Why everyone is investing in silk pillowcases

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years you’ve undoubtedly come across the silk pillowcase trend. Touted as a far superior choice to your classic cotton pillowcases, we’ve been boasted to about the ways in which they can act as an extension of your nighttime beauty routine.

If you haven’t bought into the trend yet, this enlightening list on benefits will surely convince you to treat yourself to a lovely new set of pillowcases. If you were an early adopter of this homewares come beauty trend, delight in knowing that your nightly slumber quite literally embodies the concept of ‘beauty sleep’ in more ways than one.

They help to keep wrinkles at bay

If you subscribe to the beauty philosophy of preventative over reactive measure then this benefit alone should be enough to convert you to the silk side. But how does the simple act of switching the material of your pillowcases impact the formation of wrinkles? Well, the soft and infinitely smooth surface of silk means the friction between the skin on your face and the pillow is significantly reduced, assisting in the minimisation of fine lines. Unlike cotton, silk pillowcases also have limited potential to absorb the night cream you’ve likely slathered on before bed, meaning your skin won’t become dehydrated – a key contributor to wrinkles and fine lines. Additionally, sleeping on a silk pillowcase means you won’t wake up with any dreaded crease lines across your face!

They help ward off acne

Despite cleaning your sheets and pillowcases regularly, cotton pillowcases have a far greater chance of harbouring bacteria due to the aforementioned absorptive nature of cotton. Over the course of a couple of nights the build-up of all of your regular facial and hair products, in combination with possible night sweating, create an environment conductive to blocking pores and causing breakouts. In contrast, silk’s non-absorptive nature means that your pillowcases will remain clean and your skin clear and hydrated.

Despite cleaning your sheets and pillowcases regularly, cotton pillowcases have a far greater chance of harbouring bacteria due to the aforementioned absorptive nature of cotton

They help keep your hair in top shape

In the same way that silk minimises friction between the surface of your skin and your pillows, it also decreases the frizz-causing tension between your hair and your pillow. This will not only make your morning routine much faster and easier, it’ll reduce the need for anti-frizz products. Contributing to the good health of your hair in the long term, the reduction of friction means you’ll be less prone to hair breakage too, making way for a jealousy-inducing shiny and smooth mane.

It’s worth nothing that whilst there isn’t any scientific evidence to back the touted benefits of sleeping on a silk pillowcase (considering the mere variables of a study such as this you can understand why!), numerous dermatologists the world over have backed the benefits. In combination with the unmistakable anecdotal evidence, there’s no reason not to invest in some chic and hard-working new silk pillowcases to look better tomorrow and in years time.