Is silk good for your skin?

If you’re thinking of investing in one of our silk pillowcases, then you might well wish to ask - is silk good for your skin? After all, they’re not the cheapest kind of pillowcase on the market.

You may also be wondering if it makes any difference what type of silk is used to make the pillowcase - and what about the thickness? Also, how exactly is silk good for your skin? Is it beneficial for particular skin types only, or can it improve the health and appearance of anyone’s skin?

We will address all these frequently asked questions right here. So don’t go anywhere if you want to learn all about the beauty benefits of a pure silk pillowcase - as well as what to look for when buying.

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So is silk good for your skin?

Is silk good for your skin? The short answer is yes. The longer answer involves the very reasons we started selling silk pillowcases in the first place - and why we stock the specific kind that we offer.

Sleeping on a silk pillowcase has benefits for those with all types of skin conditions. As well as anyone who is ageing - which surely applies to all of us. Sadly, no-one is getting any younger, but using a silk pillowcase can help to make sure that the visible effects of ageing are minimised.

Silk is good for acne, eczema, psoriasis and ageing skin. It is also ideal for those with sensitive skin, including that caused by treatments like chemotherapy.

Don't under-estimate the value of a little luxury either - enjoying a good night’s rest and the pure comfort of resting your head on silk can put a smile on anyone’s face. That in itself can make you look younger and more attractive!

Why is silk good for your skin?

So we’ve established that silk is indeed really good for the skin. But why is this the case?

What is it about silk that makes it so skin-friendly?

Silk is natural

The first factor is the material. Like cotton, silk fabric comes from a completely natural source.

It is spun by silkworms in countries like China, where for centuries farmers have specialised in producing the finest raw silk.

Silk is breathable

Being natural means that silk is very breathable.

It thus follows that your skin can breathe overnight, leading to a lower likelihood of developing the blocked pores that can cause whiteheads, spots and blackheads.

Silk is cooling

So skin that can breathe freely has a reduced chance of suffering from breakouts, but that's not all.

Silk has a naturally cooling effect (which is one of the reasons it’s often favoured by anyone approaching or going through the menopause) and this means you’re less likely to wake up hot, bothered and sweaty.

Sweat can also clog pores, so the cooling effect of silk also lowers the likelihood of that happening.

Our article shows how sleeping on a silk pillowcase can help you stay cooler in bed.

Silk is smooth

It’s easy to see that silk is super smooth, but just why does this benefit your skin?

Well sleeping on a smooth surface means your face moves across the surface of the pillow more easily. There is less friction, and friction can stress the skin by dragging on it.

Dragging on the skin eventually causes fine lines and wrinkles to appear, and then these tend to deepen over time.

Using a silk pillowcase also means that you’re much less likely to wake up with unsightly pillow creases on your face.

Silk is hypoallergenic

Silk is also ultra gentle because it’s hypoallergenic. Unlike synthetics - and even sometimes cotton (which has a far rougher texture) - silk won’t irritate even the most sensitive skin.

This reduces the incidence of flare-ups, redness and pimples.

More on why silk is good for your skin

So they’re the basic features of silk that have benefits for your skin.

But not all silk is made equal. How can you make sure you’re getting the very best available silk, which will be kindest to your skin?

The following factors all play their part.

Mulberry silk

Mulberry silk is the finest available. It’s made from the threads spun by a particular species of silkworm, and they feed on nothing but the leaves of the mulberry tree or bush.

White mulberry is their favourite.

Mulberry leaves that make the finest Mulberry silk
Long strand Mulberry silk

Long strand silk

Once silk threads are harvested, they are graded. The best strands are the longest ones, and these will be classed as grade A.

So when you buy any silk product, the best kind is one made solely from grade A, long strand mulberry silk. These threads produce a stronger and softer fabric than that made from inferior grades of silk.

Charmeuse silk

The next factor to look for is the way the silk is made. Various weave techniques can be used in silk production, but the best is the charmeuse weave technique.

This special way of weaving those long, grade A strands of mulberry silk together produces the smoothest possible silk fabric.

Mulberry silk charmeuse weave
22 Momme Silk

22 momme silk

The final factor is the weight of the silk fabric. You’re probably familiar with the thread count used to denote the thickness of the finest cotton linens.

With silk, the thread count is called the ‘momme count’. 22 momme is the ideal thread count for silk bed linen - especially the part you lay your head on.

Silk IS good for your skin - but don’t just take our word for it

Of course we’re going to say that silk has amazing benefits for your skin, we are running a business here, after all. Which is why we’d like to point you in the direction of this NBC news article on the “Best Bedding for your Skin”. In this piece, leading dermatologists such as Hadley King, Deanne Mraz Robinson and Caren Campbell weigh up the benefits of silk for skin, concluding that “silk is lightweight, breathable and non-irritating”. We can’t say fairer than that!

 

One final point. The best silk does of course come at a price - but as always it pays to shop around! Do compare our prices against others - we’re confident they offer the best value for money around.


You can see our full range of 22 momme mulberry silk products here.

August 03, 2021 — Michelle Smith
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