Using a silk sleeping cap to protect my pillow from my hair?

[CurlyCap]

Hi all.

I wanted your opinions.

I co-wash my hair every night before sleeping, as well as adding a few oils or butters. I shower at night because 1) I prefer it and 2) I have a gross job and need to shower after work anyway.

I've tried to shower earlier in the day, but it just seems that it ends up being something that I usually have to do before I jump into bed (ie, I tend to get home from work, shower, and immediately fall into bed).

This routine presented no problems for years, but I've noticed lately that I think the amount of liquid/product in my hair may be damaging my pillows. Even in the best case scenario, I have damp hair when I fall asleep, and I think combined with the length of my hair is leading too much damp being pressed into my pillow.

The transfer is less if I sleep with my hair out. If I bun it, I basically have a big sponge that I'm setting on the pillow at night because my hair can hold a LOT of product.

I was thinking of getting a really good quality sleep cap like this one (https://www.etsy.com/listing/188483965/silk-sleep-bonnet-plum-and-navy?ref=sr_gallery_18&ga_search_query=silk+sleep+bonnet&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_ref=auto4&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery) and sleeping with my hair in a bun. Maybe it would soak up a lot of the damp protecting my pillow?

I love my bed and each piece of bedding on it is awesome. So while my hair couldn't get me to sleep in a silk cap, I will totally start doing so to protect my pillows!

Any thoughts appreciated. :D

[MungoMania]

There's a plastic pillowcase that could solve your problem another way if that would work.; or even placing your pillow in a lawn and leaf bag (used for outdoor trash), then covering it with a towel to sleep upon.

[CurlyCap]

There's a plastic pillowcase that could solve your problem another way if that would work.; or even placing your pillow in a lawn and leaf bag (used for outdoor trash), then covering it with a towel to sleep upon.

I should clarify (thanks for your response!):

I'm a wild sleeper, so it's not truly about protecting just one pillowcase. With that in mind, I thought it would be easier to cover my head than all the pillows on my bed.

[CurlyCap]

Double Post.

[YvetteVarie]

I think the cap is a great idea. I notice that when I sleep with my hair covered, the scarf absorbs most for the product (I am very heavy handed). So go ahead and get it :)

[Rosa Harris]

Sleep ca is a great idea! It also protects the hair ad prevents damage, When I oil heavily I also tie a peice of cotton cloth cut out of a cotton t-shirt on first to absorb more and then the sleep cap otherwise I end up with a heavily oiled cap.

[Rosa Harris]

Oh - another thing - I am also a wild sleeper and unless I stitch a couple ribbons on the sides of my cap about the ears to make a chin strap with it comes off at nigt with all my flaining around.

[Panth]

In my experience, my sleep cap does not prevent wet hair soaking through the cap and onto the pillow (or, indeed, a heavy oiling from doing the same). Perhaps you could have a beach-size towel over your pillow and upper bed to protect the pillow, then a sleep cap to protect your hair from the roughness of the towel?

[veryhairyfairy]

Oh goodness, the thread title made me laugh! :lol:

I think a sleep cap will absorb a lot of the product in your hair at night, and prevent it from being transferred directly from hair to sleep materials.
I would suggest a disposable conditioning cap under it to fully protect your bed, but those things have terrible edges of rubber-band material... however, another plastic baggy of some kind (I use small garbage bags when I do a super drippy overnight oiling) might be useful.
But if you're finding that right now you don't have wet/oily/strange spots on your bed in the morning, then the plastic shouldn't be necessary.

[Kaelee]

I have that sleep cap, and water can soak through it. So I would say it's not likely to work for that purpose, unfortunately. :(

[Sarahlabyrinth]

If I were you I would certainly buy a sleeping cap, for hair beautification purposes only, as I doubt that it would keep your pillow very dry, but try folding a large towel in half and spreading that over your pillow and then wear your sleeping cap. If I go to bed with fairly wet hair, this is what I do and it works well.

[ErinLeigh]

It is worth a try. I don't know how well they would do in not getting wet and soaking thru but I am happy to test one out for you and report back. I would think if it breathed well at least dry time would stay normal at least and it will help with at least the barrier from the oils and butters getting into the cases.

Here are some longer ideas in case you want nights to wear hair loose. (The one you posted though is gorgeous)
I found the elastic ones bother me a bit, but I probably could have had a better quality one. I felt I had a little breakage on the delicate sides. My one without the elastic fared. (I still switched to pillowcase though for ease)

Something like this looks lovely. I wonder if it fully covers or has open back?
http://www.amazon.com/Scarf-Indian-Scarf-Hairdz-Black/dp/B00EK7ZYAK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1399326879&sr=8-4&keywords=silk+night+cap
or this
https://www.etsy.com/listing/188620639/satin-sleep-cap-for-extra-long-hair?ref=sr_gallery_4&ga_search_query=sleep+cap+for+long+hair&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery

[CurlyCap]

Ha ha!

I figured something out!

New Hair Stuff:
Adorabella Baby Silk Sleeping Cap
Microfiber Towels

First I tried to dry my hair "more thoroughly" by switching to microfiber towels, but it as mess. My hair dried faster than curl formation could occur, so rather than having the better hair everyone raves about, I had a giant cotton ball on my head.

Moved my game up to the next level. Bought an expensive sleep cap in purple silk.

Some twiddling and I've discovered this routine:
1. Co wash routine as normal.
2. Apply leave-in conditioner. Blot lightly with microfiber towel (MFT).
3. Apply butter/oil mix. Blot ends with MFT.
4. Walk about for a bit. Sometimes shove it up in a bun.
5. Before sleep, hair is still damp. Bend at waist and add hair to cap tips first. Tighten so the hair creature at the top doesn't pull the cap off.
6. WAKE UP WITH RIDICULOUS CURLS AND DRY PILLOWS. \o/

For some reason, using the MFT after applying products doesn't just take the products off your hair. Also, the double layer of silk in the adorabella baby cap is just enough protection. I can feel that it must be damp inside, but any remaining dampness is being absorbed by the two layers of the cap and not the pillow.

Also, I've avoided a sleep cap for ages because I used to try sleeping in a kerchief and got flattened, squashed curls. But sleeping in a cap with damp hair led to SPECTACULAR curls. Like plopping with no time restrictions with simultaneous deep conditioning. My hair actually coiled up to my shoulders (it is hip length) and the spirals were madness! The only unfortunate part was that there were random zigzag flattened curls, and attempts to wet them for curl reformation led to randomly long curls. I'm still working on that.

But breakthoughs! Success! Onward on my hair journey!

[jeanniet]

I always try to wash at night for just that reason. I get amazingly great curls putting damp hair in a sleep cap overnight. They do lengthen somewhat over the course of a day, but still stay really nice. I get flattened areas sometimes, but if I'm careful to push my hair up when I put my head down on the pillow, I don't squash things too much. Then in the morning I flip my head upside down and shake/fluff a bit.