Not since Sleep-eze™ has a brand been so focused on sleep. And right outta the blue, the sleepy K-Beauty brand LANEIGE is suddenly on everyone’s radar — including mine — with an extensive collection of sleeping masks. If you’re still not using a sleeping mask, you’re missing out on one of the most effective ways to maintain moisture levels in your skin each night. In the colder fall and winter months, that’s an real challenge. I know I’m not the only one who wakes up on a January morning looking like I just climbed out of the TV like that creepy girl in the horror film The Ring. Come to think of it, wasn’t that based on a Korean movie of the same name?! Okay, yeah that’s me when I wake up in January.

I look like that creepy chick from The Ring when I wake up in the morning in January.

So, a few years back, I began to notice a whole new category of skincare products coming into play that were being marketed as "sleeping masks" or "overnight masks." For a while, it looked like just another trendy marketing gimmick. As they began to proliferate, Sephora seemed to be making a big push into the category. Suddenly, I came down with a serious case of FOMO and I started to think seriously about what a sleeping mask could actually offer that you couldn't or wouldn't get from a well-formulated night cream.

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Then it hit me. Occlusion! What’s this S.A.T. word doing in my skincare blog? Well, to occlude means to close, plug, block — as in the passage or flow of something. It comes from the Latin "occlūdere : to shut up, close up. And what does that have to do with sleeping masks? A well-formulated sleeping mask prevents water and moisture loss while you sleep by forming a film over your skin that functions like a veil, or an additional skin layer. It's occlusive by preventing water from evaporating through your pores into the dry, low-humidity air around you. In the winter, low humidity turns the air into a magnet that literally sucks the water out of your skin layers. That's why our skin feels drier in winter and why we need richer creams and oils in cold weather. So, by preventing water loss, you're in effect keeping your skin more hydrated, moist and healthy.

Two of LANEIGE’s most popular sleeping masks.

Over the last 2-3 years, I’ve probably tried two dozen sleeping masks. The funny thing about them is they’re either really good or really boring. If they’re not occlusive enough, they’re nothing more than a night cream. Which is all well and good. But not what I’m looking for exactly. In fact, I either look forward to using a particular mask, or I forget about it and it ends up under the sink in the stash that goes to my mother in Connecticut.

The LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask is super light with a water texture perfect for oily skin.

Guess what? I really look forward to the LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask! I think what stands out most about it is its super refreshing, watery texture. It’s crazy light and a solid in-between-seasons sleep mask, though ideal in warmer months. Or, for those who have oily or very oily skin year-round. LANEIGE says it’s formulated with “highly concentrated Hydro Ionized Mineral Water” that infuses skin with deep water-based hydration and oil-based moisture. There’s also something called Sleepscent, which is a blend of both non-fragrant plant oils (yay!) and fragrant plant oils (nay!) that gives it a subtle botanical scent.

And this brings me to LANEIGE’s cold-weather, dry-skin companion to the Water Sleeping Mask — the Time Freeze Sleeping Mask. Wait. Freeze time? Well, I don’t know about that. But I do know Time Freeze is a dope product for my increasingly dry skin.

This discontinued Kiehl’s eye cream had a dope springy texture that no one appreciated like me.

First, may I make a shallow observation? It’s got that springy bounce-back texture that comes back together after you scoop some out. I don’t know why that tickles me so much, but it does. When I was at Kiehl’s, we made an eye cream with a springy, spongey texture that’s no longer available. I guess people didn’t appreciate it like we did. The dope Innisfree Wine Jelly Sleeping Pack does the same thing. It’s silly and entirely meaningless, of course. So back to the serious stuff, like what’s in Time Freeze, and what it does for your skin. As all LANEIGE formulas, this one contains a unique, nutrient-rich water — in this case, “peptide water”. If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably know I love peptides — because my skin loves peptides. Peptides are fragments of protein-rich amino acids that help to plump the skin, keeping it cushiony soft — and springy! Plumper skin shows fewer lines and wrinkles on the surface.

The LANEIGE Time Freeze Sleeping Mask doesn’t freeze time, but it plumps rather well.

LANEIGE added what’s called “Dynamic Collagen” to essentially infuse the skin with collagen, which has a temporary firming effect by morning. One of the more interesting ingredients though is Oat Kernel Extract, a proven skin soother. The iconic American skincare brand Aveeno was founded around the healing benefits of oats. There’s no better time to heal and soothe skin than overnight as the skin is repairing itself and undoing the damage from the day. Overall, Time Freeze is a solid, well-formulated sleeping mask. My skin is soft, smooth and comfortable in the morning. I do wish it had frozen time while I slept, though. Imagine only aging 16 hours each day? I’d probably start napping like my ex.

