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The 17 Best Silk Pillowcases for Smoother Hair While You Sleep

 

Waking up with perfectly smooth skin and hair sounds like a myth reserved for the realm of fairytales or rom-coms. In real life, we typically roll out of bed with weird grooves etched across our faces and hair that's suspiciously less shiny than it was the night before, which is a clear indication that it might be time to invest in one of the best silk pillowcases on the market.

Happily, more and more beauty, fashion, and lifestyle brands like Slip, Lunya, and Brooklinen are reimagining their product lines to develop pillowcases, made with mulberry silk (the highest quality available on the market) and specifically designed to target the biggest beauty concerns plaguing us at night, like wrinkling skin and frizzy hair. 

Rex Jimieson, a colorist and color educator at Chicago's Maxine Salon, previously told Allure that he recommends "a silk scarf around your hair at night or [using] a silk pillowcase to prevent friction on the hair." Friction, he noted, is one of the main reasons for "manual damage" that leads to split ends and breakage — especially for damaged and/or color-treated hair — down the road.

Dermatologists also back the potential benefits of silk pillowcases. "Night is the best time to repair skin, so it makes sense that so many innovations are happening right now in this field," says Rebecca Kazin, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and Director of Clinical Research at Icon Dermatology and Aesthetics in North Bethesda, Maryland. "Since we spend up to one-third of each day asleep [Ed. note: if we're lucky], why not make the most of these hours?"

With that in mind, we rounded up some of the best silk pillowcases to help you get a feel for just how transformative it can be to swap out the old bedding you've been rewashing for years now. Well-rested skin, sleek hair, and better sleep await.

All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Fishers Finery Pure Mulberry Silk Pillowcase

Silk fabrics are traditionally measured in momme, a unit that describes a the cloth's weight relative to its size. The silk pillowcases from Fishers Finery are all 25 millimeters, which is on the high end of what's considered ideal silk. Not surprising, considering they're crafted with long-strand mulberry silk sourced from Inner Mongolia, a destination whose history with the fabric stretches all the way back to the Silk Road.

Brooklinen Mulberry Silk Pillowcase

This 100 percent mulberry silk pillowcase from Brooklinen is luxurious in all the right ways. It's naturally cool to the touch and helps keep both your hair and skin smooth. If you're in need of a self-care boost, pick yourself up a silk eye mask from the brand, too. Trust us, you'll always end up waking on the right side of the bed.

Lunya Washable Silk and Organic Pima Cotton Pillowcase

You (and your Instagram feed) are probably well aware of Lunya's silk pajamas. Perhaps they're even on your wishlist this year? Well, there's one more thing to add to cart: the brand's newly-launched silk pillowcases. They're made of the same washable fabric that makes Lunya so well-loved, and if you're looking to build a complete dream set, you can shop the brand's full bedding line. 

Parachute Silk Pillowcase

Parachute is beloved for its line of ultra-soft linen sheets, so it was only a matter of time before the dreamy bedding brand launched a silkier offering. Ever the design-oriented, Parachute's 25-momme mulberry silk pillowcase sets itself apart with a hidden side flap for a tidier overall appearance.

Slip Silk Pillowcase

Even if you've only gotten a few hours of shut-eye, this best-selling Slip Silk Pillowcase can help you fake a full eight hours every night. It also promises to help with wrinkles, bedhead, and sleep crease — and comes in almost a dozen colors.

Go-To Skin Care Face Case Silk Pillowcase

Appropriately named Face Case, Go-To's pillowcase is made out of 100 percent mulberry silk and comes embellished with a stitched message, "Hi, cute face" — because we could always use a reminder, especially when we're struggling to get out of bed.

