5 women with different hair types tried a $20 silk pillowcase — it helped reduce frizz, static, and even head sweat

LilySilk

Silk can help smooth your hair and keep it frizz-free as it has a ton of slip and doesn’t create friction like cotton would. The fabric is also thin and breathable so it can help cut down on creases you might get on your face, and keep your head cool.
Some silk pillowcases can start at $100, but LilySilk has one that’s just $20. On paper, the quality of the 19 momme silk pillowcase seemed on par with the more expensive options, so five women on the Insider Picks team with different hair textures decided to try it out for themselves.
The verdict? Everyone was pleased to see their hair was a little smoother, and those who slept hot felt cooler throughout the night too.
Be sure to use the promo code "BI12" for an extra 12% off all items across LilySilk.

For a long time, I imagined how bougie it must feel to have the luxury of sleeping on a silk pillowcase.

I’ve always read that silk was beneficial to your hair and skin, but I never looked too much into it because it’s an expensive type of fabric to slip over a plush blob that you lay on for eight hours. Well, never say never because when I tried a silk pillowcase from LilySilk, I decided to never sleep on regular cotton again.

When I sang its praises at the office, five women on the Insider Picks team with different hair types gamely volunteered to try out the pillowcases themselves for a month to see if it was truly worth a hard-earned Jackson.

It was.

The benefits of silk

According to Marie Claire, silk has a lot of slip that helps things glide across its surface, so instead of your hair tugging on a cotton pillowcase, it’d just sweep across a silk one. This lack of friction throughout the night helps keep static, frizz, flyaways, and bedhead to a minimum. And unlike cotton which is super absorbant, silk won’t absorb your hair’s natural oils that keep it hydrated.

As for your skin, silk can help reduce that face crease you get when you sleep a little too hard on your normal cotton pillowcase, which can help eliminate future wrinkles. Plus, according to InStyle, silk can help your skin retain moisture at night so you won’t wake up to dry skin.

Since silk is such a light and breathable fabric, it can helps you sleep cooler too, meaning no more head sweat.

The silk pillowcase we tested

We tested the LilySilk’s 19 momme pure Mulberry silk pillowcase in Rosy Pink for $20. Mulberry silk is one of the more popular silk fabrics, and it’s made from Mulberry silkworms cocoons. LilySilk’s pillowcases are OEKO-TEX Standard 100, which is the worldwide textile standard for silk.

When buying cotton sheets, you’d usually look for a thread count. The higher the thread count, the softer the sheets. With silk, the fabric is measured in momme, which is the weight of 100 yards of silk, according the silk bedding blog Lovasilk. So our 19 momme LillySilk pillowcase was made from 100 yards of silk weighing 19 pounds. Lovasilk says 19 momme silk "is generally considered to provide the best balance of strength, aesthetics and affordability."

For $20, you’re getting a quality luxury item that doesn’t skimp on benefits.

How to care for your silk pillowcase

Even though this pillowcase only costs $20, silk is still a very delicate fabric, so you’ll want to give it a little extra TLC.

It’s recommended that silk be dry cleaned if possible. Now, dry cleaning your pillowcase is unrealistic, so LilySilk recommends the following tips to wash your pillowcase at home.

First, hand wash with lukewarm water, or machine wash on the most gentle cycle your washing machine offers, and try to keep the spin cycle to the shortest length possible. Never use bleach and don’t tumble dry, use a neutral or special detergent instead that’s gentle on silk.

Then hang dry, but keep the silk out of direct sunlight, so opt for drying it in your laundry room or on the back of a chair rather than hanging it outside.

LilySilk

Here’s what we thought of our LilySilk pillowcases:

Alyssa Powell, Insider Picks graphics intern

Hair type: Thick and short, tightly coiled, and a well-maintained fro

The LilySilk pillowcase felt so good! Not only was it comfortable to sleep on, but curl-friendly too. I have short, tightly coiled hair that is prone to breakage. To protect it, or not mess up a new hairstyle, I’ve always worn a bonnet to sleep.

However, with the LilySilk pillowcase, I realized I could fall asleep without worrying about breakage, dryness, or snagging. Silk pillowcases are worth the investment — though this one is surprisingly affordable.

Jada Wong, Insider Picks editor:

Hair type: Thin, fine, flat, and naturally wavy but not in a pretty way

After sleeping on the pillowcase for a month, my hair looked a little smoother with less frizz, and felt smoother at the ends where they’re usually parched because I don’t use enough conditioner or heat protectant before styling.

I can’t say I saw a really dramatic change, but it was enough to know that the effect wasn’t because I started using more conditioner. I’d definitely suggest trying a silk pillow case in addition to having a good hair routine, but manage your expectations as everyone’s hair will react differently.

Francesca Rea, Insider Picks content producer:

Hair type: Medium thickness, voluminous, can dry frizzy, and has a mind of its own

Before I started sleeping on the silk pillowcase, I had this lingering static problem from the winter. If you came within a few inches of me, you’d get shocked. Anytime I styled my hair or just ran my fingers through my natural texture, it would either stand up and make my hair look really voluminous but not in a good way, or cling to my face. After a few nights of sleeping on this pillowcase, I noticed a decrease of static and volume in my hair.

On top of that, I just so happened to be using this silk pillowcase during peak allergy season too. Although I made it a point to keep my door closed at night and always shower before getting into bed, I found that I woke up less congested than I have in the past when sleeping on a cotton blend pillowcase. Plus, it helped me sleep cooler.

Megan Foster, Insider Picks intern:

Hair type: Medium thickness, lacks volume, can get dry, naturally straight with a few waves

I’ve heard rave reviews about silk pillowcases, so I was eager to see if this one could live up to the hype. The Momme Terse Silk Pillowcase came in a beautiful rosy-pink color and looked like it was made of high-quality material. The feeling was that of any other silk product I’ve tried, but I could tell it was durable and not super thin.

I’ve tried multiple blends of sheets, but my favorite (and the ones I have slept on for the last couple years) are 100% cotton. The silk was definitely different than my usual cotton so it took a couple nights to get used to the new feel. I didn’t notice much of a difference in my hair, but I have smooth and straight hair to begin with. What I did notice was that it kept my head cooler at night — a pleasant surprise and the reason I’ll continue to use this pillowcase.

Remi Rosmarin, Insider Picks reporter:

Hair type: Thin, wavy, can get very frizzy

I’ve heard the praises of silk pillowcases, so I was excited to try this product. I have not been disappointed so far. Silk is the perfect fabric to rest your head on after a long day — it’s so smooth on your skin and surprisingly cool to sleep on too.

In terms of how this pillowcase has changed my hair and skin, I can’t be so sure. I’ve been playing around with new skin-care and hair products (including my new favorite silk hair ties), so while my skin has less fine lines and my hair is less frizzy, I can’t attribute those to this pillowcase alone.

Still, the silkiness and coolness of this pillowcase alone is enough for me to keep using it, and maybe even buy another at this price.

Buy the 19 Momme Terse Silk Pillowcase from LilySilk for $20

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