Beauty Skin-Care Tips

Repurpose Your Sleep Masks to Keep WFH Skin Fresh and Hydrated All Day

Zoe Weiner

April 25, 2020

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Photo: Stocksy/Lucas Ottone

Whether you're blasting the heat or AC (or both, because, April), staying inside all day puts you on the fast track to dry skin. Unless you've got a humidifier decorating your WFH space, the air in your home is ripe for sucking the moisture straight out of your face. And while diligently slathering on moisturizer every hour on the hour is certainly one way to hold in the hydration, the easiest method to hydrate skin at home is actually by repurposing your hydrating sleep mask for use during waking hours.

No, we're not talking sleeping eye masks. Think of sleep masks, which came to us by way of K-beauty and popularized over the last few years, as a sort of jacket for your skin. Unlike regular masks, they don't need to be washed off, and they create a protective boundary between your skin and environment that's even tougher to permeate than your usual skin products. "We recommend using a concentrated mask during the day when working from home, because your skin is so susceptible to losing moisture if you don't adequately hydrate it," says Glow Recipe founder Sarah Lee. "Because overnight masks are usually very hydrating with nourishing properties, it really helps to keep that moisture retained throughout the hours." Because of this, it's also a great way to maximize the ingredients you're getting from the products you're applying underneath it.

A sleep mask should be the final layer after your usual skin-care routine, and can go on either on top of your moisturizer or in place of it. Scroll through for our favorite picks worth dedicating a spot to in your routine.

Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask, $48

hydrate skin at home — Photo: Summer Fridays

This influencer-approved mask is chock full of vitamins (C and E, to be specific) and amino acids that give dull, sleepy skin an instant boost. It's got antioxidants to help protect from free-radical damage, and ceramides to really lock in the moisture it provides.

Glow Recipe Watermelon + AHA Glow Sleeping Mask, $45

A combination of watermelon and hyaluronic acid helps to infuse moisture in the skin, and a mixture of AHAs (including glycloic and lactic acids) clear away the top layer of dead skin cells to help moisture penetrate more deeply. The jelly texture is ultra light so that you won't feel like you've got some goopy mask on your face all day long, and can you beat the packaging?

Olay Regenerist Luminous Overnight Facial Mask, $17

This drugstore beauty buy is not only immensely hydrating (and under $20), but it also leaves behind a pearlescent finish that will make you look luminous while you work. It's formulated with skin-soothing niacinamide and moisture-drawing humectants to hydrate and brighten as it absorbs.

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask, $25

Thanks to its barely-there, water-based formula, this jelly mask absorbs almost immediately into your skin. In addition to highly concentrated mineral water, it's also packed with calming and brightening ingredients like orange flower, rose, sandalwood, apricot, and evening primrose. Thirsty pores will drink it right up.

Pacifica Wake Up Beautiful Super Hydration Sleepover Face Mask, $15

With this mask, you'll be waking up, spending your day, and going to sleep beautiful. It's got all kinds of nourishing, natural ingredients like quinoa, mushrooms, and floral stem cells, and is infused with aromatherapy elements to help keep you calm throughout the work day.