12 Best Yoga Eye Pillows For Soothing & Deep Relaxation
Perhaps you went to a class that used little pillows for your eyes…
Now after having experienced one of the most relaxing classes ever you’re hooked! You’ve just got to have one because now you’d like to bring that into your at-home yoga practice.
The issue becomes, which one do you choose? They are all filled with different materials. Some have fun patterns and designs. It can be pretty difficult to pick.
I’ve listed a few good products to help you find the best yoga eye pillow available today.
Let’s jump in with the first one...
This is at the top of the list because of simplicity.
Super useful, and super effective, the Happy Wraps brand makes a fantastic product. It’s well balanced with organic flax seeds and whole lavender buds.
This means each time you use it you’ll enjoy the relaxing smell of lavender with just the right amount of weight on your eyes.
Quick Navigation:
- Happy Wraps Lavender Eye Pillow
- Happy Wraps Pack of 4
- Savasana Now Pillow
- IMAK Pillow Mask
- AyaZen Lavender Eye Pillow
- DreamTime Eye Pillow
- Eye Pillow Vacation Cotton
- Blissful Being Yoga Eye Pillow with Lavender
- Nolava Weighted Eye Pillow
- Gaiam Relax Restorative Eye Pillow
- Solayman Fleece Set of 2
- Candi Andi Unscented Pillow
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What Is A Yoga Eye Pillow?
These small little weighted bags are used to help aid in relaxation during yoga. They are particularly nice in shavasana and other reclining poses.
The outer material is normally made with some type of satin, silk or cotton so that it feels inviting to the touch.
Happy Wraps Pack of 4
Over 410 Ratings!
Yes, it’s the same product as the top pick but in a pack of four, but there’s good reason!
As both a student and teacher of yoga it’s important to have a certain magic when teaching or taking a class. If you are a teacher then the little things you do in your classes for students will make a huge difference.
If you know that teaching yoga is your passion and you want to start creating a bit of word-of-mouth for your classes then I strongly suggest you buy a whole lot of these eye pillows.
Find a way to keep them cold and offer them to your students after class. It’s an easy way to add a little more magic to your classes.
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Are eye pillows good for you?
For the most part, yes they are very good. They work by stimulating something called the oculocardiac reflex which helps to lower your heart rate and calm your nervous system.
On the flip side, if you are easily prone to migraines, sinus problems, and/or dizziness then you may want to reconsider using one.
Savasana Now Pillow
Over 450 Ratings!
This company has really gone the extra mile when it comes to relaxation.
The pillow itself is quite nice. It has a nice flower print on the top layer. The bottom layer (the one that touches your eyes) is made from silk.
Here’s what’s really neat. This eye pillow comes with a few different downloadable audio tracks to help calm and soothe you! There's a few different durations and even one explicitly for sleep!
IMAK Pillow Mask
Over 4220 Ratings!
I fully understand that a pillow and a mask are two different things. However, this is something special I had to include.
For some people having direct pressure on your eyes isn’t very comfortable. Pillows can also press into your eyelashes which some people don’t enjoy.
This mask is stitched so that it provides room for your eyes, but instead applies gentle pressure around your eyes to block out light. For those who have sensitivity issues this would be a good alternative to a pillow worth trying.
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What Are Eye Pillows Filled With?
The filling can be a few different things:
- Flaxseed
- Flower buds
- Beans
- Rice
- Buckwheat
- Plastic beads
The most common material is Flaxseed. It has a good weight and overall feel to it when placed over your eyes.
AyaZen Lavender Eye Pillow
Over 400 Ratings!
Here is another good quality silk pillow…
If you enjoy silk then this is a good product overall. In fact, when choosing any eye pillow you should be aware of the materials used.
Personally, I enjoy having a silk pillow for myself. I can move and reposition it how I need and then relax. The issue with silk typically happens when you have to place it on ANOTHER person’s face.
Silk feels wonderful, but it has a tendency to slide. Unless you place it in just the right spot, it’s going to slide off of their face. Or worse yet it could just SLOWLY start to slide which is pretty annoying when you’re trying to relax.
DreamTime Eye Pillow
Over 420 Ratings!
Infused with essential oils!
The DreamTime pillow has a good weight to it and is filled with flaxseed and other herbs for a good overall feel.
