Silk Pillowcases - Anti Aging, Anti Acne & Anti Frizz Pillowcases

What are the benefits of using a silk pillowcase?

Silk pillowcases are

• anti acne
• anti aging
• anti hair frizz
• anti hair breakage
• strengthen skin & hair
• anti inflammatory

Read more about the science behind silk's properties here. 

Is a silk pillowcase good for acne?

• Silk fabric naturally prevents acne due to silk's mild antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. 

• On the other hand, traditional pillowcases that are made out of high-carbon-footprint polyester fabric hold dirt and bacteria in their fabric, resulting in breakouts. 

What is the difference between silk and satin?

• Silk is a type of material whereas satin is a type of weave.

• Satin fabric can be woven from silk or synthetic materials like polyester. Just because something is described as "satin" does not necessarily mean it is silk.

• Don't be tricked by brands - if something is described as "satin" and there is no mention of "real," "100%" or "pure silk," that product is made out of a synthetic material like polyester.

• Brands often describe products as "satin" because it tricks customers into buying products that they believe are real silk, when they are actually made of synthetic materials like polyester.
• Polyester does not have all the benefits that real silk has and it is extremely polluting to the environment (read more on how polyester is toxic for both people and nature here). 
• Brands try to use polyester instead of silk because it is much cheaper (think $2/yard for polyester versus $30/yard for silk).
• There is also polyester charmeuse (material: polyester, weave: charmeuse).

• All of our silk products, including our silk pillowcase, are made out of silk charmeuse, meaning the material is silk and the weave is charmeuse.

• Charmeuse is lighter-weight and softer than satin, making it much cheaper than satin (think $30/yard for charmeuse versus $60/yard for satin). However, that isn't the reason we use charmeuse. Silk charmeuse is much softer on skin, meaning it is more comfortable to sleep on, wear as a mask, and prevents hair breakage more easily. 

Is silk or satin better to sleep on? Is a satin pillowcase the same as silk?

• Silk charmeuse (material: silk, weave: charmeuse) is the best material to sleep on.

• Silk and satin are not synonymous, silk is a type of material whereas satin is a type of weave, and there can be silk that is not woven in a satin style, while there can be satin that is not made out of silk (see table).
• Silk satin tends to not be as soft as silk charmeuse.

• When brands describe their pillowcase as "satin," with no mention of pure silk, 100% silk, or real silk, that means that brand's pillowcase is not made with real silk, it is made with a synthetic material like polyester. Polyester satin does not have all the benefits of real silk.

Can you sleep with wet hair on a silk pillowcase?

• You shouldn't sleep with wet hair at all because hair is in its weakest state when it is wet, making it easier for hair to break while wet.

• Try to dry hair thoroughly before going to sleep with our super absorbent hair towel. Its split design allows it to absorb water from even the thickest hair quickly, and it is also anti hair frizz and anti hair breakage. Or try our pure silk hair towel. If you are especially worried about hair loss or breakage, try using a pure silk sleeping cap. 

Are silk pillowcases eco friendly pillowcases?

Things that make other brand's silk pillowcases not eco-friendly:

• Toxic dyes. They order their silk from Chinese companies who often use extremely toxic dyes & finishes (ever wonder why something you order smells like chemicals when you open the packaging?). When you sleep on fabric with toxic dyes, your skin slowly absorbs those dyes. It can weaken skin, hair, and even be cancerous in the long-term. 
• Hangtags & cloth labels made of synthetic fabric like polyester with plastic-based ink, which is not biodegradable.
• Polyester thread, which is not biodegradable, which brands use because it is much cheaper than cotton thread. It is also more resilient than cotton thread during manufacturing - while cotton thread will often break under the pressure of a sewing machine, polyester thread will not.

Our silk pillowcases are eco-friendly and sustainable because they are made out of 100% real silk that is dyed & finished with nontoxic dyes from New York (read more on why OEKO-TEX organic certification is irrelevant to US-made fabrics here). They do not have any unnecessary hangtags or cloth labels, and are stitched with 100% cotton thread.

This silk pillowcase is 

• anti aging
• anti acne
• anti hair frizz
• anti hair breakage
• 100% biodegradable - we do not use polyester threads or toxic dyes or finishes
• 100% nontoxic 

Care for Your Silk Pillowcase

How often do you wash silk pillowcases?

• You should wash a silk pillowcase every 2-3 weeks in order to wash out the accumulation of dead skin cells and dirt. 

Can I put my silk pillowcase in the washing machine? How do I wash my silk pillowcase?

• Yes you can, wash on delicates with cold water, in a delicates bag, with gentle detergent, but a better way would be to:
• Hand wash in cold water with gentle detergent. I use Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin and hand wash in cold water. The majority of regular laundry detergents strip off the shiny finishing on the fabric and make the fabric wrinkly and shrunken, so be sure to use a gentle detergent.
• From using gentle detergent, my silk pillowcases, to this day, look like I just made them. 

• Hang to dry. If I'm in a rush I will throw my silk pillowcases in the dryer on "Air Only" with some wool drying balls and they always come out fine. However, never use heat to dry any silk products because it will shrink the silk, either marginally or drastically depending on the level of heat you use.