Self Care Sunday: Silk Pillowcase
Beauty sleep is real. I recently decided to level UP my beauty sleep game with a silk pillowcase. I had been hearing lots of buzz about silk pillowcases and decided to see what they were all about.
My silk pillowcase journey started with me always moving towards the most natural and sustainable ways to live. I started to look into the best natural fibers for sheets. It's no surprise that fabric blends that include synthetic fibers aren't what you want closest to your body every night. "No iron" or polyester cotton blends are pressed with FORMALDEHYDE based permanent presses to keep them wrinkle free and that toxic residue is in your bed every night along with them. Washing can lower the residue over time, however as long as they stay wrinkle free the formaldehyde residue is still there. NO THANKS.
Strip those poly blend sheets ASAP and switch them out for some cotton Flannel, Knit cotton jersey and 100% untreated cotton, some much safer options for sheets and widely available. Hemp-cotton blends are becoming more readily available as well and 100% organic hemp sheets from beeline which I can't wait to try! Hemp fabric is the future they are great because they are naturally anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, sustainable and they breathe!
Now that you have your bed sheets in check let's get back to the topic of this post SILK PILLOWCASES. Yes they are a bit of a splurge, but it's self care Sunday and time to treat yourself to a little something exxtra.
Cotton pillowcases tend to absorb moisture so any moisturizing products you add to your hair or face before bed is absorbed by the cotton, drying out your skin and hair and then creating undesirable microbes in your pillowcase. Not to mention just natural oils on your hair and skin getting absorbed by cotton and causing you to wake up more dry.
Dry skin and frizzy hair isn't the way I would prefer to wake up. After switching to silk I have noticed a difference in my hair game and my skin. The natural silk material is even more breathable than cotton keeping the pillow cooler and providing a smooth surface for your skin and hair. Moisture is locked in and your hair will experience less breakage and frizz. Your skin is less likely to become irritated because of the natural hypoallergenic nature and breathability of the fabric. As far as it preventing wrinkles and breakouts there is not long term scientific studies backing these claims, but the benefits of sleeping on silk over time could definitely help combined with sleeping on your back and not smashing your face into the bed every night (like me..working on it).
*A quick side note on PILLOWS you def have to be wary of hypoallergenic pillows. They are stuffed with polyuerethane foam that literally releases fumes that you are breathing all night. N.O. If you can't tolerate naturally filled pillows a hypoallergenic alternative is a latex filled pillow made from latex naturally derived from the sap of a rubber tree and not made with any toxic chemicals. *
You don't need to splurge on an entire set of silk pillowcases. You only need 1 or 2. A great hack my cousin gave me that is a total game changer is to use one side of the pillow one night then FLIP the pillow the next night before you go to sleep then change to a new pillowcase the following day so you are always on a clean, fresh surface. This is easy enough if you have 2 pillowcases and provides you with 4 nights of sleep. After 2 sides on my one pillowcase I switch out for the other and gently hand wash the dirty one and keep this cycle going.
*A quick side note on PILLOWS you def have to be wary of hypoallergenic pillows. They are stuffed with polyuerethane foam that literally releases fumes that you are breathing all night. N.O. If you can't tolerate naturally filled pillows a hypoallergenic alternative is a latex filled pillow made from latex naturally derived from the sap of a rubber tree and not made with any toxic chemicals. *
You don't need to splurge on an entire set of silk pillowcases. You only need 1 or 2. A great hack my cousin gave me that is a total game changer is to use one side of the pillow one night then FLIP the pillow the next night before you go to sleep then change to a new pillowcase the following day so you are always on a clean, fresh surface. This is easy enough if you have 2 pillowcases and provides you with 4 nights of sleep. After 2 sides on my one pillowcase I switch out for the other and gently hand wash the dirty one and keep this cycle going.
Dry skin and frizzy hair isn't the way I would prefer to wake up. After switching to silk I have noticed a difference in my hair game and my skin. The natural silk material is even more breathable than cotton keeping the pillow cooler and providing a smooth surface for your skin and hair. Moisture is locked in and your hair will experience less breakage and frizz. Your skin is less likely to become irritated because of the natural hypoallergenic nature and breathability of the fabric. As far as it preventing wrinkles and breakouts there is not long term scientific studies backing these claims, but the benefits of sleeping on silk over time could definitely help combined with sleeping on your back and not smashing your face into the bed every night (like me..working on it).
*A quick side note on PILLOWS you def have to be wary of hypoallergenic pillows. They are stuffed with polyuerethane foam that literally releases fumes that you are breathing all night. N.O. If you can't tolerate naturally filled pillows a hypoallergenic alternative is a latex filled pillow made from latex naturally derived from the sap of a rubber tree and not made with any toxic chemicals. *
You don't need to splurge on an entire set of silk pillowcases. You only need 1 or 2. A great hack my cousin gave me that is a total game changer is to use one side of the pillow one night then FLIP the pillow the next night before you go to sleep then change to a new pillowcase the following day so you are always on a clean, fresh surface. This is easy enough if you have 2 pillowcases and provides you with 4 nights of sleep. After 2 sides on my one pillowcase I switch out for the other and gently hand wash the dirty one and keep this cycle going.
Do you have a silk pillowcase? Have you noticed any benefits? Would love to know your experience below.
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