Wait, Do Sleep Masks Cause Wrinkles? The Answer Will Surprise You

Some types of wrinkles are simply unavoidable (friendly reminder that gravity affects us all at some point!), but others are within your control—at least, to an extent. And within the latter bucket, you'll find a few sneaky offenders that can deepen folds over time, like constantly staring down at your phone and screens, skipping oil during gua sha routines, and some less than stellar sleeping habits. 

Let's pause on that last point: According to Sabrina Noorani, founder of ClearForMe, sleeping with an eye mask on can also potentially lead to fine lines (yep, we were shocked, too). "I recently learned that it's not recommended for [healthy skin aging]," he declared on an episode of Clean Beauty School. "So I'm wrestling with what I should do."

Eye masks are not frivolous bedtime accessories—many are quite chic, yes, but they're also helpful for blocking out any excess light that creeps into your sleep space. Even the tiniest bit of light can send a signal to our brains to stay awake, so encouraging as much darkness as you can is key for quality sleep.

Noorani finds them particularly helpful for her wind-down routine: "As soon as I put on an eye mask, I can immediately shut off and go to bed," she explains. 

The problem is, the fabric has to be pretty secure in order to comfortably stay snug all night long. That constant pressure on the delicate eye area can lead to compression wrinkles (known colloquially as "pillow lines"), especially if you sleep with your face smashed into the pillow. And if you toss and turn throughout the night, that fabric can tug at the skin around your eyes—which, over time, can lead to fine lines.

Again, wrinkles are inevitable at some point, but the fabric you choose has some say in the matter. Cotton or linen are porous and therefore rougher fabrics, while silk and satin prevent friction and provide some slip for delicate skin, so it's much softer on the eye area. "