Make the Most of Your Time in Bed With These Overnight Sleep Masks

Updated on Sep 17, 2021

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Let’s get serious, who doesn’t love to sleep? It’s the way to reenergize your body, your mind, and your soul. It’s the much-needed respite that we get to look forward to every single night—a time to completely surrender to our subconscious and allow our entire being to rest. And because of this, it’s also the perfect time to utilize an overnight face mask.

When I say face mask, I don’t mean the minutes-long, rinse-off treatments that we know and love—nobody wants to wake up to a mess of product all over their pillowcase. I’m talking about the rich, creamy formulas that are meant to seep into the skin and stay there while you snooze. A supercharged version of a moisturizer, overnight face masks are ultra- intensive, delivering potent ingredients that work all night to plump, hydrate, revitalize, and soften your skin. By the time you wake up, the product will have absorbed, and your skin will feel renewed.

Below, the best overnight face masks to bring your complexion to life.

Laneige Hypoallergenic Cica Sleeping Mask

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The first I’d ever heard of an overnight mask was through Laneige. Since that OG product, they’ve launched this mild, repairing mask that's formulated with fermented forest yeast extract. It aims to smooth and hydrate your skin—all without irritation—as well as help strengthen and protect the skin’s barrier. Reviewers recommend using this product as the last step in your skincare routine for the best results.

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Vitamin E, the superstar antioxidant of this mask, essentially creates a barrier around the skin to protect it from surface free radicals—a cause of wrinkles and fine lines. Plus, the gel texture is infused with hydrating honeysuckle extract and regenerative vitamin B3. It also wouldn’t be a mega-moisturizer without the addition of derm-approved hyaluronic acid.

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Key Ingredients

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring polysaccharide found in the human body. It acts as a cushioning and lubrication agent for our joints, nerves, hair, skin, and eyes. When used in skincare, it acts as a moisture binder, which means that it will attach itself to the water in the cells (while also attracting and holding water from the air) making them plump.

This award-winning, breathable mask boosts your skin’s natural radiance by delivering both watermelon extract, which is brimming with amino acids, and pore-refining AHAs, which gently exfoliate while you sleep. Another notable ingredientt is moisture-retaining hyaluronic acid, which keeps the skin plump and hydrated.

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We love bakuchiol, a plant-derived, gentler retinol alternative because it can encourage youthful-looking skin. It’s also the main ingredient of this pillowy mask which can help reduce the look of fine lines, wrinkles, and discoloration. Use around 3-4 times a week for best results.

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Hydrating Mask

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If you’ve got thirsty skin, let the mineral-rich Swiss glacier water in this mask gently hydrate every inch. Packed with other moisturizing ingredients, like hyaluronic acid and avocado butter, this velvety soft mask brings its A-game for up to 72 hours.

Youth to the People Superberry Dream Mask

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Key Ingredients

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient required for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of the body, including the skin, but we cannot produce it on our own. For the skin, it helps to boost collagen, lighten discoloration, and fight free radicals.

Super berries and vitamin C come together to provide your skin with the ultimate in moisturization. Maqui, an antioxidant fruit, defends skin against stress, while squalene boosts skin’s hydration.One reviewer reports that the rich texture lives up to the hype—it improved their skin’s moisture after just four uses.

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Just like its name states, this mighty mask works overtime. Harnessing the power of exfoliating apricot seed powder and pumpkin, which brightens thanks to vitamin C, this clarifying formula gently polishes off dead skin and leaves it oh so glowy.

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Key Ingredients

Glycerin is a naturally occurring compound in the body; in topical skincare, it is derived from plants. It functions to draw water to the skin and continue hydrating it, making it a great ingredient for extreme dryness.

This once a week—or twice a week, if you’re feeling so inclined—treatment softens your skin with moisturizing ingredients like squalane and glycerin. If you tend to be drier in some areas, this formula works to combat that, smoothing and evening out your skin. Be generous with your application, then after 10 minutes, tissue off any excess. Leave the rest of the product to work its magic overnight.

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The delicate skin around our eyes need a chance to restore, too. The formula, which features horse chestnut and anti-aging peptides, is designed to reduce the appearance of lines and puffiness around the delicate eye area. Users love the convenience of application, thanks to the massaging steel roller ball.

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Massage this formula into the face and neck right before bed, and allow a unique combo of moisturizers and herbs rejuvenate the skin overnight. Users love that it can be used as both an overnight mask as well as a quick treatment. If being used as a treatment, spread a thick layer onto the skin, then leave on for 10 minutes. Rub in the excess.

What to Look For in Overnight Face Masks

Hydrating Ingredients

Overnight, as your skin repairs itself, is the best time to really pack in moisture. That’s why board-certified dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick says to look for overnight masks that are chock full of hydrating ingredients. “Look for key ingredients like humectants, such as hyaluronic acid or glycerin, to help draw moisture in,” she says. “This will help to leave the skin looking and feeling softer, smoother, and refreshed.”

Non-Comedogenic Formulas

Dr. Garshick also recommends using products with non-comedogenic formulas that won’t clog your pores, especially if you’re prone to breakouts or have very oily skin. “Unlike some face masks that are only in contact with the skin for a short period of time, overnight masks have prolonged contact with the skin, making it especially important that it won’t clog the pores,” she says.

Exfoliating Properties

While this isn’t a must, Dr. Garshick is a fan of exfoliating overnight masks and recommends them if you’re looking to boost your skin’s overall glow. “Exfoliating masks help to eliminate dead skin cells to reveal a brighter and more radiant complexion,” she says. “However, it’s important not to overdo it, as that can lead to irritation.” That said, these are best used occasionally, whether it’s once a week or a few times per week, rather than nightly. Be sure to read the product directions thoroughly and patch test first.

Meet the Expert

Marisa K. Garshick, MD, FAAD is a board-certified dermatologist practicing at MDCS Dermatology in New York; she is also an assistant professor of dermatology at Cornell—New York Presbyterian Medical Center.

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Article Sources

Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.

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Chaudhuri RK, Bojanowski K. Bakuchiol: a retinol-like functional compound revealed by gene expression profiling and clinically proven to have anti-aging effects. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2014;36(3):221-230. doi: 10.1111/ics.12117.
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Make the Most of Your Time in Bed With These Overnight Sleep Masks

Best Overall: Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask

Best Drugstore: Olay Luminous Overnight Gel Mask

Best for Dull Skin: Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask

Best for Wrinkles: Cocokind Resurfacing Sleep Mask

Best for Dry Skin: Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Hydrating Mask

Runner-Up, Best for Dry Skin: Youth to the People Superberry Dream Mask

Best Exfoliating: Summer Fridays Overtime Mask

Best for Soft Skin: Kiehl's Overnight Hydrating Mask

Best for Eye Contour: Talika Eye Dream

Runner-Up, Best Luxury: Sisley Paris Velvet Sleeping Mask

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