Our ‘lazy’ skincare favourites: The best overnight masks for supple, soft skin in the morning

Talk about beauty sleep.

We’ll be the first to admit that we love the idea of a daytime skincare routine more than the actual practice. The reason is simple: it feels heavy, and there’s always that mid-day shine to greet us in the mirror. From layering on serum, to sunscreen, to a light moisturiser… sometimes a good hydrating face mist, and some eye cream are enough (or so we tell ourselves).

So the best thing we do to care for our skin all day is to sleep. And while clocking in rest, an overnight hydration mask actually feels cool and nice on the skin. The results have been amazing: waking up with skin that feels plump, incredibly soft and hydrated. It’s become a mission when skincare shopping to look for overnight sleeping masks (to make up for daytime guilt), and we’ve found our favourites below:

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

The O.G overnight face mask has over 16 million jars sold according to Laneiege, who claim that a jar is sold every 12 seconds. The brand has become synonymous with this cult favourite; harnessing its exclusive Sleep-Tox technology that purifies the skin and normalises skin that’s been sensitised by stress during the day. Moisturisation comes from ingredients like Hydro Ion Mineral water, evening primrose root extract, Hunza apricot extracts and more.

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Masque

If you have really dry skin, try the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Masque. It has ingredients like Ophiopogon Japonicus Extract, also known as “Fountain Plant”, and pro-hydration glacial proteins that help protect and reinforce the skin barrier. This formula can feel a little thick, but that’s a good thing for colder sleeping conditions like air-conditioning that tend to dry the skin out.

The Face Shop Baby Face Ampule Sleep Mask

You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how a product that’s a fraction of the price of more high-end skincare brands can deliver results just as good. The Baby Face Ampoule Sleeping Mask is highly rated online among customers who swear by its hydration abilities, from a product that delivers seaweed extract and hyaluronic acid to both brighten and replenish moisture.

The history of Whoo Gongjinhyang Soo Hydrating Overnight Mask

More love for Korean skincare on this list. The history of Whoo has its roots in skincare designed for the Korean royal family, and if they were fans of early versions of the Gongjinhyang Soo Hydrating Overnight Mask, it’s safe to assume they had the healthiest complexions around. The formula packs camellia extract to “lower heat”, Kyongokbidan to help circulate hydration, and is slight acidic to match the pH level of our skin naturally.

Shiseido Waso Beauty Sleeping Mask

If the popular ingredient hyaluronic acid has been your friend so far, try this one. It also targets skin prone to breakouts and visibly large pores by feeing it with botanical ingredients like yuzu seed extract and Vitamin A from carrot cells. A generous amount of the product before bedtime is perfect as prep for a big event the next day, and especially for softer skin that looks smooth under foundation.

Lancôme Énergie De Vie Night Mask Overnight Recovery Sleeping Mask

The sleeping mask is like a really healthy meal for your skin with ingredients such as cranberry, lemon balm and ginseng. All those antioxidants protect the skin from free radicals and gives it a renewed glow by morning. It has a melt-in texture that when applied, transforms with the heat of your skin to break into hydrating water droplets. There are two ways to use this product: as an overnight cream, or as a 10-minute mask that you can remove gently with a tissue.