The secret to youthful skin apparently lives in your bedroom.

by Mamamia Team July 30, 2015

Image via Paramount Pictures.

There are very few things in this world that can definitively claim to truly help keep skin looking and feeling youthful.

Sunscreen is one of those rare things. Surgery – on the more extreme side of things – is another. But there’s something else that’s popped up in the beauty vernacular.

And it’s one that beauty aficionado Zoe Foster Blake has previously called “probably the best anti-ageing beauty ‘product’ a dame can use”. So you could say we were kind of keen to try it.

What are we referring to here? Silk pillowcases. Yes, you heard correctly.

They’re soft and gentle on your skin and hair. They’re said to help with those “sleep creases” you (read: I) wake up with, and they’ve been said to be less absorbent than your regular ol’ cotton pillowcases – meaning that your night cream or moisturiser actually stays on your skin.

So I decided to put it to the test. (Post continues after gallery.)

Skincare Tips.

Always wear sunscreen.

Always try to head to bed early.

Remove your makeup.

From our partner

Drink lots of water.

Eat fruit and vegetables.

Move your body.

/ 6

I decided on a Slip silk pillowcase in a pretty gold shade. Aside from feeling delightful on my skin, I did feel that I woke up with less of those pillow creases that indicate you’ve hardly moved your head all night (which equals a great night of slumber – bliss). I could go to bed with air-dryed hair, and I felt like it wasn’t a total bird’s nest when I woke up. A rarity for me.

But as an “anti-ageing” tool, does it really stack up? I asked the experts.

Emma Hobson, Education Manager the International Dermal Institute and Dermalogica said it can, in a certain context.

“A silk pillowcase is not as much an ‘anti-ageing tool’ as an ‘anti-crease tool’. Having such a smooth surface for your facial skin to sleep upon means you’ll wake up with less of those ‘sleep-creases’,” Hobson explains.

The Glow's editor, Edwina (Image supplied.)

Basically, they help your skin to “glide” over the fabric while you sleep, rather than “pulling” on it - which is what can happen with a cotton pillowcase.

“It doesn’t hold as much heat as cotton so is good for people with more sensitive skin who may suffer from Rosacea and is ideal for women going through menopause who are experiencing hot flushes,” Hobson says.

“It also allows more moisture to be kept in the skin than with a cotton version due to its super fine weave, so it’s good for people with dehydration and skin dryness.”

Image via iStock.

This is a fantastic result for that expensive night cream you’ve been slathering onto dry winter skin, no?