Of all the materials out there, silk is one of the most luxurious. Many silk fabrics have a shiny appearance and feel smooth to the touch. Silk is also highly durable and oftentimes symbolizes wealth.
While these are advantages worth noting, there’s even more to be said about silk. It offers real beauty benefits that can help you look and feel your best. Here are five of them that may come as a surprise to you.
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1. Silk keeps your hair healthy.
Silk comes in many forms. Two common applications of the fabric itself are clothing and bedding. The proteins found in silk are also contained in many beauty products. Whether you’re using a hair product that contains these proteins or investing in silk bedding, you’ll reap the silk beauty benefits.
For starters, silk pillowcases help your hair retain moisture. Cotton pillowcases are very absorbent and strip your hair of its natural oils, while silk pillowcases won’t. That means you’ll wake up to less frizz.
Silk also minimizes tangles. Because it is anti-static, it prevents hair from knotting. Your hair will easily slide on the material no matter how much you toss and turn.
Silk also benefits hair when used as an ingredient in hair care products. The proteins found in silk help prevent breakage and damage to the hair. Sericin, a protein that bonds strands of silk together, is often used in shampoo, conditioner, and other treatments. This protein helps reduce hair damage, especially in hair that is colored.
2. Silk is great for oily and dry skin.
While we’re on the topic of silk pillowcases, let’s talk about what they can do for your skin. When you lay your head down at night, your face is touching your pillowcase. If you deal with acne breakouts but can’t seem to figure out why, you might consider switching to silk.
Since cotton is an absorbent material, it can soak up skin oils and the ingredients in your skincare products. Night after night, you’ll be sleeping on this residue. Bacteria can build up over time and spread to your face, causing acne flare-ups.
In contrast, silk is antibacterial and hypoallergenic, making it great for those with skin that might be easily irritated. Dry skin is particularly prone to irritation, which makes silk an excellent choice for dry skin sufferers. Unlike cotton, it won’t strip your skin of moisture.
In addition to silk bedding, certain silk-infused skincare products can also be beneficial for the skin. Silk proteins have been studied, and there’s evidence to suggest they may be effective in maintaining a healthy skin barrier. Products containing silk proteins also promote hydration and may even repair skin cells.
3. Silk can ward off wrinkles.
It might sound crazy, but silk has anti-aging properties, making the luxurious fiber even more attractive for beauty gurus everywhere. Since silk is slippery, there is less friction between your face and a silk pillowcase. With less tugging on your skin come fewer “sleep creases.” The same cannot be said of a cotton pillowcase, and the friction sleepers experience with cotton can cause wrinkles over time.
Another cause of wrinkles is skin dryness. When skin is dry, otherwise plump skin cells shrink, producing fine lines in the skin. As noted earlier, silk is non-absorbent, so it allows skin to retain its moisture. (It also means your pricey anti-aging serums will stay on your face and not get transferred to your pillowcase.) This additional moisture can work wonders for your skin, plumping skin cells and reducing the appearance of wrinkles.
While preventing wrinkles takes a lot more than just a silk pillowcase, it’s still worth the investment. One reason is that silk is a natural material that doesn’t require chemical processing to achieve its softness. Cotton, while also a natural fiber, is frequently treated with chemicals during the manufacturing process. This fact makes silk the less toxic, healthier choice. Silk can do more than just make you feel luxurious; it can lead to younger-looking skin over time.
4. Silk helps prevent allergy symptoms.
You may not even realize it, but many things in your home can trigger allergies. These include dust mites, pet hair, chemicals, pollen, and molds, to name a few. The last thing you want is to sacrifice a restful night’s sleep due to allergy symptoms. Switching out your bedding from cotton to silk can be a simple way to avoid this.
Silk’s hypoallergenic qualities make it a great bedding material. The protein known as sericin in silk fiber is what makes it hypoallergenic. This protein repels common allergens like dust mites and fungus, which are thus less likely to irritate you.
How is this a beauty benefit, you ask? Well, let’s face it — waking up tired with bags under your eyes is never glamorous. (They call it “beauty sleep” for a reason!) And if you aren’t feeling your best due to allergy symptoms, you won’t be looking your best either.
5. Silk can promote better sleep.
Speaking of lost beauty rest, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that approximately 70 million Americans experience chronic difficulties with sleep. While sleep disorders are often caused by more serious issues (e.g., sleep apnea, anxiety disorder), the sleep environment is also an important factor. There’s no reason your sleeping situation should be anything less than ideal. If you already struggle with lack of sleep, making small changes could have a huge impact.
We already talked about allergies and how silk bedding can help with them. But allergy symptoms aren’t the only reason you might be having trouble sleeping. You might get uncomfortably hot or cold, either which could prevent you from drifting off.
A natural thermal regulator, silk can keep you comfortable year round whether it’s warm or cold outside. And because silk has moisture-wicking properties, it keeps you dry and fresh at all times. No more waking up drenched in sweat! Give silk bedding a try; it feels fabulous and will keep you extremely comfortable. With so many benefits, it seems as though everyone could use a little silk in their lives. While it may be a more costly option, its durability and myriad benefits make silk well worth the expense. So why not treat yourself? You deserve a little luxury in your life, and silk is a great way to get it.