How does the self heating eye mask work?

Each Nyla Rest steam eye mask contains iron minerals that react with air the moment the pouch is opened. Within about 2 minutes, the mask releases gentle warmth that soothes tired eyes. No microwave, no water, no charging. It is sometimes called a heated eye mask or warming eye mask.

Are Nyla Rest steam eye masks reusable?

No, they are single-use. Once a mask has been used, it cools down and should be thrown away. Each box contains seven masks, which is one a day for a week.

What does a mulberry silk sleep mask feel like?

Ultra-soft and cool against the skin. Mulberry silk is one of the smoothest natural fibres, which is why it is used in sleep masks. The Nyla Rest silk sleep mask (also called a silk eye mask) has an elasticated strap so it sits gently around the head, and it blocks out light for deeper rest.

Are these under eye patches or under eye masks?

Both terms describe the same product. Nyla Rest under eye masks are hydrogel-style patches that sit under each eye for around 15 to 20 minutes, delivering a burst of hydration and helping to soothe the look of puffiness and tired-looking skin.

Do the under eye masks come in different colours?

Yes. The Nyla Rest under eye masks come in gold, pink and clear white, £13.99 each. All three are hydrating gel-style patches made to soothe and refresh the under eye area.

Are Nyla Rest blemish patches the same as pimple patches?

Yes. Pimple patches, acne patches, spot patches, pimple stickers and hydrocolloid stickers are all names for the same product. Nyla Rest blemish patches use a thin, transparent hydrocolloid layer that sits over a spot overnight. They are designed to be discreet and easy to wear under makeup.

What are the Nyla Rest sleep patches?

The Nyla Rest sleep patches are designed as part of your evening wind-down routine. Apply one to clean skin before bed and remove in the morning. Each box contains a full supply for daily use.

How much is UK delivery?

Standard UK delivery is £2.99 and takes three to five working days. Next-day delivery is £4.99. Delivery is free on all UK orders over £20.

Can I return a product?

Yes, on unopened, sealed items within seven days of delivery. For hygiene reasons, opened masks and patches cannot be returned. If your parcel arrives damaged, email care@nylarest.co.uk within 48 hours and the team will sort it.

How do I use the discount code?

Add your items to the basket, then enter code LAUNCH10 at checkout for 10% off your first order. Free UK delivery still applies on orders over £20.

Sleep Mask vs Eye Mask: What's the Difference?

May 20, 2026

Short answer

A sleep mask is made to block light, and you keep it on all night. "Eye mask" is the wider name for anything worn over or under the eyes, and most of those are designed to come off again after a few minutes. So the quickest way to tell them apart is the clock. If it is meant to stay on until morning, it is a sleep mask. If the pack tells you to remove it after 20 or 40 minutes, it is a different kind of eye mask with a different job.

The sleep mask vs eye mask question comes up a lot. Shops, reviews and even brands use the two names loosely, so they get mixed up all the time. It matters more than it seems, though. Falling asleep in a heated mask or a gel patch is not what either was designed for. Below, we compare the three types Nyla Rest makes, and which one suits the problem you actually have.

How long each one is designed to be worn

Under-eye patches

15 to 20 min

Steam eye mask

up to 40 min

Sleep mask

all night, reusable

Three Masks, Three Different Jobs

The Sleep Mask: Darkness

Sleep masks cover both eyes and are held on by a band around the head. Its only job is to stop light reaching your eyes while you rest, so it is built to be comfortable for hours and to be worn again and again. Our light-blocking silk mask has shaped, raised eye cups that keep the fabric off your lids, plus an adjustable band, and is cut from mulberry silk.

Black Nyla Rest silk sleep mask resting on a made bed in a softly lit bedroom

The Steam Eye Mask: Warmth

A steam eye mask is a soft, single-use cotton mask that warms up on its own. Nothing needs plugging in or microwaving. Once you tear open the sealed pouch, air sets off the warming, and Nyla Rest's self-heating steam eye masks reach around 40°C within a minute or two. They loop over your ears, rest on your closed eyes and stay warm for up to 40 minutes, after which the mask is thrown away.

Warmth on the eyelids is something eye specialists have measured. Researchers at Aston University tested a heated eye compress for five minutes and found eyelid temperature rose by up to 2.3°C, easing back to about 1°C above the starting point ten minutes later, with no adverse effects reported (Bilkhu and colleagues, Optometry and Vision Science, 2014). In other words, the warmth is real but it fades, which is why these masks are a short break rather than something to sleep in. Prefer something homemade? We explain making and using a warm compress around the eyes.

