James also notes that silk’s material properties directly influence how hair looks and feels over time. “Silk is a natural protein fiber,” and its breathable, smooth, and slip-rich qualities allow hair to glide rather than snag overnight, she explains. When silk becomes part of a regular sleep routine, “these attributes are mirrored in your hair and become part of its personality,” supporting smoother texture, improved shine, and healthier-looking strands from root to tip, she adds.
Are silk pillowcases more effective than silk bonnets for protecting hair overnight, or do they serve different purposes depending on hair type or current style?
“Silk pillowcases aren’t necessarily more effective than silk bonnets, but they complement one another like besties,” says James. For people with fine, straight, or loose wavy hair, James explains that a silk pillowcase alone is often enough because “it allows your strands to flow freely throughout the night, while still preventing friction and preserving moisture.” In those cases, confining hair under a bonnet can actually work against volume and movement, since “when fine or straight textures are confined in a bonnet, it tends to eliminate body and movement in the hair.”
For curlier textures, the strategy shifts. James notes that “for higher curl patterns, tucking your ends at night is best,” since it helps maintain curl definition and prevents the ends from separating and creating frizz. That’s where layering protection becomes useful. “For the curlies, I highly recommend doubling or tripling up for extra protection,” she says, especially for anyone whose bonnet tends to slip off overnight. Her advice is to secure curls with a silk scarf first, then add a bonnet, and still sleep on a silk pillowcase as backup. Because “silk is lightweight and breathable,” James explains, it helps regulate temperature so “your scalp doesn’t overheat,” making the combination particularly helpful for people who experience night sweats. In those cases, “the duality of the silk bonnet plus silk pillowcase” can offer better protection than relying on a single layer alone.
Meet the experts
How we test and review products
We always enlist a range of testers for our makeup vertical, but hair-care products and tools are another story. While certain products can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind. Many are created to address a concern (dandruff, breakage, brittleness) or to work most effectively for a specific hair type (4C curls, wavy hair, gray hair). You wouldn’t want to pick up a purple shampoo that’s only been reviewed by someone with, say, auburn hair, or a diffuser that’s never been tested by anyone with curls — right?
For our review of the best silk pillowcases, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, dermatologists, and stylists—who spoke to silk pillowcases’ hair and skin benefits. Testers considered performance across four primary categories: texture, experience, value, and momme (where relevant). For more on what’s involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
