Silk is amazing.  It is luxuriously soft, smooth, and yet strong and durable. You may have heard that a silk pillowcase is the secret weapon for beauty sleep, keeping our beautiful blowouts in tact and our skin extra soft and youthful.  But did you know that in addition to the beauty benefits, sleeping on a silk pillowcase actually has health benefits, as well, ranging from relief from certain skin conditions to easing menopausal hot flashes?

I bought my first silk pillowcase after my dermatologist told me that it was one of her anti-aging secrets… and then I bought another (for my second pillow)… and then two more (because my husband wanted one and I needed a fourth one to match) … and then four more (because I needed a second set when the first was in the laundry)… and then two for my daughter… and another one (for travel, because I realized I didn’t sleep as well without it). The bottom line is that once you go silk, there’s no turning back. I’m just grateful that they’re reasonably priced, so anyone can afford this little luxury, which not only makes you feel like a princess, but is actually good for you!

That being said, let’s look at the top five reasons to rest your head on silk… but beware! Once you try it, you‘ll never want to sleep on cotton again!

5 benefits of sleeping on a silk pillowcase

1.  GLOWING AND YOUTHFUL COMPLEXION

Do you have dry skin, especially in the winter? Or wake up with visible creases in your face? A silk pillowcase may resolve these issues in just one night.

I've personally always dreamed of being able to sleep on my back like a mummy to minimize wrinkles and keep my pillow from sucking my anti-aging skin products off my face. Unfortunately, the back-sleeping skill eluded me my entire life. Instead, I sleep like a Tasmanian devil—tossing, turning, and drooling on myself at times.

It’s not pretty... and neither am I most mornings. But at least, I’m no longer dry, flaky, puffy, knotty-haired, and sporting nasty, red creases on whichever side I slept on last. Why? Because the silk pillowcase helps with ALL of that!

Whether you’re a believer or not, there are real (vs.imagined) reasons why regularly sleeping on silk may be one of the best things you can do to help your skin maintain its natural moisture, especially if you fly a lot or just have dry skin (which is especially helpful in the winter).  A lot of skin problems, including acne, creases, sensitivity, redness and dryness, are caused or amplified by pressing and rubbing the skin against rough textiles of a pillowcase throughout the night. So what’s so great about silk?

1. Silk has one of the lowest absorption rates of any fabric. Its smooth, breathable texture pumps your skin with oxygen, while its tightly-woven fibers help keep moisture (and your skincare products) on your skin vs. absorbing into your pillow.

2. Silk has the benefit of amino acids. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase will help your skin stay healthy and smooth while reducing facial wrinkles. Cheaper than a face lift!

3. Silk is hypoallergenic (i.e., unlikely to cause an allergic reaction), which is great for people with sensitive skin. Dirt and germs can easily accumulate on cotton and polyester pillowcases and trigger allergic reactions, whereas silk is the most resistant towards dust and other allergens.

4. Because it is composed of long, smooth, natural fibers tightly woven together silk isn’t abrasive and keeps a constant temperature, feeling warm and cozy in winter and cool in during the hot summer months. As a result, it’s better tolerated than other fabrics by people with sensitive skin. Once my some of my clients—who suffer from rosacea—switched to a silk pillowcase, they reported that they noticed a significant reduction in redness, especially in the winter, when they suffered the most flare-ups.

So how did it work for me? Well, being the anti-aging nut that I am, I am very well aware of the fact that sleeping on my side creates creases, much like ironing wrinkles into the skin. , so was super excited to find that after spending a couple of nights with my silk pillowcase, my face felt substantially more hydrated than when I slept on cotton, despite my regular 800 thread count sheets .  And the extra bonus for us, ladies over 30 … ok, 40… um… ok, I’ll stop… is that hydrated skin looks more plump, hides fine lines (wrinkles!), and appears more luminous. Win-win-win!

2.  Healthy, Shiny Hair

Ever hear the expression “silky smooth hair”? Well, it’s not just a cliche. Sleeping on a regular cotton pillowcase will cause hair to bunch, knot, and get “staticky.” Beauty experts (including my amazing hair dresser Eric Alt—follow him on Insta) claim that hair slides over a soft silk pillowcase, which is not only less damaging to your locks, but can help keep them soft, moisturized, and free of those pesky tangles you can’t brush out in the morning. Moreover, the many amino acids in silk, which are similar to those in your hair, aids in reducing damage (e.g., split ends and breakage!) while you sleep.

In addition, silk also helps preserve your style while you sleep. Back in the old days, women slept on satin pillowcases or wrapped their heads in a silk scarf or even toilet paper to preserve their “do.” Today, the answer is SILK! It keeps the oils in your hair at bay and helps you hold on to your blow out for an extra couple of days.

If you’re anything like me—I need to emotionally prepare myself to wash and style my hair, which takes about two hours—or Kim Kardashian, who, like me, is on a “5-Day hair plan”, you are going to want your styling—whether it’s flat-iron beach waves or a perfectly straight blowout—to last as long as possible. A simple silk pillowcase makes that possible.

