There are several reasons why you should use a silk pillowcase for hair. Among these are that it helps prevent knots from forming, it stops frizz from forming, and keeps breakage and split ends at bay too.
As a hairstylist, I am always looking for new ways to keep hair healthy and manageable. After hearing a lot of buzz about the use of silk pillowcases, I figured that it is worth determining what benefits it can have for skin and hair.
There is no shortage of articles that recommend using a silk pillowcase for hair and skin. I am here to give you more information about its benefits and the considerations that you should keep in mind when shopping for one.
In this article, I will share with you why you should make the switch to silk pillowcases, determine the best benefits that you can get from them, how it differs from satin pillowcases, what factors to consider when shopping for one, and how to maintain them even. This way, you will be able to find the best silk pillowcases that you can use at home.
Here’s why you should consider a silk pillowcase:
Have you ever experienced waking up and seeing all those frizzy strands on your head when you look at the mirror? How about losing your salon blow out the following day? Bothered by the split ends on your mane? Well, we have been bothered by one or more of these hair woes at one point. You might even have blamed it on your shampoo or perhaps your genes because of it. But it also might be because of your pillowcase.
From what I have gathered, those who the type keyword s pertaining to silk pillowcase are those who are interested in solving frizzy hair, or those who want to extend the life of their new hairstyle to get the most out of their money. I don’t blame you since having your mane fixed at the salon isn’t exactly cheap that waking up to your hair that lost its shape can be downright frustrating.
Since only a handful of people do use pillowcases that are made from silk, let me just list here the common problems that we have to deal with when using cotton pillowcases.
- The cotton fabric has a tendency to grab your hair strands as you sleep causing them to become frizzy in the morning.
- Sleeping on a cotton pillowcase can make your hair brittle too since the fabric tends to absorb moisture.
- It also negates the benefits of the hair and skin care products that you have been using because the fabric simply absorbs them.
What are the benefits of a silk pillowcase for hair?
Cotton pillowcases may be breathable, but they don’t do your skin and hair any good. Like it was mentioned before, cotton fabrics do have a tendency to absorb moisture which is not a great thing for our skin and hair. But why switch to silk pillowcases? Here are a few benefits that you should know of.
- Less friction on your hair.
Silk is a smooth fabric that doesn’t cause friction between your hair strands and the cloth. Even as you move around, your hair simply moves with you thus less friction happening which means that you won’t have to worry about waking up with plenty of frizz on your mane. - Retains moisture.
When your hair loses its moisture, it will become dry and brittle, and prone to breakage which is quite common in those who use cotton-based pillowcases. Fortunately, this will not be an issue when you change to a silk pillowcase. - Ideal for fine and curly hair.
Those with fine or even curly hair will benefit the most when you use a silk pillowcase instead of cotton. Fine strands are prone to breakage especially when they are subjected to friction. Curly strands, on the other hand, tend to become frizzy when you are using pillowcases made from cotton. - Great for dry hair.
Those who have dry or flaky strands are better off using a silk pillowcase since it doesn’t absorb moisture. Keep in mind that dry hair will become brittle in the long run when there is no moisture present on the strands which can be further aggravated by using a cotton pillowcase. - Keeps hair hydrated.
Hydration is necessary for our hair and skin and it seems that changing your pillowcases to those that are made from silk can be beneficial to you. This is because instead of absorbing moisture from your hair, silk keeps it where it belongs which is on your mane. - Saves styling time.
Another plus to using a pillow case made from silk is that it saves you time when you style your mane in the morning. This is because you won’t wake up with severe bed head that nothing that a bit of misting and combing won’t fix.
What is the difference between silk and satin?
Since we are talking about pillowcases and their effects on our hair and skin, I thought it a great idea to differentiate silk and satin. Cotton is a common fabric used for pillow covers, but what about these two?
Let’s start off with silk. Silk is made from natural fiber that is created by silkworms, particularly mulberry silk. A silk fabric takes ages to make and is considered a luxury by many due to its texture and manufacturing process. Most high-end silk fabrics are made from silk fibers that are created using the charmeuse weave.
What about satin? Satin refers to a type of fabric weave where a lustrous sheen is found on one side of the fabric. But this particular fabric can be made using different materials such as silk and polyester. You can find some in stores where they are labeled as satin fabric blended with polyester fibers and then there is another term often used which is polyester satin.
Is silk or satin pillowcases better for hair?
Which one is better for your hair? Silk or is it satin? Honestly, both are ideal for your hair, but they do have some differences too such as:
- Silk doesn’t make you sleep hot which is a common issue in pillowcases made from satin.
