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For thousands of years, silk has been a highly sought-after luxury fabric with well-known beauty benefits. In ancient China, silk was used as a form of currency and also worn by nobles.
Today, silk fabric is much more accessible yet still carries the same fantastic beauty and sleep benefits. Plus, it just feels so soft and luxe to the touch.
Although there are many silk products on the market, such as silk scrunchies, silk sleep masks, silk robes, and more, the easiest to implement into your beauty routine are silk pillowcases. Just slip one over your pillow and wake up to frizz-free hair
Let’s first talk about how a silk pillowcase benefits your hair, and address a common question—is silk or satin better for hair?
Video: Silk Pillowcase for Hair Benefits: Why You Need to Sleep on Silk
Should You Use a Silk or Satin Pillowcase?
When deciding between sleeping on a satin or silk pillowcase, you first need to know this:
- Silk is a natural fiber and a type of material, while satin only refers to the fabric weave. Satin can be made from synthetic fibers.
- Satin can be silk, but most products marketed as satin these days are made from synthetic fibers.
- Silk and satin pillowcases are quite different. Non-silk satin is inferior to silk for many reasons.
The trouble with satin pillowcases
Satin pillowcases may look shiny like silk, but make sure you check the fabric type—it is most likely made from synthetic materials, such as polyester, rayon, and nylon. These do not offer the same healthy hair benefits that silk pillowcases do.
Quick tip: Silk generates 43% less friction than cotton!
A satin pillowcase (and cotton pillowcase) absorbs oils, making your hair more dry and brittle than it has to be. Even though the fabric weave of satin feels smooth, if it’s not a silk pillowcase, then the pillow cover can still weaken strands and create split ends.
Additionally, if you have sensitive skin, satin made from synthetic materials is not hypoallergenic and can exacerbate skin problems and allergies.
The benefits of silk pillowcases for hair
So what makes silk so miraculous for hair? Silk has natural properties that makes it your hair's ideal place to rest for the night. Its tightly woven long fibers make it incredibly smooth, soft, and gentle. So it reduces friction on your hair, easing frizz. The same features of this fabric also helps your hair retain moisture, so your hair stays moisturized and lustrous instead of brittle and dry.
Silk, unlike cotton and other fabrics, contains sericin—a miraculous, natural protein fiber produced in silk that helps to nourish your hair naturally.
Silk is a natural fabric that has numerous skin and hair benefits:
- Smoother, frizz-free hair
- Enhances shine
- Helps prevent breakage and split ends
- Helps to grow long, healthy hair
- Reduces hair static
- Doesn't absorb oils from hair
- Anti-bedhead: wake up with better-looking hair
- Helps hair extensions last longer
What to look for in a silk pillowcase for hair benefits
When purchasing a real silk pillowcase, look for grade 6A mulberry silk—the highest quality silk available. Also, take into consideration the silk’s weight. Momme count measures the density of silk, with 22-momme being the ideal weight for a silk pillowcase for hair.
Using a Silk Pillowcase for Hair Benefits
Amp up your beauty game by using a silk pillowcase that's better for your hair. Silk pillowcases reduce friction, stopping your hair strands from rubbing and breaking. Silk pillowcases can even reduce hair static and frizzy hair since they reduce friction between the hair fibers as you toss and turn at night.
Did you know?: Silk pillowcases are fantastic for all hair types, and they are especially helpful for textured hair.
Silk helps curly and textured hair
Is silk or satin better for hair that's curly or textured? If you have a curlier hair texture, you’ll need all the moisture you can get to keep your gorgeous natural hair healthy, radiant, and glossy. Only a real silk satin pillowcase will show your tresses the moisturizing love they deserve!
The more moisture your textured hair can retain, the more your natural shine will glow. Real silk will not absorb the natural oils in your hair. The less dry your hair, the more of your hair’s natural oils are present. So, say hello to luscious, frizz-free hair and bouncier curls!
Silk and hair damage
Silk cannot completely reverse damage to your hair fiber caused by harsh chemicals and other treatments. But it can help improve hair health and help prevent future hair damage on new growth.
The power of silk: According to a study by The Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, silk peptide treatment increases hair density and moisture, and recovers the hair cuticle.
The Best Silk Pillowcase
If you're trying to find the best silk pillowcase for hair benefits, go with a Blissy Silk Pillowcase. Reduce friction on your hair and prevent breakage—all while you get eight hours of beauty sleep on Blissy's real silk, grade 6A, 100% mulberry silk pillowcases. Their silk pillowcases are also a luxurious 22-momme, which can be compared to a 900 thread count in other fabrics.
Additionally, Blissy is certified eco-friendly and non-toxic. Their natural fiber silk pillowcases, along with their other silk products, are OEKO-TEX Certified and free from harmful ingredients.
If you're curious about how else to get shiny hair other than by using a silk pillowcase for hair benefits, you can discover more great tips by reading this glossy hair guide. It'll help you get your hair the healthiest and glossiest it's ever been!
You can also implement other stylish Blissy silk hair accessories into your beauty routine to amp up your hair's radiance, such as real silk scrunchies, silk hair bands, and silk sleep masks.
View Sources
- Hyun, Ji-Won, Lee, Kwang-Gill, Yeo, Joo-Hong, & Choe, Tae-Boo. (2008). Hair Care effects of hair cosmetics including low molecular weight silk peptide component and micro-structure analysis. The Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering Journal, 23(5). https://koreascience.kr/article/JAKO200811237152786.page
- Kunz, R.I., Brancalhao, R.M.C., Ribiero, L.F.C., & Natali, M.R.M. (2016). Silkworm Sericin: Properties and Biomedical Applications. Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Volume 2016. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5124675/