So my personal experience is that after just a few days, I noticed that the silk literally changed the texture of my hair. There were fewer kinks and fly-aways, which is amazing because I have dry, color-damaged hair that frizzes just because… well, it’s Tuesday… or God-only knows why. And perhaps it's all in my head, but I felt like the silk's cooling effect kept me from sweating on those warmer nights, which also kept my hair in check. All in all, if good hair's your “thang,” silk is a game-changer!

3.  Cool Haven From Hot Flashes

I know that no one wants to talk about this, but at a certain age, we women tend to burst into flames at various times of day and night. Yes, I’m talking about hot flashes and night sweats, which are the most common, dreaded, and uncomfortable symptoms of “the change,” otherwise known as menopause. These “flashes of hell,” as I call them, are caused by fluctuating hormones, and the decline of estrogen and progesterone production as we age. Although diet and certain supplements can lessen symptoms of menopause, experts recommend sleeping in light, breathable silk pajamas and/or on cool silk sheets to help turn down the heat because silk is a natural temperature regulator and can soothe hot flashes, skin redness, and even keep your skin moisturized in the driest of climates.

4. Break From Allergies and Chemicals

Silk is naturally hypoallergenic, which means that it is very rare that it causes any allergic reactions. This is because silk is free of any potentially irritating added chemicals and contains natural substances that ward off various environmental allergens (and resulting skin conditions), including dust mites, mold, and fungus. It works great for my daughter, who has a dust mite allergy.

In addition, silk limits our exposure to toxins and harmful chemicals. Silk is produced from domesticated silk worms that are bred and raised in captivity. They have no predators to defend against and are pampered throughout their life, helping to produce a fine silk fiber with little-to-no chemical exposure. In contrast, many fabrics, such as cotton, are produced from chemically intensive crops that require pesticides, herbicides and other chemical treatments before making it to your bed sheets.

Given how many chemicals we come in contact with throughout the day—from perfume, to shampoo, to cosmetics, to cleaning products—it is good to know that we can at least spend a third of our days toxin free.

5. Good Night's Sleep

The National Center for Sleep Disorders Research at the National Institutes of Health reports that approximately 30-40 percent of Americans experience trouble sleeping. According to experts, bedding may be at least partly to blame in some of these cases. Sheets that irritate your skin, bunch up, or harbor dust mites interfere with a good night’s rest. Given all the benefits of silk, it is the one fabric that will feel soft and luxurious to the touch, keep you cool, reduce your toxic load, and dress your bed for the sweetest possible slumber, making you feel like royalty.

Selecting a silk pillowcase

Silk pillowcases have been all the rage recently, so there are gaggles of options all over the Internet. So how do you select the best one? Well, I researched and researched and settled on Lilysilk. Here’s why:

Products

• Toxin-FREE!!! The number one reason I chose Lilysilk is because they’re certified by Swiss Authoritative OEKO-TEX standard! This means that their dyes and fabrics have undergone extensive testing to be sure their products are free from more than 300 harmful substances , including toxins and irritants.

• Both sides are silk. Some companies, whose prices seem too good to be true, actually sell pillowcases with only one side that is silk. I fell for that once and discovered that the alternate side of the pillowcase was the consistency of burlap and just awful to sleep on. Worst part is that they didn’t take returns.

• Highest quality, long strand mulberry silk. It's the smoothest and most luxurious silk you can find. Remember, not all silk is created equal. Moreover, it's essential that the pillowcase is 100% silk, because man-made is a no-go!

• Affordable. Lilysilk ranges in density from 19 momme (equivalent to about 400 threadcount) to 25 momme (about 750 threadcount), which allows anyone to buy a silk pillowcase, regardless of your budget. Beware of companies who do not disclose the momme weight of their silk, as they will likely sell you an inferior product that won’t feel very luxurious or last very long.

• Machine washable. The last thing you want to do is have to dry clean or hand wash your bedding. Just remember to never put it in the dryer. It may cause silk to shrink. Tumbling in a dryer also causes friction between the dryer drum and the garment, which can cause the threads to break or leave white streaks on garment. For best results, hang dry silk to maintain its shape.

• Fashion magazine editors love Lilysilk too. It has been featured in Essence, New You, Hollywoodreporter, and Elle, among other fashion magazines.

Use code vct12 at checkout to get an additional 12% OFF!!!

COMPANY

• Exceptional customer service. Just look at their reviews.

• Liberal return and exchange policy, which is so important when you are buying anything online, sight-unseen. Lilysilk gives you a full 45 days to get a refund or credit if you aren’t happy with your purchase.

• Trusted store top rating. Lilysilk has been in business for 10 years, so they are far from a “fly-by-night” operation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Victoria Gregory is an Integrative Nutritionist and founder of NEWTRITION NEWYOU. Her focus—whether with private clients, readers of her blog, or her followers on social media— is whole body wellness, incorporating whole-food nutrition, supplementation, exercise, toxin-free living, and mindset coaching. Victoria’s personal mission is to help make the world a healthier place, one person at a time, and she has helped thousands of people find joy and self-love through better eating habits and mindfulness. Learn more about Victoria.

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