A definitive verdict on whether silk pillowcases actually 'work' for your skin and hair.

This wonderful nugget of beauty wisdom comes courtesy of Mamamia’s beauty podcast, You Beauty. To ensure you never miss an episode, listen to You Beauty here for free. It’s a blast.

Just quietly, everyone seems to be sleeping on silk pillowcases these days.

Kim Kardashian. Meghan Markle (probably). Beauty editors. Instagram people. Your 10-year-old niece.

At around $70 to $80 a pop, sleeping on a silk pillowcase is quite a boujee habit. And just like common cotton pillowcases, you really ought to have more than one silk pillowcase to rotate through the wash.

But are silk pillowcases worth the exxy price tag or a great way to burn some cash?

Mamamia’s executive editor and beauty editor of 15 years Leigh Campbell is a fan, but not of paying that much for one. Speaking on the You Beauty podcast, Leigh shared everything you need to know about silk pillowcases, from their many benefits to where to nab one for cheap (you can listen to the full episode below, post continues after audio).

Silk pillowcase benefits.

Some of the benefits of resting your weary head on a silk pillowcase sound too good to be legit. But, as Leigh explained, they’re not all talk.

“Silk is a smooth surface, so it doesn’t rough up the cuticles on your hair strands or crease your face. Sleeping on silk helps to keep you hair smoother, and stops sleep face creases which can create wrinkles over time. It’ll also help your hairstyle last longer, especially if you’re paying to get a blowdry,” she said.

“Silk isn’t absorbent, so your skincare will also last longer. If you put all your fancy stuff on your face and then whack it on a cotton pillow, the cotton’s like mmm juicy and will eat up all your delicious serums and face creams. Silk is less absorbent.”

How to wash silk pillowcases.

Silk pillowcases are expensive, so it’s important to take care of them so you get your money’s worth.

Always read the care instructions – they’ll tell you to use silk wash rather than your regular washing liquid, and hand wash – don’t put your silk pillowcase in the washing machine.

Leigh added, “It’s annoying, but think of it like having a beautiful silk shirt, you wouldn’t just throw that in with your towels.”

Having a few silk pillowcases on rotation will help extend their lifespan, especially if you have acne-prone skin and need to change pillowcases more often.

Side note – Leigh gave us a peak into her beauty bag full of the products she uses every single day. Post continues after video.

Where to buy cheap silk pillowcases.

Many premium brand name silk pillowcases – for example, Slip silk pillowcases – can cost upwards of $70 or 80.

Leigh doesn’t recommend you pay that much (unless you want to), here’s where she buys cheap silk pillowcases:

You can use satin, still smooth but because it’s synthetic, you’ll get sweaty and hotter.

• Mamamia Shopping – currently some on sale for $29.99.
• Silk pillowcases on eBay.
• Groupon or other online deal sites.
• OR if you’re crafty, buy silk and make your own.

As for the quality, you can verify the material of your pillowcase by checking the composition of the fabric listed on the tag or website. If you can’t afford silk, you can try satin instead, but because it’s synthetic, it might make you sweatier/hotter.

Leigh’s final verdict on silk pillowcases?

“Yes, they’re expensive but if you care for them, they’ll last you for years. It’s an investment, but look at it like a beauty product.”

You Beauty Cheat Sheet

Other questions Leigh and Kelly answered, as well as their ‘spendys’ and ‘saveys’ (and where you can buy them).

‘Giving your skin a break – is it actually beneficial to go without makeup to let your skin breathe?’

• Fun fact: your skin doesn’t actually breathe.
• The skin on your face is nourished from the inside, as cliched as that sounds.
• Whether or not a ‘break’ from makeup will make a difference to your skin depends on your skin type, and the type and amount of makeup you wear everyday.
• Leigh found her skin improved over the break while she was wearing less makeup.
• BUT don’t feel like you have to give your skin a break from makeup at the cost of not feeling great about yourself.
• If you don’t feel comfortable without makeup, try switching your products to mineral or more lightweight formulas.
• Food for thought – men always have great skin and they don’t use many products, maybe we take a leaf out of their book?

Leigh’s Savey: Flower Zoom In Ultimate Mascara, $9.99.

Why she loves it:

• There are so many bad mascaras and Leigh tried a lot of them over the summer holidays, but this isn't one of them.
• Flower is Drew Barrymore's cosmetics brand.
• This mascara is lengthening, not volumising, so your lashes won't look mega fat, but they will look black, glossy and long.
• Side note - the Flower eyeshadows have great pigment, too.

Kelly's Savey: Essence Colour Boost Mad About Matte Liquid Lipstick in Seeing Red, $6.

Why she loves it:

• Kelly gave this product a three-day road test and she loves it.
• It's a matte liquid lipstick - matte formula but it isn't drying.
• Comfortable to wear (won't feel like your lips will crack off) and Kelly found she only really needed to reapply after lunch.

Leigh's Spendy: AERIN Rose Lip Conditioner, $42.

Why she loves it:

• This product is from Aerin Lauder, the Estee Lauder's granddaughter, and her brand is apart of the Estee Lauder family.
• It's the kind of product you'd wear walking around your beach house... that you own.
• This product is a thick lip balm - super nourishing with a really sheer pink nude tint.
• Is heavily rose fragranced, not good if you're sensitive to fragrance.
• Leigh keeps reaching for it, so that's how she knows she loves it.

Kelly's Spendy: Vice Reversa Transdermal Pimple Patches, $39.95.

Why she loves them:

• Vice Reversa is a Korean skincare brand you can buy online.
• The product comes with eight pimple patches - works out to be $5 a pimple but they really work.
• They're little stickers to use on emergency pimples, like nasty blind pimples that are impossible to cover (Kelly wouldn't waste one on a whitehead).
• Each patch is textured with little micro-needle like bits that help deliver the pimple-fighting active ingredients hyaluronic acid and salicylic acid.
• In short, the patches bring out the pimples and make them easy to pop instead of the gunk sitting under the skin.

Until next time, stay lovely.

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