Shhh Silk Pillowcase

Call us shallow, but these may just be the most beautiful pillowcase on the market right now. Australian brand Shhh Silk's Instagram-worthy silk pillowcases will take #wokeuplikethis posts to the next level, and not just because their black-and-white marble-print designs are really, really pretty. Like many other options on this list, these pillowcases are made from 100 percent silk, which is a godsend for your skin: "Silk and satin are extremely soft materials, so they cause less friction between the skin and the fabric," says Joshua Zeichner, M.D., the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. "Translation: They can minimize possible wrinkling."

Kitsch Satin Pillowcase

One of our favorite hair accessories brands entered the hair-care game with a cute blush satin pillowcase designed with 100 percent satin polyester, so you can wave goodbye to annoying frizz-causing friction.

Bedsure Satin Pillowcase

Bedsure Satin Pillowcases have a whopping 218,000-plus reviews on Amazon, 73 percent of which are five-star reviews. And the price is super easy on your wallet, since they're made of 100 percent polyester satin — and you get two pillowcases at that. If that doesn't convince you, the top reviewer says, "All I know is I shower and style my hair at night and after sleeping on these, my hair looks freshly blow-dried the next morning."

ShopBedding Luxury Satin Pillowcase

Another affordable Amazon choice is the ShopBedding Luxury Satin Pillowcase. New York-based board-certified dermatologist Debra Jaliman, M.D., previously told Allure that skin creases that you get with regular pillowcases are "caused by the skin crunching against a pillowcase and breaking down collagen and elastic tissue," which over time and repetition causes wrinkles. Satin pillowcases reduce that "crunching" effect. This one comes in 26 colors and patterns, so stock up without breaking the bank.

Casper Silk Pillowcase + Sleep Mask Set

Need the perfect gift for the sleep-deprived loved one in your life? Look no further than Casper's Silk Pillowcase and Sleep Mask Set. Bonus points if you know they're already (trying to) snooze on a cozy Casper mattress. 

Blissy Pillowcase

The only drawback to silk pillowcases is that they're often only sold in the color white. Blissy's, on the other hand, are available in a whopping 31 colors to match your decor to a T. Shop everything from mauves to tie-dye to a Marilyn Monroe-inspired option.  

Night Clean Silk Pillowcase

If you're looking for a pillowcase made from all-natural, untreated silk fiber (specifically 100 percent eco-melange silk) and 18 amino acids (the same 18 your skin has and made out of a similar protein structure), Night's Clean Silk Pillowcase will definitely be your number-one eco-friendly pick. 

Alaska Bear Natural Silk Pillowcase

Some silk pillowcases are so deliciously slippery that the pillow contained within them can slide right out at night, but not this hypoallergenic wonder. In addition to being cool and pleasant to the touch against both skin and hair, Alaska Bear Natural Silk Pillowcases are outfitted with a hidden zipper, to make sure everything stays put while you snooze.

Hill House Sisi Silk Pillowcase

Named after the "famously long-haired Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) of Austria," Hill House's Sisi Silk Pillowcase is constructed with mulberry silk and a sophisticated piping design. And did we mention it comes in a trendy tie-dye? As well as seven other colors, if you want something more classic.

Myk Natural Silk Pillowcase With Cotton Underside

Who says you can't have it all? This dual-sided pillowcase from Myk Silk is topped with pure mulberry silk, so you can slide into shut-eye without stressing about split ends. But the brand distinguishes itself by adding a cotton underside to each case. It's partly to keep the luxury of silken pillowcases within reach for savings-savvy customers, and partly to avoid sheet slippage as you settle in. 

Iluminage Skin Rejuvenating Pillowcase

Iluminage's polyester Beauty Skin Rejuvenating Pillowcase is entwined with copper fibers, giving the material a slight golden glow, and your skin a major overnight boost. "Copper is an essential cofactor needed for skin health," explains Dr. Zeichner. "Our cells use copper to produce healthy collagen and elastin and to promote the production of skin-plumping hyaluronic acid." So this little number will not only brighten your boudoir but also your skin. Plus, if the price tag seems a little high, you should know that the company claims the technology will remain intact through 100 loads of laundry, as long as you skip the fabric softener and dryer sheets.