Sleeping mask number three isn’t a conventional product for your face. This is where LANEIGE gets really creative and brings true innovation to the no-longer-nascent category. With the new, simply named Eye Sleeping Mask!

The LANEIGE Eye Sleeping Mask is a true innovation in the sleep mask category.

Wait. What the heck is an eye sleeping mask?! The first thing I think of is that nutty cloth thing another ex (oh my!) used to wear to block out the light in the morning — because the cat and I have to wake up with the sunrise. That’s not what did in our relationship, though. (That’s for another blog.) LANEIGE says its Eye Sleeping Mask is a “leave-on eye mask that deeply hydrates and de-puffs tired-looking eyes.” And I put that to the test over the last couple of weeks. Funny, because it’s the change of seasons here in NYC and over the last month or so I’ve literally had the air conditioning on some nights and the heat on some others. The fluctuation in temperatures gave me the perfect opportunity to try this product out in both warmer and colder air.

Its ceramic massage tool is a real eye opener!

What was interesting is I found it much more effective for me on the colder nights than warmer ones. When the temps were higher, I likely didn’t need to hold as much water and moisture in my skin and woke up puffier. But the morning after colder nights, I found my eyes looked rested, youthful and not at all puffy. I think my fave part of this first-ever leave-on eye mask is the cool ceramic massaging tool. It’s actually kinda genius because if you think about how ceramics tend to stay cool, imagine what this feels like when it’s actually cold out. It’s eye opening! I guess I could just put it in the refrigerator, but I’ve never been one to store my skin care in the fridge. I’m Italian, it’s packed with food in preparation for the next world war.

So how does it do what it does? LANEIGE’s Eye Moisture Wrap Technology, apparently. It forms a “breathable, moisture-rich beta-glucan layer over skin, while helping to retain ideal moisture levels through the night.” I hate the cold, but at least this winter won’t take such a horrible toll on my eye area.

Orpheus and I are ready for bed with Laneige.

Last up in the sleeping mask line-up is the LANEIGE all-star that may have put them on the map in Sephora. The runaway hit Lip Sleeping Mask is a super thick, occlusive lip salve that goes on (and stays on) like the thickest of balms. It helps to soothe dry lips and lock in moisture with the brand’s Moisture Wrap Technology, comprised of skin-soothing beta-glucan, a polysaccharide sugar derived from yeast. It also contains a high level of shea butter, which skin anywhere on your face loves. As for whether my lips are more supple and kissable in the morning, I’m afraid that’s not for public consumption. (Where’s an ex when you need one?) 💋💋💋

Get yourself a sleeping mask. Before you look like you climbed outta the TV, too.

🖤 SKINCARMA

The Ingredient List of the Laneige Eye Sleeping Mask:

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hesperidin, Caffeine, Beta-Glucan, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Magnesium Sulfate, Calcium Chloride, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Adenosine, Triethylhexanoin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Peg-14m, Disodium Edta, Fragrance.

The Ingredient List of the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask:

Water, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Trehalose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Root Extract, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Fruit Extract, Beta-Glucan, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Chloride, Potassium Alginate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate / VP Copolymer, Polysorbate 20, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Dimethicone / Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearyl Behenate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide MEA, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Blue 1 (Ci 42090).

The Ingredient List of the Laneige Time Freeze Sleeping Mask:

Water, Propanediol, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Squalane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Ceratonia Siliqua (Carob) Fruit Extract, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Seed Extract, Tillandsia Usneoides Extract, Adenosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, C12-16 Alcohols, Glyceryl Caprylate, Dextrin, Dimethicone / Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Palmitic Acid, Polysorbate 20, PVP, PEG-240 / HDI Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate / Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance.

The Ingredient List of the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask:

Diisostearyl Malate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Phytosteryl / Isostearyl / Cetyl / Stearyl / Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Polybutene, Microcrystalline Wax / Cera Microcristallina / Cire Microcristalline, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Synthetic Wax, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax / Candelilla Cera / Cire de Candelilla, Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate, Butylene / Ethylene / Styrene Copolymer, Ethylene / Propylene / Styrene Copolymer, Mica (CI 77019), Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Dimethicone, Fragrance / Parfum, Polyglyceryl-2 Diisostearate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Methicone, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax / Cera Carnauba / Cire de Carnauba, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985), Red 6 (CI 15850), Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Water, Potassium Alginate, Propanediol, Glycerin, Alcohol, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Fruit Extract, Fragaria Chiloensis (Strawberry) Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Sapindus Mukorossi Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Extract, Coffea Arabica (Coffee) Seed Extract, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Magnesium Sulfate, Calcium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Ascorbyl Glucoside.