LitBear 22 Momme Silk Sleep Mask for Side Sleepers

Quick verdict

The LitBear 22 Momme Silk Sleep Mask is aimed at the problem side and stomach sleepers face with standard sleep masks: a thin strap or a hard buckle creates an uncomfortable pressure point right where your head presses into the pillow. LitBear’s answer is a wide, cushioned band with a hook-and-loop closure and a padded, face-hugging shape that the brand says keeps pressure off the temples, paired with genuine 22-momme mulberry silk. For people who sleep on their side and have written off sleep masks as uncomfortable, it’s worth trying before giving up on the category.

Our take

Side sleepers run into the same problem with most masks: they’re comfortable when you fall asleep on your back, and progressively less so as you roll onto your side. The cause is almost always the same — the adjustment clip, strap buckle, or thick seam at the back of the mask ends up pressed between your head and the pillow, creating a concentrated pressure point that a firmer pillow only makes worse.

LitBear’s design addresses this directly. The brand sells this mask specifically for side sleepers, with a wide cushioned band and a full-surround shape it says keeps pressure off the temples, so contact is spread across the head rather than concentrated at one point. It’s a small design detail, but it’s the one that matters most for side sleepers.

The difference from most masks is the band itself. Many silk masks use a thin elastic strap with a plastic slider, and when you lie on your side that narrow strap and its hardware press into one small spot. The LitBear’s band is wide and padded, and it closes with hook-and-loop (Velcro-style) fabric rather than a hard buckle, so the load is spread over a larger area. That design focus is why it ranks above the Alaska Bear and ZIMASILK for side sleepers.

The silk itself is 22-momme mulberry, which puts it in the same material tier as the Blissy and Slip: dense and smooth with a clean drape. The color options are on the conservative side, which is functional but unremarkable next to the palette variety of some competitors.

The silk quality

22-momme mulberry silk is the upper tier of practical silk weights for a sleep mask. Above 22-momme you get into specialty fabrics that offer little additional benefit in this application; below 19-momme you start to notice decreased opacity and shorter lifespan through washing. LitBear’s 22-momme puts it on material parity with Blissy and Slip, and meaningfully above the 19-momme budget masks.

On paper, the material is exactly what you want at this price: 100% mulberry silk at 22 momme, with hand washing specified. Heavier silk generally holds up to gentle washing better than lighter budget weights, which is part of what you’re paying for over a 19-momme mask. Strap attachment points are often the first thing to fail on lower-quality masks, so give those seams a once-over while you’re still inside the return window.

One note: hook-and-loop closures can snag longer or fine hair, so press the two sides together fully before you lie down, and keep them closed when the mask goes into the wash.

Light blocking and comfort

LitBear isn’t a molded-cup mask, so light blocking depends on how well the padded body follows your face — light can enter at the nose bridge and side edges. LitBear adds a padded inner layer and a nose pad that the brand says are shaped to block light at the bridge. In a bedroom that’s already fairly dark, a flat mask is usually enough; in brighter rooms, such as a hotel room with light around the curtains, expect some edge leakage, as with any mask without molded cups.

The 22-momme weight makes the fabric denser than the 19-momme Alaska Bear’s, which generally means slightly better opacity through the silk itself. Don’t expect a dramatic difference, though — with a flat mask, the gaps at the edges matter more than the fabric weight.

Comfort for back sleepers is fine; for side sleepers, the design targets the usual complaint directly. With a wide padded band instead of a narrow strap and buckle, there’s no single hard point at the back of the head. For the specific problem it’s built to solve, it’s the most targeted option in this ranking.

How it compares

Against the Alaska Bear (19-momme, flat, standard strap): Alaska Bear is lighter and cheaper, with better color variety. The strap on Alaska Bear is standard and can create pressure for side sleepers. LitBear costs slightly more and delivers better silk density plus the strap design that specifically benefits side sleepers.

Against the ZIMASILK (22-momme, filled): ZIMASILK has a silk filling that adds cushion and improves light blocking, but its standard strap can cause the same side-sleeper pressure problem as most masks. If you primarily sleep on your side, the LitBear’s wide cushioned band is the priority feature.

Against the Blissy (22-momme, flat): Blissy uses a silk-wrapped strap and premium 6A silk, but is significantly more expensive without addressing the side-sleeper strap issue. For the same momme weight at a lower price with a band built around side sleeping, LitBear wins for its target use case.

Who this is for

• Side sleepers who have given up on sleep masks because the strap becomes uncomfortable
• Stomach sleepers who face a similar strap-compression issue
• Anyone who sleeps on 22-momme silk and wants the same weight in a mask
• People who prioritize function over aesthetics and color variety

Who should skip it

• Back sleepers who don’t experience strap pressure — the main advantage is wasted on you; save money with the Alaska Bear
• Anyone who needs lash clearance — it has no molded eye cups; choose the Slip Contour
• People who want a wide variety of colors or stylish prints — the LitBear palette is functional, not fashionable

Care and durability

LitBear lists this mask as hand wash only. Use cool water and a gentle silk detergent, close the hook-and-loop strap first so it doesn’t snag the silk, press gently between towels, then air dry flat.

22-momme silk is more durable than lighter budget fabrics. As with any silk mask, gentle hand washing and air drying will do more for its lifespan than anything else.