I tried £4 'miracle' heated eye mask and it helped insomnia and headaches

27 December 2023 , 10:00

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Spacemasks have been hailed as 'magic' for restless sleepers and headache sufferers

Getting a good night's sleep is one of the most important wellness hacks for glowing skin, good health, and overall feeling like the best version of you. But, for those of us that suffer from restless nights where it's difficult to nod off, it can be frustrating when you're tired but your brain just won't switch off - not to mention a serious struggle when it comes to getting up in the morning.

There are tons of insomnia busting remedies out there - from listening to sleep stories, to not using screens before bed, but nothing has quite worked for me like the Spacemask Self-Heating Eye Mask. Described by the brand as 'interstellar relaxation', this beauty buy has been hailed as a 'miracle' with shoppers who say that it totally cured their insomnia.

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With raving reviews like that and feeling, quite literally, tired of counting sheep, I spent a week testing them out to see what the hype was all about. Some nights I used them an hour or so before I wanted to go to sleep as part of a unwind routine, while on others I popped the eye mask on right before shutting my eyes to compare both results.

The Spacemask has a pretty star design which is a lovely touch (Spacemasks)

The eye mask's self-heating feature is activated by air, which in itself I thought was pretty cool. It works when a layer of iron filings in the eye mask entwines with oxygen molecules in the air producing warmth. I will note that this does mean you have to be a little careful if you've never used them before as to not get excited and immediately rip the packet open before you're ready to use it, but they do come with instructions guiding you not to do this.

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Once opened, simply pop the attached ear loops around your head and the mask will stay over your eyes without slipping. I didn't find it uncomfortable to wear at all, and while I could feel them on my ears, I soon forgot I had anything on. You'll notice that the eye mask has a soft jasmine scent that although being subtle, helped to soothe me, and along with the gentle warming over my eyelids, I was able to fall asleep way faster than I typically would.

Another evening I went to bed with a headache and the eye mask was really relaxing. It didn't completely cure my pain, but it certainly reduced it by relieving temple tension. One review said: "I tried this as I get tense muscles around my eyes which causes headaches and tired, sore eyes. This not only soothed my eyes but stopped the headaches," so it does depend on the type of headache on how effective they are.

You'll get more bang for you buck if you buy the eye masks in a pack of five

You can buy the eye mask individually on Sephora for £3.85 if you just wanted to test it out, but you'll get more for your money if you get a pack of five for £16.50 from Sephora, Cult Beauty, or Feel Unique as they'll be £3.30 each. It's a shame that they are single use, however both the box and eye mask are fully recyclable and if you did want a re-usable self-warming eye mask this option from Amazon is £12.99 and it has over 3,500 five star reviews.

Ultimately, the Spacemask Self-Heating Eye Mask did work for me and while it's definitely a luxurious buy that I don't use every night, I now keep a handy pack in my bedside drawer for when I need a little nudge to help me nod off or I'm struggling with a sore head.

Lucy Addicott