This is infused with lavender to help aid in relaxation. Lavender interacts with the neurotransmitter GABA to help keep you calm and mellow.
The level of scent is something to keep in mind when selecting an eye pillow. If they are done with flower buds then it will be pretty mellow. If it is infused with oils then it’s going to smell a lot stronger.
Lastly, this pillow can only be used in room temp or cold temperatures. If you want a heated pillow option then check out one of the other items on this list. This is a wonderful item to throw in your backpack before going on a trip.
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How Do You Clean A Yoga Eye Pillow?
Most pillows of these types are not meant to be submerged in water. It’s best to treat the outside material only. Using a wet cloth with tea tree oil and rubbing it over the pillow. This will clean it up nicely without having to worry about affecting the materials inside.
If you think the filler material is dirty or beginning to smell then it’s probably time to just throw your old one away and buy a new one.
I know that silk feels smoother to the touch, but there’s a couple clear advantages to cotton.
First of all, cotton will stay on your face. This is especially nice if you are doing a treatment on someone and you are responsible for placing the pillow on their face. It has enough weight (and because cotton doesn't slide very well) to stay in place where you initially put it.
Second, some people really enjoy the textured weight of cotton. Other materials have a good weight and a light feel. Cotton will have both a good weight and a heavy feel. It’s the feel of things that can make all the differance.
If you don’t want a heavy feel then avoid cotton, but if you know you need something that won't slide around on your face then you may want to consider it.
Blissful Being Yoga Eye Pillow with Lavender
Over 120 Ratings!
Made with real lavender!
Pillows made with real lavender are nice because the scent stays for longer and it’s not quite as intense as using oils.
The smell of real lavender is mellow and remains that way for a really long time. When you use essential oils however it smells really intense at first and then drops off pretty quickly.
If you want a pillow that has the actual ingredients in it then check out this one from Blissful Being. You’ll be glad you did.
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Can You Wash A Flaxseed Pillow?
As long as you don’t submerge it then yes, you can surface wash it. Be sure not to get the flax seeds wet. Remember, flaxseeds are SEEDS! Watering a seed will change its properties pretty quickly so you’ll want to do everything you can to keep it dry.
Nolava Weighted Eye Pillow
This is a choice product for those who get a lot of usage out of their eye pillows.
The Nolava comes with a removable cotton cover that can be washed. This is ideal for those who enjoy using these types of pillows on a regular basis. Just throw the cover in the wash and set it out to dry.
The only downside is that this pillow doesn’t come with more covers. If it did you would be able to use this same pillow with multiple people or clients. It’s only really intended to be used by the same person multiple times. Not multiple people using it once each.
Gaiam Relax Restorative Eye Pillow
This is your standard 8” x 4” eye pillow.
It’s always important to consider size when choosing your pillow. Most all pillows are 3” to 4” wide and 8” to 9” long.
For most everyone this size is just fine, but finding a bigger pillow is nice as well. The wider size will ensure that no light comes in while you are resting. Also, an extra big pillow can mean more weight which is nice as well.
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What Is A Lavender Eye Pillow?
These are pillows that have either real lavender or lavender essential oil. This is used to help induce a more relaxing experience from using the pillow. The majority of the filling inside a pillow is typically flaxseed. The remainder is either particles of real lavender or other herbs infused with this scent.
Solayman Fleece Set of 2
This would make a good gift set for a couple…
This set of two would be the perfect gift idea for your two favorite yoga teachers or students. The fleece material is also really nice. It’s rare to see pillows made of this material.
If you are putting together gift baskets for people who like yoga then you’d forsure want to include these little gems.
This is a top quality eye pillow that even comes in lots of different colors and patterns. This will allow you to choose the ideal style to complement your yoga accessoires.
Obviously the main draw Of this yoga pillow is that it has no scent. People who are sensitive to smells can use this pillow there at home yoga practice without any issues.
Summary
Finding a good yoga eye pillow is all about your personal preference. Some people really enjoy cotton pillows like this one here. Cotton tends to have a bit more traction than other smoother materials.
If you want something classic that feels nice you can use for hot or cold then try the Happy Wraps brand. It’s got tons of fantastic reviews and will quickly become one of your new favorite additions to your shavasana.
Did I miss anything? Feel free to comment below and let me know. Namaste friends!