Silk/Satin Pillowcases?

[kph12]

I just bought a satin pillowcase and I'm wondering if it makes much of a difference? My hair is on the dryer side and prone to split ends, I also shower when I get home from work so on days that I wash my hair, it can still be a little damp by the time I go to bed. Has anyone else who's used a satin pillow case noticed any positive/negative changes?

[Zesty]

I use silk pillowcases and would never go back to cotton. The smoother fabric means less friction, mostly. There are supposed to be other benefits but that's what's I care about. With silk my hair looks pretty much the same after sleeping on it, not all frizzy and mussed.

But I transitioned to silk-only around the time I found the LHC, so it's been 7+ years and I hardly remember my specific initial impressions. I just remember being impressed enough to stick with it. :flower: Maybe someone who switched more recently could give you a better comparison.

[MusicalSpoons]

I switched to a satin cap first, and WOW the decrease in splits and breakage was astonishing. For the first time ever, the short flappy bits of hair that lived behind my ears grew - long enough that they could join the rest of the length in buns. That had *never* happened before, because they just wore away.

I switched to pillowcases because the cap was rubbing on my hairline at the front and causing some breakage there, or if I wore it lower down it creased my forehead and while I don't mind having lines naturally as I get older, I don't want to cause extra if I don't have to :grin: the benefits of satin pillowcases so far seem similar, less breakage and fewer splits than on cotton pillowcases. The only difference is that I still prefer my hair contained, so I'm currently experimenting with different ways of wearing my hair to bed. But the satin pillowcase is absolutely far better than cotton.

ETA: damp is no problem for me and my pillowcases. I have washed my hair in the evening and gone to bed with it damp, even wet, for years now. Maybe not best practice for hair, but I drape it over the pillow, on top of a satin scarf, and off the end of my bed so it's not a problem. The pillowcases are a recent switch, maybe a couple of months now, so I can't authoritatively say how well they'll hold up to being wet/damp twice a week, but so far they're fine.

[nycelle]

Huge difference in my hair. Much less frizz and tangles.

I use a silk cap though as the pillowcases are too slippery for me and my head rolls right off.. lol

[kph12]

Good to know! I was thinking about getting a cap but I settled on the pillow cases.

I try to sleep in a bun but I'm not sure if that's any better for my hair. I have those hair ties that are like a polyester fabric and are really wide and loose and are supposed to be no-damage but I still worry about straining my roots. What hair styles have you experimented with?

[Arciela]

I noticed a big difference from using a silk sleeping cap :) when I use a satin pillow case, same thing, less splits, hair isnt dry at all and it looks and behaves so much better :flower:

[Zesty]

I'm doing a claw clip top knot lately. I think it's doing ok, it doesn't have more flyaways in the morning and I haven't noticed wear and tear, so hopefully that'll do. My hair had started to escape the silk sleep cap and I was worried that the rubbing on the edges would cause breakage. :shrug: Sometimes I feel like I can't win since I move a lot in my sleep, but I'm trying to avoid as much damage as possible. :)

I'd be scared of using an elastic at night though.

[TatsuOni]

Satin pillowcases makes a huge difference for me. I sleep with my hair braided and mostly use scrunchies or invisibobbles to secure the ends.

[TreesOfEternity]

Satin pillowcases makes a huge difference for me. I sleep with my hair braided and mostly use scrunchies or invisibobbles to secure the ends.

Tatsu may I ask if the length of your braid does rub agains the sheets (which I imagin aren’t made of satin)? This has been my concern lately as my pillowcase only protects my canopy from friction.

[FaerieKitty]

I love my pillow case. I also had a cap, but it was causing some friction at the hair line and the elastic went in it. The pillow case apparently has the added benefit of being kinder to skin. I've not noticed any damage from the length being near/against the bed sheets. I imagine the friction isn't as heavy as it is near to the head if that makes sense. I sleep sometimes with a loose braid (with invisabobble) or just loose. I move a lot in my sleep and never have to worry about the cap coming off now. I occasionally go to bed with damp hair, not noticed an issue.

[TatsuOni]

Tatsu may I ask if the length of your braid does rub agains the sheets (which I imagin aren’t made of satin)? This has been my concern lately as my pillowcase only protects my canopy from friction.

Yes and no. I don't move around much in my sleep and when I do, I automatically move my braid in my sleep, so it's mostly my scalp that's rubbing against something, and that's against the satin. And I mostly wrap my braid "around" my head so it's still on the pillowcase.

