Here's the deal: Regardless of your hair type, if you wake up to a head of hair that's always tangled or looks and feels dry, you can thank your pillowcase. Yep, that thin sheet that keeps your pillow clean could be — and most likely is — doing a number on your hair if it's made out of cotton.
To figure out why cotton pillowcases cramp your (hair)style, I asked celebrity stylist and all-around mane addict Jen Atkin to weigh in. "Cotton absorbs moisture, while silk retains it, so when you lie on a silk or satin pillowcase, the oils from your strands are maintained rather than soaked up, leaving your hair nourished rather than dry," she says. "This is especially beneficial for hair types that are prone to frizz, such as coarse hair types or girls who have wiry curls."
Silk and satin pillowcases also have a smooth slip to them — they're like the sexy lingerie of pillowcases and are super-gentle on skin and hair — so they won't leave sheet indentations on your skin when you wake up (bonus!), and the fabric allows your strands to flow freely over it without friction. This is what causes the not-cute version of bedhead, which is exactly why you should want to invest in a silk or satin pillowcase.
Don't want to part with your cotton pillowcase? Atkin is also a fan of wrapping hair in a silk scarf before sleeping to maintain your style. "This is great for all hair types, but is especially beneficial for natural hair," she says.
Before you know it, this will be you:
