As lots of my curly-haired colleagues know, managing your curls requires lots of problem-solving. I used to straighten the bananas out of it, till I discovered a superb curl routine in my late twenties. Even then, I might get solely in the future of nice curls and get up to search out them tangled and trashed. 

I attempted a bunch of merchandise. Sea salt spray makes my hair really feel sticky and dry. My hairdresser steered a head wrap, however I saved waking as much as discover it misplaced in my sheets. So lots of my associates raved about silk pillowcases: “Your pores and skin and hair will look so a lot better!” “It’s the only thing I’ll sleep on!” I decided this would be the easiest—and best!—solution.

By now, I’ve tried a few silk pillowcases in several momme weights. (Silk is measured by weight within the weave; the upper the momme weight, the denser the silk.) While the frizz has lower down significantly, I’ve realized that nothing can cease me from crushing my curls. 

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Two to Tango

I slept on pillowcases from LilySilk and Quince. I’ve tried 19- and 22-momme weight pillowcases, and I did not actually see a distinction in my hair between the 2 weights. From each pillowcases I wakened with smoother hair however curls that also wanted a bit of oomph added again into them.

I did prefer the feel of Quince’s pillowcase. The value proposition also seems to be better, as the 22-momme pillowcase is the same price as as LilySilk’s 19-momme pillowcase ($40 is a great price for a silk pillowcase!). The Quince version also comes with a zipper, so it looks a little more finished on the bed.

LilySilk, on the other hand, has three pillowcase sizes instead of two, if you’re particular about what size pillowcase you get, and it comes in as high as 25-momme if you’re looking for a higher weight. I also loved the presentation of its pillowcases, as they come in a pretty little box with a ribbon.

I’ve seen some benefits from sleeping on a silk pillowcase. At the very least, my hair is certainly softer and more manageable in the mornings, thanks to fewer dry patches and knots. According to articles from the National Library of Medicine and the Journal of Sericultural Science of Japan, silk absorbs much less moisture than different materials, so that you’re dropping much less moisture in your hair (and your pores and skin) in a single day. Retaining that moisture makes your hair really feel silkier whenever you get up.

But by sleeping on a silk pillowcase, I’ve actually added to my maintenance work. Silk requires much more careful washing than your standard cotton or linen pillowcase. LilySilk’s advisable upkeep suggests dry cleansing or handwashing, or utilizing a mesh bag on as little as a cycle as attainable, with a sun-free hold dry and ideally a special detergent for silk. 

I’m drained simply from writing that listing, not to mention really doing it. For a single pillowcase?! But you could do it, as a result of in any other case it loses its sheen and begins to look boring. You can strive utilizing a white vinegar bath to revive your silk pillowcase.

All Night Long

Ultimately, I realized that even a silk pillowcase can’t fix the real reason my hair is a mess. I toss and turn, squashing my hair in various directions, and effectively flattening my hair each night. (It’s no wonder my head wraps kept falling off my head.) My hair is certainly less tangled each morning thanks to the silk pillowcases, but it still requires some reviving each day.

I had imagined waking up and being instantly ready to go, at least as far as my hairstyle goes. The thing is, I do get that experience on some days—on the days I blow out my natural curls and replace them with Dyson Airwrap-created ones. It’s a bummer to realize that silk pillowcases are, like many other things, great for those with straighter hair. 

Maybe instead of a silk pillowcase, the best way to solve my nighttime hair-related problems would be to work on getting more peaceable sleep, both with a new mattress and even an alarm clock to inform me AI-generated tales. But that is an issue for an additional day.