Best sleep masks — A good sleep mask blocks 100% of light without pressing on your eyes. Our team’s pick of the best sleep masks in Australia for travel, shift work and bedrooms with bad blackout.
Priya on our team works night shifts in the warmer months and has tried roughly thirty sleep masks. The differences between a $5 mask and a $50 one are real — and worth caring about if you actually use one nightly.
What separates a good sleep mask from a bad one (Best sleep masks)
- Light blocking. The cheap masks let pinpricks through at the bridge of the nose. The good ones have a contoured nose bridge.
- Eye pressure. Flat masks press your eyelids shut. Contoured (3D) masks dome over the eyes and let you blink — preferable for REM sleep.
- Strap. Velcro pulls hair, elastic deforms over time. The best masks use a hook-and-loop adjustable elastic combination.
- Fabric. Silk feels good but bunches; cotton breathes; memory foam is heaviest but most comfortable.
1. Manta Sleep Mask — Best Overall
The Manta is a contoured 3D mask with adjustable eye cups, total blackout, and elastic strap with hook-and-loop closure. Around $70 in Australia. Replaceable eye cups mean it’ll outlast every other mask on this list. The only mask Priya hasn’t needed to replace in 18 months of nightly use.
2. Slip Pure Silk Sleep Mask — Best Silk
Slip’s 22-momme mulberry silk mask is gentle on lashes and skin (no creasing in the morning). Flat construction means it presses lightly on the eyes — fine for back sleepers, tough for side sleepers. $80–$100.
3. Bambi Cooling Gel Mask — Best for Hot Sleepers
Bambi’s gel-insert mask cools the eyes for 20–30 minutes after refrigeration. Useful for tension-headache prone sleepers and during summer. Around $50.
4. MZOO Memory Foam — Best Mid-Range
Contoured memory foam, full blackout, broad nose-bridge seal. About $35. The best blackout-to-cost ratio on the market.
5. Lush Linen Lavender Mask — Best Aromatherapy
Linen mask with a removable lavender insert. Australian-made, around $40. Light blocking is moderate (not full blackout) but the relaxation effect of lavender is well-supported in sleep research.
How they compare
| Mask | Style | Blackout | Side sleeper friendly | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manta | Contoured 3D | 100% | Yes | ~$70 |
| Slip Silk | Flat silk | ~95% | Yes | ~$90 |
| Bambi Cooling Gel | Gel insert | ~80% | No | ~$50 |
| MZOO Memory Foam | Contoured foam | 100% | Yes | ~$35 |
| Lush Linen Lavender | Flat linen | ~70% | Yes | ~$40 |
How to wear one without hating it
Three nights of feeling weird, then it’s automatic. Wash the mask weekly (most are machine-washable on gentle). Keep a spare for when the first is in the laundry.
For independent guidance on sleep and wellbeing, the Sleep Health Foundation is a good starting point.
