then there's what they're made from. Polyester, and the polyethylene used in many plastic beads, are made from petrochemicals, which come from oil and natural gas. If you've been taking synthetics out of your bedroom, the thing on your face for eight hours a night is a good place to start.

While modern science has produced some amazing innovations, we reject the use of synthetic textiles in any of our products. It is our belief that nature has already given us the tools we need for deep rest.

Handcrafted in Auckland

Every mask is handcrafted in our Auckland, New Zealand workroom. The twin straps are adjustable to fit your head. And they are replaceable when needed, giving you peace of mind that the mask is designed to be used for years. Not months.

I hope this article has helped you understand some of the design choices we made with this mask and why it is different than other masks on the market. If you want to read more about our philosophy around natural materials, read our other journal post, Why we use natural materials.

If you'd like a much lighter mask without the flaxseed fill, the Linen & Wisewool™ Sleep Mask uses the same linen around a New Zealand wool core.

The Weighted Eye Mask comes in four colors, with lavender or without, and every one has a 30-night sleep trial.

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