[TreesOfEternity]

Yes and no. I don't move around much in my sleep and when I do, I automatically move my braid in my sleep, so it's mostly my scalp that's rubbing against something, and that's against the satin. And I mostly wrap my braid "around" my head so it's still on the pillowcase.

Thanks for answering! That makes me feel better :) I prefer the pillowcase over a satin cap if possible and that sounds protecting enough.

[kph12]

Just an update, I did in fact purchase a satin pillow case and have been using it for about a week now. I LOVE it!!!!

Seriously, I used to sleep with a braid and I'd wake up and my braid would be all kinds of messy with pieces pulled out and sometimes the scrunchie would even slip out. But sleeping with a braid on the satin pillow case has made a total difference. I wake up and my braid literally looks exactly how it did the night before.

I'm totally converted I'll never go back. In fact, I'm spending a long weekend at a hotel for a wedding and i'm seriously contemplating bringing the pillowcase with me. A little psycho, I know, but it makes that much of a difference in the amount of frizz I get overnight.

[Zesty]

I 100% take my pillowcases to hotels etc, so if you're psycho I'm psycho. :p It's easy to bring along since it doesn't take up much space.

[lakhesis]

I have a satin scarf that I take with me when I travel to put over the pillow :)

[kph12]

I 100% take my pillowcases to hotels etc, so if you're psycho I'm psycho. :p It's easy to bring along since it doesn't take up much space.

That makes me feel better :D

[lapushka]

I have microfiber pillow cases & love them (microfiber bedding aka duvet cover too). My sheets fitted & top are cotton. LOL Microfiber is as smooth as the satin/silk and you can wash it on hot with the towels, so it's really convenient and it gets the scalp gunk out. ;) Now I have SD (in bouts), but it does serve its purpose!

[TatsuOni]

Just an update, I did in fact purchase a satin pillow case and have been using it for about a week now. I LOVE it!!!!

Seriously, I used to sleep with a braid and I'd wake up and my braid would be all kinds of messy with pieces pulled out and sometimes the scrunchie would even slip out. But sleeping with a braid on the satin pillow case has made a total difference. I wake up and my braid literally looks exactly how it did the night before.

I'm totally converted I'll never go back. In fact, I'm spending a long weekend at a hotel for a wedding and i'm seriously contemplating bringing the pillowcase with me. A little psycho, I know, but it makes that much of a difference in the amount of frizz I get overnight.

I would bring mine with me too if I were to travel :)

[blesseddamozel]

I too recently got satin pillow cases and WOW do they make a difference. I'll never go back! and they look so luxurious too :toast: good idea to bring them along in your travels!!

[DaintyOctopus]

During my lurking days on here I kept reading about satin/silk pillow cases and was sceptical that it my hair would benefit that much from one. However it really did help! My hair is so much less frizzy in the mornings now, there's rarely any breakage on my pillow any more (growing out several rounds of 30vol bleach on the ends...) and the material just feels wonderful on top of the benefits to my hair.

My goodness, I hadn't thought of travelling! I'm going to have to take some with me next year, I'm not risking cotton pillow cases again whilst in a completely different climate! The more I can do to lessen angering the frizz monster my hair becomes whenever I'm abroad the better.

[TreesOfEternity]

I was really tired of the satin scarf I was using, and I think it was causing some breakage on the back on my neck because of the knot rubbing, so I just purchased a satin pillowcase finally! I'm so excited, it has to arrive by mail though but I can't wait. It's black also which I think will look so cool.

[ArabellaRose]

I switched to a satin pillowcase about 6 months ago and I'll never go back. Not only has it made a difference to my hair, I also love the feel! So much more comfortable! I'm sharing a hotel with a friend this weekend and I can't wait to see her face when I whip out my satin pillowcase and put it on the pillow.

[ColoCaliCurly]

Satin or silk pillow cases make a big difference for my curls. l love sleeping on one.:)

[EmeraldSkies]

I have switched to silk pillowcase a few weeks ago and i love it! My hair feels less dry and tangled and easier to comb in the morning. I'm thinking of bringing it with me when i travel in Dec.

[lapushka]

Satin or silk pillow cases make a big difference for my curls. l love sleeping on one.:)

Oh hi! :waving: Welcome to the forum! :D