Does a satin pillowcase prevent wrinkles?

The type of bedlinen most people use is not necessarily the best choice when it comes to caring for your skin and hair, which is why silk and satin pillowcases are growing in popularity. Before splashing your hard-earned cash, however, you’d be quite right to ask does a satin pillowcase prevent wrinkles, or would it simply be a waste of money?

Simply put, satin provides a smoother surface on which to rest the delicate skin of your face as well as protecting your hair every night. A smooth surface means lower levels of friction as you move during sleep, and this reduction in friction can lead to less hair frizz as well as less stress for your delicate facial skin.

This is beneficial to the skin because it leads to less fine lines, wrinkles and the pillow creases that can cause them. If your skin remains smoother throughout the night, then logic would tell us that it will also look smoother and softer by day. The same applies to your hair – which is why satin and silk pillowcase fans wouldn’t sleep on anything else.

So which is best, satin or silk? Are they the same? After all, they both provide a smooth surface on which to sleep. The most obvious difference to anyone considering a purchase might well be the price tag. Silk costs a lot more than satin – why is this, and is it worth spending the extra to obtain a pure silk pillowcase rather than a cheaper satin one?

The price difference is due to the inherent difference between satin and silk. Silk is a natural product, made by silkworms, who spin the strong, fine threads that are then woven into a super-smooth fabric from which pillowcases and other bed linen, as well as soft furnishings and clothing, are made. Being a natural fabric means that like cotton, silk is more absorbent and breathable than a seemingly similar man-made material.

The term satin, in fact, refers to the weave rather than the material. A satin weave is used to produce that smooth, shiny surface that characterises satin fabric, which products such as pillowcases, sheets, curtains, cushions, dresses and even bags are then made from. Satin fabrics are usually man-made, so they are not as breathable as natural silk.

Sleeping on satin can adversely affect sleep. During hot weather, man-made fabrics are not as comfortable to sleep on as natural fabrics like cotton and silk. They can lead to the sleeper feeling too hot during the night, which leads to wakefulness and not getting a good night’s rest. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase feels cooler.

So why not just sleep on cotton, which is much cheaper to buy? Think back to that smooth surface. Cotton is a far rougher fabric than silk, and does not provide that smooth surface that your skin and hair simply glide across. Rather, they will drag on cotton as you move during the night, so although cotton is a natural and breathable fabric it does not offer the same benefits for your skin and hair as sleek, luxurious silk does.

A silk pillowcase made from the best quality silk is an investment. It will give your bedroom a luxurious touch, and it feels lovely to sleep on, but there’s far more to it than that. Over time, using a pure silk pillowcase will help to slow down the development of wrinkles. It can help to calm skin conditions such as acne or eczema. It will also reduce tangling of your hair, which is why users report needing less frequent blow-dries.

The best type of silk for bedlinen has a momme count of 19 or above – around 22 is perfect. The momme count refers to the thickness of the silk, in the same way, that a thread count applies to cotton. Mulberry silk, which is spun by silkworms who are fed purely on mulberry leaves, is widely regarded as the finest type of silk money can buy.

You can buy a top-quality, 22 momme mulberry silk pillowcase for less than many beauty products that would last for far less time – such as a night cream or facial serum. A silk pillowcase is low maintenance, as it can be machine washed on a standard 30℃ wash along with your other bedding. In turn, your skin and hair become more low maintenance, as they require less styling, lotions or potions to keep them looking good. Doesn’t that sound like the stuff dreams are made of?