As Glamour explains, silk controls sebum production, the oily secretion we know as grease. This is because its fibres are less absorbent than cotton, so it doesn't suck in the scalp's natural oils. When oils are absorbed, the scalp ends up producing more to replenish itself, giving a build-up of grease.
If you have oily hair, a silk pillowcase may not be the best choice, since a cotton pillowcase will absorb oil better, according to Aguirre. Silk pillowcases will be more beneficial if you have dry hair, or are experiencing breakage.
“Sleeping on the same pillowcase every night gathers dead skin cells, excess sebum, sweat, and hair and skincare products,” Doughty says. Additionally, what your pillowcase is made of can also factor in. “Cotton pillowcases are soft to sleep on,” Ferreira says. “However, the cotton texture absorbs a lot of oil.”
Dirty bedding can harbour bacteria, especially if it isn't washed regularly, which can lead to greasy hair. Cotton pillowcases are known to absorb the hair's natural oils causing the sebaceous glands to overproduce sebum that will further contribute to the speed at which your hair becomes greasy.
Put your silk pillowcase in the washing machine on a cold or warm delicate cycle. The cycle should not exceed a water temperature above 30C. Use the Silk Delicate Laundry Wash to remove perspiration, body oils, and stains while cleaning and preserving fabrics.
But silk doesn't take in oils like cotton. This means that it doesn't make hair as brittle. Because the material isn't absorbing your hair oils, your hair will be more moisturized than with a cotton pillow.
If you find an oil stain on your silk garment, you may want to take an additional step by applying talcum powder to the soiled area and allow it to sit overnight. The talcum powder will help to lift the stain, after which you can wash the garment as directed on the care label.
Wearing your hair in a bun / pineapple
This is because oil from the roots are unable to get through to the rest of the strands when your hair is tied up. To sleep with your hair up, simply tie hair into a super loose knot with a silk scrunchie to avoid abrasion.
Silk pillowcases are beneficial for greasy hair as well as for wrinkles and fine lines. Ordinary cotton pillowcases absorb your skin's oil and cause it to accumulate in the fibers. This is why it's possible that your hair gets greasy than usual overnight.
If you wash your hair too often, you can trigger an overproduction of those natural oils, creating excess sebum production, and bang—you've got greasy hair the next day, or even just hours after rinsing.
There are many reasons your hair can get greasy fast, from – quite simply – your genetics, to the types of products you use, to an irregular hair washing schedule.
Sleeping habits can often be to blame for greasy hair. This is especially true “if you're not washing your pillowcases often enough.” There are also a number of ways your hair washing routine contributes to extra oil production. “How you wash your hair can definitely contribute to an oily scalp,” Kate says.
Which one you choose comes down to a few factors, like price and preference. "I like satin more because it's less expensive than silk, but it's also smoother than silk, reducing the friction between the hair strands and the pillowcase," says Dr. Isfahan Chambers-Harris, Trichologist, Ph. D.
Hair and skin help – When choosing between a satin vs silk pillowcase for skin and hair, you win either way, as satin also has the benefit of low friction. It also shares silk's breathability and hypoallergenic nature.
Silk pillowcases, like your other bed linens, come into direct contact with your skin every night, so it's important to wash them regularly — typically about every seven to ten days. To learn more about washing bed linens, check out this guide to washing and properly caring for bedding.
Going to bed with wet hair can make your hair look greasy when you wake up in the morning. This is because your hair produces an oil called sebum that coats your strands. If you don't have time to dry your hair properly before bed, this sebum will stay on your strands and make them look greasy.
Greasy hair after washing may be due to a person's hair care routine, an overproduction of sebum, environmental factors, or underlying health conditions. People may be able to stop hair from becoming greasy as quickly by using a gentle clarifying shampoo and lightweight, non-greasy hair products.
Showering too much can also have damaging effects on your hair, such as making your hair extremely greasy. Or on the opposite end of the spectrum, creating dry scalp (which causes dandruff).
If it's still there after two tries, a dry cleaner will be able to help out. Just be sure to let them know how you've treated the stain so far. I know, I know: It sounds too easy. But this really works, and it won't damage your silk lingerie at all.
If you find that the sheen of your silk clothing has lost its luster or shimmer and appears to have a white film or looks dull, the silk fibers may have become damaged due to improper cleaning or exposure to too much light or heat.
To restore some of the shine and softness that's been lost, you can give your silk pieces a mild white vinegar bath. White vinegar helps to remove any residual soap in the fibres, and also restores lustre and softness to silk.