Silk Pillowcase for Curly Hair: What It Does and How to Use It
If you have curly or coily hair, the pillowcase you sleep on decides a lot about how your hair looks in the morning. A silk pillowcase will not change your curl pattern, but it takes away two things a cotton pillowcase does to curls overnight: friction and moisture loss. Here is how that works, how to choose a case, and how to fit it into a night routine.
What a cotton pillowcase does to curls
Each strand of hair is covered in overlapping cuticle scales. Curly hair has more bends, and each bend is a point where the cuticle lifts slightly. When you turn your head on cotton, the slightly rough weave catches those raised edges and roughs them up further. The result is frizz, a halo of flyaways and curls that have lost their definition. Cotton can also snag curls into tangles and knots at the back of the head.
Cotton is also very absorbent. Curly hair already tends to be drier than straight hair, because natural oils travel down a curl more slowly. A cotton pillowcase can draw out some of the moisture and leave-in product you put in the night before.
What silk changes
- Less friction. Mulberry silk is woven from a long, smooth filament, so hair slides over it rather than catching. Less friction usually means less frizz and fewer tangles when you wake up.
- Less moisture pulled from your hair. Silk absorbs far less than cotton, so more of your product stays in your curls instead of in the pillow.
- Curls hold their shape longer between wash days, because they are less roughed up and less flattened by the fabric.
Silk is not a treatment, and results vary with hair type, routine and how you sleep. But for most people with curls, it is one of the easiest changes to make. Polyester satin also reduces friction, at a lower price; it does not breathe as well. Our silk vs satin guide compares the two.
Which silk pillowcase for curly hair
Weight. 19 or 22 momme is a good choice: dense enough to stand up to the weekly washing a pillowcase used with hair products needs. A 16 momme case is a lighter, lower-cost way to try silk first.
Closure. A hidden zipper keeps the case taut on the pillow, so it does not wrinkle or creep as you move. That matters for curls, which catch on folds. The 22 momme hidden zipper case is a good place to start.
Silk on both sides. Then it does not matter which way the pillow is turned.
Our pillowcase buying guide covers size and finish as well.
A simple night routine
- Refresh lightly. A little leave-in conditioner or curl cream on the lengths if your hair feels dry.
- Gather your curls loosely on top of your head (the "pineapple") with a silk scrunchie. This keeps the weight of your hair off the curls you sleep on.
- Sleep on the silk side. If you move a lot, a second silk case on the other pillow helps.
- In the morning, take the scrunchie out, shake your curls loose at the roots, and refresh with a little water or product where needed.
Silk pillowcase, bonnet or both?
A silk bonnet or sleep cap holds all your hair in silk and goes where your head goes, so it protects curls even if you move a lot. A pillowcase does nothing to your hair unless your hair is touching it, but it needs nothing on your head and is also gentle on your face. Many people with curly or coily hair use both: a bonnet as the main protection, and a silk pillowcase for the nights it slips off.
Keep the case clean
Leave-in products and oils build up on a pillowcase and transfer back to your hair. Wash it every week, inside out, in cool water with a silk-safe detergent, and rotate two cases. See how to wash a silk pillowcase.
Common questions
Does a silk pillowcase stop frizz completely? No. It reduces the friction that causes a lot of overnight frizz. Humidity, products and your hair's own texture still play a part.
Is silk good for 4C hair? Coily hair benefits from the same things: less friction and less moisture loss. Many people with 4C hair pair a silk pillowcase with a bonnet.
What momme is best for curly hair? 19 or 22 momme, for durability with weekly washing. 16 momme works too if you wash it gently.