All The Great Skincare Benefits Of Trying A Silk Pillowcase

Getting a good night's sleep is essential to our wellbeing — it can boost our overall mental health and it has the added benefits of keeping our skin looking great as our cells regenerate during dreamtime. However, if you're going to bed and your head is hitting a cotton pillowcase, it may just undo all the good things your sleep is doing for your skin. While cotton has gotten a good reputation for its breathable attributes in clothing, pillowcases made in the material can absorb dirt and sweat. So, if your face is touching your pillowcase, you may end up with clogged pores and breakouts. Cotton pillowcases also cause your skin to drag, and while you may not feel it at the time, the slight wear and tear will eventually exacerbate fine lines and wrinkles.

Enter silk pillowcases. We all know that silk is luxurious to wear, but the fabric comes free of the drawbacks of cotton pillowcases. They might be pricier than their cotton or linen counterparts, but we think silk pillowcases are an investment worth making if it means our skin will reap the benefits.

As mentioned previously, a beauty mistake you're making in your sleep is using cotton pillowcases, which can tug at your skin and make you more prone to wrinkles. "Silk pillowcases are better for your skin," Dr. Michael Jacobs told HuffPost. "There's less friction between your skin and the pillow, which reduces the negative effect that it can have on your skin." Silk also doesn't bunch up or winkle like cotton does, so you also won't wake up with unsightly pillow marks on your face when you wake up, especially if you're a side or stomach sleeper.

Those whose faces constantly come into contact with their pillowcases should especially try to avoid cotton, as it will absorb any moisturizers or serums that you've applied to your skin before bedtime. Silk is much less absorbent, which means your nighttime skincare and natural oils will remain mostly intact, leaving you to wake up with more hydrated skin. After all, you don't want all your hard skincare efforts to transfer onto your pillowcase.

Sure, silk feels smooth and opulent, but the added benefit of using a silk pillowcase is that it's gentler on the skin than cotton. If you have sensitive skin or are dealing with an eczema flare-up, you may find that sleeping on silk helps lessen nighttime irritations. And, because silk doesn't absorb moisture, your skin will be kept cool and dry while you sleep, preventing clogged pores and a possible acne breakout. If you have allergies, you'll be happy to hear that silk is hypoallergenic and naturally fends off irritants like dust and mildew, which means no puffy eyes in the morning.

If you want the best of the best, look for Mulberry silk with a high momme count. Similar to a thread count for cotton sheets, a high momme number means a denser thread of silk, with 30 usually being the highest possible grade. As with all pillowcases, be sure to clean yours regularly, even if they are silk. Although they don't harbor bacteria and oils as much as cotton, washing them once a week in the gentle cycle will guarantee to keep your skin looking and feeling fresh.