Silk Pillowcases: Your Newest Beauty Secret
Last Updated on November 28, 2023
by Marc Werner, Founder - GhostBed
Serums? Check. Night cream? Check. When it comes to beauty sleep, you’ve got everything you need for 8 hours of rejuvenating, refreshing slumber. Or do you?
Let’s take a minute to talk about your bedding. We’ve talked about the benefits of sleeping cool before—which your mattress, as well as your thermostat, can impact—but have you ever stopped to think about your pillowcase? After all, this bedding basic is in direct contact with your face for 6, 7, 8+ hours a night. Is yours helping you get the best beauty sleep you can, or is it contributing to bedhead and wrinkles?
Keep reading and we’ll explore your newest beauty secret: a silk pillowcase designed for the hair and skin benefits you’ve been dreaming of.
Overview: What are the Beauty Benefits of a Silk Pillowcase?
Silk pillowcases are a fantastic way to make the most of your beauty sleep! By providing a smooth and slippery surface for your skin and hair to glide across, a silk pillowcase can:
- Prevent unwanted facial creases
- Reduce bedhead and frizz
- Keep your skin and hair hydrated
I. Silk Pillowcases & Your Hair
II. Silk Pillowcases & Your Skin
III. Selecting the Best Silk Pillowcase for Hair & Skin Benefits
IV. Experience GhostBed Silk
I. Silk Pillowcases & Your Hair
Tired of waking up with bedhead? If you tend to toss and turn in bed, your luscious locks can turn into a bird’s nest in no time. And even if you tend to stay put, frizz and tangles are a common morning woe. Or you might just feel like your hair's a little parched upon waking up. So what gives?
It all comes down to the fabric you’re sleeping on. Cotton, for example, is one of the most popular types of pillowcase fabrics. It’s soft, easy to clean and available in a wide variety of price ranges, from budget-friendly to more luxury options like Supima cotton. But cotton can also wreak havoc on your hair, creating friction that leads to dehydrated and brittle strands.
The solution? Opting for a smooth surface, instead, with a silk pillowcase.
Reduced Tangles & Frizz
Cotton, polyester and other similar types of pillowcase fabrics can be a bit rough, grabbing on to your hair as you sleep and causing tangles, frizz and even breakage. This effect can be even worse for those with curly, black or textured hair, as well as if you go to bed with wet hair.
A silk pillowcase, on the other hand, helps your hair by providing a smooth surface to glide over without friction, keeping curls intact and your hair’s texture flawless. Over time, it can even help improve the long-term health of your hair.
Better Hydrated Hair
Another reason that silk pillowcases are the better choice for your hair is that they absorb less moisture than cotton and other fabrics. While a cotton pillowcase will absorb the oils from your hair, leaving it parched and dry, a silk pillowcase ensures your hair stays hydrated and healthy.
II. Silk Pillowcases & Your Skin
Next up, how does a silk pillowcase affect your skin? Similar to how the fabric interacts with your hair, the smoothness of silk means less tugging on your delicate facial skin throughout the night. And since it bunches up less than cotton, you won’t wake up with those pesky crinkles and creases on your face. As our skin ages, these temporary creases and lines can deepen into more permanent wrinkles, so it’s a good idea to “stop the clock” earlier rather than later.
Helps Your Products Stay Put
As you sleep, your skin works hard to repair and restore itself. Research tells us that our skin also absorbs products better at night, which is why hydrating night creams and serums are so popular. But what happens to those pricey products once your face hits your pillow? If you’re sleeping on cotton, you run the risk of your products migrating off your face onto your pillowcase.
With a silk pillowcase, you won’t have to worry about that. Since silk absorbs less moisture than cotton and other fabrics, your products stay put and your skin stays hydrated. This is especially helpful during the drier winter months and if you have dry skin to begin with.
May Help With Skin Sensitivities
If you have eczema, rosacea or other skin sensitivities, investing in a silk pillowcase can be a huge help. Even though silk absorbs less moisture, it’s still a super breathable material, allowing for better temperature regulation throughout the night. A naturally hypoallergenic fabric, it provides a less-than-ideal environment for dust mites, mold and other allergens, which can help reduce your flair-ups.
A Note on Silk Pillowcases and Acne
Can a silk pillowcase reduce acne? While some claim that it does, the research and science behind this is mixed. Although silk does have some antibacterial properties, most experts agree that it doesn’t mean your silk pillowcase actually stays cleaner than other fabric types. To keep your skin healthy, you’ll still need to keep your silk pillowcase clean by washing it regularly.
III. Selecting the Best Silk Pillowcase for Hair & Skin Benefits
Ready to invest in your beauty sleep with the help of silk? Keep in mind that not all pillowcases are made the same, so you’ll want to do your research to find the best silk pillowcase for your skin and hair needs.
We recommend looking for:
- A high momme, which refers to the weight and durability of the silk. A momme of 19 or above is considered high quality.
- A high grade. Silk is graded on an A, B and C scale, with an A grade reflecting the highest quality.
- Mulberry silk, specifically. Mulberry silk is made from the silk of domesticated silkworms, and is known as the best and most durable silk available.
- 100% silk, instead of blends that may include inferior fabrics.
Learn more about how and where to buy the best silk pillowcase here.
IV. Silk vs. Satin for Hair & Skin
You might also be wondering about the difference between silk and satin when it comes to hair and skin benefits. Are they the same?
The answer is… not quite. Simply put, silk is a fiber, whereas satin is a type of weave. Meaning, your satin pillowcase is made from one or many different fabrics types, which could include a silk blend, nylon, rayon or polyester. For the best beauty benefits, you’ll want to look for a 100% silk pillowcase.
V. Experience GhostBed Silk
We’re proud to introduce the new GhostBed Silk, a pillowcase crafted with care and made for your beauty sleep. In addition to the natural hair and skin benefits of silk, we’ve added in extra details you’ll love, like a strong internal zipper and double-stitched edges. The GhostBed Silk is delicate but durable, with a luxurious feel that’ll help you doze off in comfort.
Plus, explore other GhostBed products to complete your bedroom:
Marc Werner
Founder - GhostBed
Marc has spent the last two decades designing & manufacturing mattresses and other sleep products, drawing on a lifetime of experience working with the material sciences. With several patents to his name, he works closely with the GhostBed team to create products with the perfect balance of comfort & support. Learn More
