When we think of skincare, we think products: serums, toners, scrubs, oils, creams...the list goes on. But skincare isn’t just about products.
Rethinking Skincare
Everywhere you turn, skincare products are promising the moon. Studies have shown ingredients like retinol and alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) may be effective in maintaining the appearance of skin.
But products are only one side of the equation.
Did you know that skin cell turnover is most active when you sleep? (Cell turnover is when dead skin cells get replaced by younger cells.) This means your skin gets rejuvenated each night while you lie on your pillow!
So shouldn’t it matter where we rest our delicate skin while it goes through this intensive renewal process?
Introducing: Silk, Your Skin’s New Best Friend
Skincare products are made in a lab. But silk is all-natural.
And ancient.
Humans have produced silk textiles for 6,000 years. And due to its exquisite rarity, only kings and queens could afford to sleep on silk for most of its history.
Luckily, silk isn’t just for royalty anymore. Advances in the harvesting and manufacturing of silk mean silk is more affordable now than ever!
So now your skin can benefit from this once uncommon luxury.
Let’s explore how silk is vital to your holistic skincare regimen.
What Do We Mean When We Say “Holistic Skincare”?
In medicine, holistic treatment takes the whole person into account, not just their symptoms.
Let’s pretend you suffer from acne.
The opposite of a holistic approach would be to only use creams and tinctures to treat symptoms (pimples and blemishes) after they appear.
In comparison, a holistic approach would consider not only hygienic treatments — but factors like diet, water intake, stress and hormone levels, sleep, and irritating agents such as fabric.
Since all these factors play a role in your skin’s appearance, addressing all of them is the only way to achieve your best, most youthful-looking skin.
Let’s dissect the holistic skincare approach.
The 3 Aspects of Holistic Skincare
There are 3 main areas that need to be addressed in a holistic skincare approach.
1. Products
Americans spend an average of $322 every year on chemical-laden skincare products. But according to dermatologists, you shouldn’t layer on tons of different products every day. For most people, as long as you have a trusted cleanser, SPF, and moisturizer, you have all the topical products you need.
2. Behavior
Behavior plays a huge role when it comes to the state of your skin. Making tweaks to your everyday habits is actually the most cost-effective way to improve your skin!
Examples of behavior factors include:
- Eating fresh foods
- Staying hydrated
- Limiting alcohol
- Managing stress
- Protecting against sun exposure
- Good sleep hygiene (more on this!)
Good sleep hygiene is so important because sleep is THE #1 behavior that maintains your skin’s youthfulness over time.
Sleep hygiene falls into two categories: routines and environment.
Remember that as we sleep, our skin is hard at work healing and replenishing itself.
Sleep routines fall into the behavior category. Routines include things like limiting screen time before bed and setting a consistent bedtime. (We’ll talk about environment next.)
3. Environment
On the flip side, we have sleep environment. This is where silk plays its starring role!
How silk boosts your sleep environment
One of the quickest ways to upgrade your sleep environment is by changing out cotton pillowcases for silk.
Silk — once available only to royalty — is a luxurious textile that comforts and soothes, reducing stress. This lowers cortisol and adrenaline in the bloodstream, allowing you to relax and fall asleep earlier so you can sleep longer each night.
This allows your skin to spend more time in the rejuvenating sleep state when skin cell turnover is at its highest.
Aside from getting a better night’s sleep, silk has many direct physical benefits your skin!
How silk supports skin while you sleep
A new study published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal shows that sleeping on your stomach or side causes facial distortion and wrinkles over time. But silk reduces pull on your skin, which prevents the appearance of wrinkles over your lifetime!
Basically, silk has your back if you sleep on your side.
Also, thanks to the smoothness and structure of silk, friction is reduced compared to fabrics like cotton. This means less irritation for your skin.
Premium silk products such as Blissy are also hypoallergenic. This fosters healing for skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
Where Should I Begin My Silk Journey?
Machine-washable premium silk products like Blissy are handmade and crafted from the highest quality 22-momme 100% pure mulberry silk. They can last you up to 10 years with proper care. Make silk a part of your holistic skincare regimen by trying silk pillowcases and sleep masks.
Have you tried silk in your skincare routine? Tell us about it in the comments.
