Having recently addressed the issue of how silk can help care for your skin, we now turn to your crowning glory. If you’re wondering what pillowcase is best for hair - and why - then this post is for you.
Can buying a silk pillowcase really make any difference to the condition of your hair? If so, how does this work, and what should you be looking for when choosing the perfect silk pillowcase?
This article will explain why a silk pillowcase is one of the best investments you can make in the health and appearance of your hair. As well as detailing the must-have accessory that we strongly advise anyone with medium or longer length hair to use during the day.
Silk, of course - but you knew we’d say that. When a company specialises in selling premium quality silk products, then you’d fully expect them to say that a silk pillowcase is the best choice for your hair.
In a nutshell, silk is the gentlest fabric to sleep on. This means it’s kind to your hair, avoiding the sort of snags and tangles that no one wants to wake up to. It also absorbs less moisture, keeping your hair well hydrated.
As your hair moves over the pillow during the night, friction occurs. At least it does when you sleep on cotton. The rougher surface of cotton makes it harsher on each and every fragile strand of hair, so there’s more chance of waking up with frizzy, knotted or tangled locks.
Synthetics like satin tend to cause static - just think of those small electric shocks you may feel when pulling a man-made fabric sweater over your head and you might see just what we mean. Static is not great for hair, and can be the culprit when it comes to knots, snags, frizz and damaged, flyaway strands.
Achieving smooth, silky hair is all about treating it with care. Read any beauty magazine or blog that talks about haircare and you're likely to stumble across advice about avoiding excessive heat, harsh brushing or indeed anything that causes friction.
That’s why beauty experts will say that you should wash your hair with water that is warm rather than hot. Avoid your hairdryer’s maximum heat setting unless you’re really in a hurry, and reserve the use of straighteners and curling products for special nights out rather than relying on them for everyday use.
Hairdressers will often advise against daily hair washing too, as washing your locks less often helps hair to retain its natural oils and achieve balance. Even in the case of greasy hair, over-zealous washing can actually make matters worse. This is because the oil glands may then go into productive over-drive, making hair even greasier.
So how can you make sure you treat your hair gently as you sleep, and avoid each strand becoming either too oily or dry and brittle? By sleeping on silk, of course. As the finest silk fabric has a super smooth surface, hair can move freely during the night without friction occurring. This lack of interference allows hair to retain its natural moisture levels more easily, so your hair will feel less dry or greasy as well as looking sleeker.
So pure, natural silk is the kindest to your hair. But as you may already know, all silk fabric is not created equal. In other words, some types of silk are better for your hair than others. Here are the key factors to look for when choosing the best silk pillowcase for your hair.
Firstly, the silk itself. Mulberry silk has long been seen as the finest in the world, so that’s the best option to go for. Grade A mulberry silk is ideal, as the longer strands create a smoother fabric.
The same applies to the charmeuse weave technique, which makes ultra soft, sleek silk material with a lovely natural lustre. Finally, the momme count is the silk equivalent of the thread count, and 22 momme is the best choice for bedding.
So you want a 22 momme, mulberry silk pillowcase that’s been made by weaving long strand fibres together to lie as flat as possible. You’re in luck - that’s exactly what we offer here at Calidad Home, and the reasons given above are precisely why we chose this type of silk.
So that’s your hair taken great care of overnight, but what about during the day? If you ever style your hair as a ponytail, bun, plaits or bunches, then we’d strongly recommend investing in a set of silk scrunchies too. As luck would have it, we offer those too.
A silk scrunchie is the best choice for all the same reasons. It’s far kinder to hair, and thus results in less frizz, tangling, knotting and snagging. It can also help to reduce damage and breakage.
Silk is kindest to hair - and leading experts agree
Check it out if you like - you could start by seeing what New York based dermatologist and writer Dr. Neal Schultz has to say. Speaking to Good Housekeeping, he reckoned that silk pillowcases could help with dry and frizzy hair.
Talking to the Daily Mail, The Pulse Light Clinic’s Chanelle Blake also sang the praises of silk, citing the fact that it allows hair to glide over the pillow as the key to the smoothest, shiniest, sleekest locks around.
While the best silk is not cheap, it’s always worth checking what you really get for your hard-earned cash. If you don’t agree that our prices offer the best value around, then we want to know about it!
