The first thing you need to know about the Drowsy silk eye mask is that it costs an astounding $79. The second thing you need to know is that it’s worth every penny.
I first heard about the Drowsy on Poog, the brilliant, tragicomic wellness podcast hosted by the comedians Kate Berlant and Jacqueline Novak. I was listening on a morning walk, exhausted and bleary-eyed due to the fact that I had yet to install curtains in my new bedroom, and immediately hit purchase after hearing Berlant’s rapturous praise.
I’ve tried many eye masks: the foamy bra-cup style that Wirecutter recommends (eh), the chic printed ones made by designer pajama companies (almost always useless), airplane freebies (garbage), and silky ones with scrunchie-like straps (fine). My complaints range from cheap-feeling materials to shapes that dig painfully into the bridge of my nose or let the light shine if I move my face a centimeter in any direction. You’d be surprised at how many don’t even fully block out light—looking at you, fancy PJ brands!
The Drowsy is basically the equivalent of wearing blackout shades on your face. It’s thick and plush like a pillow, and the sort of odd-looking, squared-off shape means it will never dig into the top of your ears or the bridge of your nose. It takes a lot of tossing and turning for light to peek through. In the two weeks I wore it while waiting for my curtains to arrive, I slept like a dream. Now I never go anywhere without it.
One thing to note: It’s technically machine washable, but mine did lose a bit of its shape when I threw it in with the rest of my laundry—now I just hand wash it in the sink and lay it flat to dry to keep the silk in good condition.
Thankfully, there are often a few different colors or prints on sale at a time, so you can usually snag one for a deal. But can you really put a price on a good night of sleep?