Resident sleep expert Christabel Majendie has given us 7 reasons why sleeping on silk is beneficial to our hair, skin and health
The age old saying, ‘I need to catch up on my beauty sleep’. It is true – no matter which way you look at it, the more ZZZ’s you catch, the more you will look and feel your best. Cell turnover primarily happens at night, and so it is essential that we give our bodies enough time to rest and recover. Although there are several expensive creams, oils and mists that you can apply to help maximise skin regeneration whilst you sleep, there is another factor we want you to consider in 2019 and beyond: your pillowcase!
The trend that took the beauty world by storm is silk pillowcases, made entirely of silk which is said to help prevent wrinkles and even breakouts, help the skin to stay hydrated and regulate body heat. They have even been likened to anti-ageing products, linked to improving your hair’s health and are hypoallergenic temperature regulators that moisturise your face.
Resident sleep expert at Naturalmat Christabel Majendie weighs in with 7 reasons to swap to silk covers and all the elements behind this sleep friendly material.
1) Reduce your chemical exposure
Even though we are in constant contact with chemicals, you can reduce that chemical exposure during your night’s sleep with silk. Silk is produced from domesticated silk worms that are bred and raised in captivity, this means that they have no predators to defend against which helps to create a fine silk fiber with little chemical exposure. This contrasts with most other fabrics on offer being produced from chemically intensive crops that require pesticides and other chemical treatments before making it to your bed sheets.
2) Reduce split ends and bed head
Sleeping on luxury pillowcases will contribute to keeping that bed head under control. This is because silk has natural properties including its smooth surface which can reduce spilt hair damage due to less friction. Also, if you are a wearer of hair extensions the silk fabric causes less pulling and damage to the extension wefts.
3) Naturally hypoallergenic
Silk has some hypoallergenic properties, unlike cotton which has highly allergenic properties. This in fact means less redness, eye-watering and if you’re allergic – less congestion. Furthermore, there is a natural resistance to dust mites, fungus and mold in addition to many other allergens.
4) Helps your skin to retain moisture
Cotton pillowcases are absorbent – not only do they pick up dirt from your skin but also oil too. By sleeping on the same cotton case daily it can lead to clogged pores and breakouts. With silk pillowcases they are less absorbent, your skin and hair stay moisturised as your skins natural oils aren’t being absorbed. Silk naturally contains amino acids that are easily absorbed into the skin. Silk amino acids create a protective barrier and preserve moisture, these amino acids bond with the keratin in your skin which helps regenerate as you sleep.
5) Regulates temperature
Silk is a heat regulator, this means that you skin will keep cool in the summer and warm in the winter! No more sleepless nights.
6) Prevents hair frizz
The damaging effects cotton has on your hair is worth mentioning, bedhead might look messy but there are underlying damages as it’s the culprit of dry and damaged strands. Silk doesn’t absorb moisture like cotton which means no friction and positive impact on hair. Sleeping on a silk case can turn your hair softer, smoother and tame.
7) Reduces facial creases
Fabrics such as cotton can pull and tug on your skin during the night which isn’t good for your skin in the long run. Due to silks smooth properties you won’t wake up with facial creases in the morning.