Under-Eye Patches: A Quick Skincare Step

Under-eye patches are not masks you look through or sleep in. They are small crescent-shaped pieces of hydrogel that sit on the skin beneath each eye. Hydrogel, as the chemistry standards body IUPAC defines it, is simply a gel whose swelling agent is water, which is why the patches feel cool and slippery.

Our hydrogel under-eye patches in clear, pink and gold come 60 to a jar (30 pairs), with collagen, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamins C and E, and aloe vera. You keep the jar in the fridge, lift a pair out with the spatula, and peel them away after around 15 to 20 minutes.

Flat lay of evening self-care items, including a jar of under-eye patches and a sleep mask

Can You Sleep With an Eye Mask On?

Only with the right kind. This is the question people most often get wrong:

YES Sleep mask. Yes, that is exactly what it is for. Keep the band slack enough that nothing presses on your eyes or tugs at your hair.
NO Steam eye mask. It is designed to be taken off after up to 40 minutes, which rules it out as an overnight mask. Use it while you are winding down and still awake, then swap it for your sleep mask.
NO Under-eye patches. Not overnight. The directions say around 15 to 20 minutes. Once the time is up, peel them off and pat any leftover essence into the skin.

Eye doctors are cautious about warmth that never lets up. In a reader Q&A published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, an ophthalmologist explains that warm compresses are usually used for around five minutes at a time, because constant warmth widens the small blood vessels and can add to swelling.

Safety Differences Worth Knowing

Heat

Never use a steam mask from a pouch that is torn or damaged, and do not put it directly on the eye itself. It sits over closed lids. The NHS, describing a warm flannel for eyelid care on its dry eyes page, is specific that the water should be warm and not hot. The same idea applies here: comfortable warmth only.

Contact Lenses

Take lenses out before a steam mask. The NHS also suggests switching from contact lenses to glasses to give your eyes a rest, so a warm mask is a good moment to do that anyway.

Fragrance and Sensitive Skin

Our steam masks are lightly fragranced, and the full fragrance list, including any allergens, is printed on the outer box. Read it first if scents tend to bother your skin. Under-eye patches and steam masks both need intact skin, so skip them on any area that is sore, broken or irritated.

Children

None of the three are designed for children. Store them where little hands cannot reach.

Bedside table in warm lamplight with a sleep mask and night-time essentials laid out

Pick by the Problem, Not the Name

Light keeps waking you, whether it is an early sunrise, a partner's reading lamp or a streetlight → a sleep mask.

You want a warm, quiet few minutes once a busy day is done → a steam eye mask, taken off before sleep.

You want a cool, fresh-feeling step in your skincare before going out or at the end of the day → under-eye patches.

You like all three → patches first while you get ready, a steam mask as you wind down, and the sleep mask goes on when the lights go out.

Planning to buy a silk sleep mask? Before you do, it helps to know what to look for on a silk mask label, from mulberry silk to momme weight.

Still Deciding?

Is every eye mask a sleep mask?

No. Sleep masks are just one type within the wider eye mask family. "Eye mask" also covers steam masks, cooling gel masks and under-eye patches, each with its own purpose and a far shorter wear time.

Can you sleep with eye patches on?

Under-eye patches are made for a short wear, around 15 to 20 minutes with ours, and should come off well before you fall asleep.

Can a steam eye mask be reused?

No. Each one warms once and is thrown away afterwards. A box holds seven.

Why keep under-eye patches in the fridge?

Chilling them makes the first touch on your skin feel cooler. The jar can sit at room temperature too, but the fridge is the usual home for it.

Steam mask first, then sleep mask: does that work?

It does, one after the other. Remove the steam mask once it has cooled, then put your sleep mask on for the night.

Find Your Mask

Three masks, three moments in your evening.

All night

Silk Sleep Mask

3D eye cups, adjustable strap and a matching silk pouch.

Browse Sleep Mask

Up to 40 minutes

Steam Eye Masks

Seven self-heating masks per box. No microwave or water needed.

Browse Steam Masks

15 to 20 minutes

Under-Eye Masks

Hydrogel patches in clear, pink or gold, 30 pairs per jar.

Browse Under-Eye Masks

Spend over £20 and UK delivery is on us.

Safety notes The steam eye masks and under-eye patches are cosmetic items used around the closed eye area, while the silk mask is simply a fabric accessory. None of them are medicines or medical devices, and none of them can diagnose or fix an eye condition. For adults. Stop using any of them if your skin or eyes feel uncomfortable, and see a pharmacist or optician about eye problems that do not settle.