Fed up of bedhead and mum-buns? Try sleeping on silk

Sleep. Aah. So important for your mind and body to recharge. As a busy mum, it’s my favourite off-duty pastime! I am, however, ‘blessed’ with a very thick head of hair, and having to sort out my crazy bedhead has been a regular feature of my morning routine for as long as I can remember. As we well know, as mums, we no longer have the luxury of time to spend fixing our hair (mum-bun, anyone?). I’m really into natural, fuss-free beauty and here’s one of my tips if you also suffer from the dreaded bedhead.

It’s so simple. Replace your cotton pillowcase with a silk one. It’s that easy. I made the switch from cotton about a year ago and I would never go back. Even my three-year-old son has one, and loves it! (Still trying to convince the hubby, but I think he’s secretly into it.) So what’s so good about silk?

Why you should make the switch

1. Silk is hypoallergenic

If you suffer from allergies, asthma or eczema, sleeping on silk could help to reduce your symptoms as it is hypoallergenic and naturally resistant to dust-mites.

2. Your skin will remain hydrated

Cotton absorbs moisture, whereas silk doesn’t. Therefore, during the night, your skin won’t lose its moisture to your pillowcase. You should find you wake up with softer, hydrated skin, especially if you use a night cream, as your skin will get the full benefit. You may also find your skin has fewer creases in the morning, yay!

Silk also contains amino acids and, according to experts, could have anti-ageing effects on your skin. Whether or not this is true, at the ripe-old age of 36, I’m more than happy to give it a go!

3. Your hair will be healthier

Silk threads are much gentler on hair than cotton. Less friction means less hair breakage during the night. Even if you’re a big fidgeter like me, hopefully you’ll find your hair gets less tangled and there are fewer broken hairs (if any) on your pillow when you wake.

Silk is also naturally anti-static, so if, like me, you have hair prone to frizziness, sleeping on silk should help tame your mane.

4. Silk helps you to maintain a regular body temperature

Silk is a natural temperature regulator. In the summer, it will help to cool you down and in the winter, it will retain heat, to keep your body at the perfect degree.

What you should look for when buying a silk pillow

Make sure it is 100% pure Mulberry silk and at least 19 momme (the weight of the silk), with a thread count of at least 400. I would also recommend a (good quality) cotton underside, as your pillow won’t slip around (and it’s cheaper!).

There are plenty of brands offering silk pillowcases and prices range quite significantly. After a lot of research, I bought mine from LilySilk on Amazon and I’m really happy with them. I’ve actually just bought two more, so I have back-ups!

My thoughts

Silk works. I have naturally thick, wavy hair with a tendency to tangle and frizz, especially as I do fidget quite a bit during the night. Since switching to silk, I have noticed a definite improvement in my hair. It’s softer, less knotty, and, well, just calmer. It’s still not perfect, of course – my hair has always been hard work – but it’s so much better than it was.

My skin always feels really soft in the morning – whether that’s down to the silk pillowcase or the fact that I sleep doused in coconut oil, I don’t know, but I’m converted either way.

I’m pretty sure if you try silk, you’ll love it as much as I do. Please let me know in the comments below!