- Sleeping on silk or satin is actually good for your hair since there is less friction happening thus the amount of frizz that you wake up to will be greatly reduced.
- Silk tends to be pricier because of it being a natural fiber compared to its competition.
- Both fabrics do not soak up any skin or hair care products thus you will get to nourish your skin and hair as you sleep at night.
- Satin fabrics tend to be more available compared to pure silk pillowcases, plus they ar easier to maintain too.
What to Look for When Buying a Silk Pillowcase
You might be wondering how to land the best silk pillowcase for your personal use when there are tons to choose from in Amazon as well as other retailers. Well, there are several factors that you should check out starting with the momme.
What is the momme?
The momme is commonly used when buying silk as it refers to the weight measurement of natural silk. A single momme is equivalent to 4.340 grams per square meter. An eight momme fabric typically weighs one ounce for each square yard. You can use this measurement when shopping for a pillowcase where the higher the momme count is, the heavier the fabric will be. Knowing the momme of the fabric, regardless of whether you are buying a pillow case or perhaps you want to change your beddings, will be beneficial to you in the long run, because you will be able to customize the weight of the silk fabric based on your budget and your preferences.
Zip closure
When shopping for silk pillowcases, you should look for one that comes with zip closure. One of the reasons that your pillowcase should have this is the fact that it keeps the pillow from spilling out of its cover.
Fabric
When shopping for a silk pillowcase choose one that is made from Mulberry Silk. You can tell that this type of silk will be durable and feel more superior than other types of fabric such as in the case of cotton and even satin. A mulberry silk pillowcase will be free from smells, can easily regulate your body’s temperature, hypoallergenic, and has great breathability.
Weave
The silk fibers are first twisted into threads before they are woven into fabrics. Most manufacturers prefer the charmeuse weave since it creates a more fluid and polished underside. The charmeuse silk is a smooth fabric that is well known for its look and feel.
Construction
Another factor that you should consider when shopping for a silk pillowcase is how it is constructed. You need to go over the pillowcase or even the bedding to ensure that there are only clean and even stitches used and that there are no needle holes that will mar the natural beauty of silk. A professionally woven silk pillowcase will not cause too much damage to your strands such as generating friction.
Price
This may be the last thing on your mind when it comes to buying pillowcases made from silk, but the price is something that you should consider as well. Like it was mentioned before, satin, and even cotton fabrics, are considerably cheaper than silk, so you might want to take this into account.
How should I care for a silk pillowcase?
If you are going to make the switch to silk pillowcases for your skin and hair’s beauty benefits, there is another factor that you should take into consideration which is their upkeep. Here are a few pointers that you can follow when your pillowcase is made from silk.
Hand or Machine Washing is Allowed
You can either hand wash the best silk pillowcases or take them to the dry cleaners. However, most of us don’t have the time to do either which means that our best bet is the washing machine. If this is the option that you will choose, you will need to check the fabric’s density or the Momme. If the momme is higher than 20, then it is quite safe to clean in your washing machine. On the other hand, if it is less than 20, you are better off hand washing it to be safe.
Avoid High Temperatures
Due to the delicate nature of the silk pillowcase, never wash it in high temperatures. You will need to treat your pillowcases with care because of the silk fabric, if not, your beauty sleep will not be as good as you hope it would be. Here’s what you need to do:
- Turn your silk pillowcase inside out.
- Place it inside your mesh laundry bag.
- Wash with mild detergent.
Make it a point to wash your silk pillowcases with other delicate fabrics like silk or satin sheets to minimize damage. Stay away from items that have zippers or hooks since they might snag your pillowcases while spinning.
Air Dry
Never twist your silk sheets and pillowcases after washing them since this will cause wrinkles to form on the fabric. Simply hang them to air dry but away from direct sunlight as much as possible.
Iron Them
Do not forget to give your silk pillowcases good ironing once they have been air-dried. There are irons that have a setting for silk fabrics but if yours do not, you can use the lowest setting. Make sure that you iron the backside of the pillowcase so as not to damage the natural sheen of your pillowcase. Another trick to ironing your silk sheets and pillowcases is to place a cotton sheet between the iron and silk to prevent damage.
Do silk pillowcases really make a difference for your hair?
Is using a silk pillowcase really good for your hair? For me, there will be a significant improvement to your mane once you make the switch. Among these improvements are:
- Less frizz to wake up to.
- Reduced split ends since there is less friction happening between your hair strands and the pillowcase.
- Prevents brittle strands since the moisture remains on your mane and not absorbed by the pillowcase.
- It lets your hair products do their work since they are not absorbed by the fabric.
Looking for more ways to care for your hair? Check out some of our hair care content here.
