Learn how a silk pillowcase protects color-treated hair by reducing friction, preventing dryness, and keeping your style smooth and vibrant.
Key Takeaways
- Protects color-treated hair — A silk pillowcase reduces friction, frizz, and breakage to keep hair looking salon fresh.
- Prevents dryness — Unlike cotton, silk won’t strip moisture, helping preserve hair color and softness overnight.
- Better than satin or blends — Only pure mulberry silk offers true hydration, smoothness, and long-lasting benefits.
- Trusted quality — Mulberry Park Silks pillowcases are Grade 6A mulberry silk and OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified.
If you're anything like us, hair color feels less like a playful pastime and more like a necessity. With gray hairs making an appearance every time we look in the mirror, root touch-up sprays, at-home dye kits, or regular salon visits every 6-8 weeks quickly become part of the routine. According to the Cleveland Clinic, most people start to see gray in their 30s to 40s - so if you're in this age range, don't be alarmed. It's perfectly normal and right on schedule.The North America hair color market was valued at about US $8.24 billion in 2024, and is expected to grow to around US $14.75 billion by 2035 with 75% of American women reporting that they color, highlight or dye their hair
At the same time, the chemicals in hair dye - like ammonia and peroxide - can cause serious damage, no matter how gentle the process claims to be. Add in other common culprits such as para-phenylenediamine (PPD), resorcinol, parabens, persulfates, and drying alcohols, and it's no wonder color-treated hair often feels brittle, dull, and prone to breakage. To make matters worse, many of us unknowingly add to the problem every night with a seemingly harmless habit: sleeping on cotton pillowcases. In reality, cotton can be just as damaging to color-treated hair as excessive heat styling, pulling moisture from delicate strands and roughing up the cuticle while you sleep.
But we are here with a solution - switch to a pure mulberry silk pillowcase and pamper your color-treated tresses all night long, helping them retain their health, softness, and shine.
What Do Hair Color and Bleach Do to Your Hair?
First let's talk about how hair color works and what the process does to your hair. Whether you are ditching mousy brown in favor of a lighter shade or taking light hair to a vibrant black, there are certain risks that you are taking with your tresses that can lead to dullness, lack of shine, and dreaded damage. You may love how you look when leaving the salon, but the process itself isn't pretty for your hair. In fact, coloring your hair involves significant damage to the hair cuticle to allow the color to take. It's a harsh chemical treatment:
- Ammonia elevates the pH of your hair, lifting the cuticle. Your hair cuticle is a protective layer with overlapping "scales" somewhat like shingles on a roof. In healthy straight hair, these shingles lay flat (note: the scales on curly hair are already slightly elevated, which is why curly hair is even more susceptible to damage from color).
- Hydrogen peroxide (developer) strips your natural pigment to prepare the hair for new color.
- Paraphenylenediamine (PPD), a common dye ingredient, penetrates the hair shaft to deliver permanent color but is known to be harsh and irritating.
- Resorcinol, another frequent additive, helps create the dye's final color but can weaken hair structure over time.
- Lead acetate (sometimes found in darker dyes) has been linked to dryness and brittleness.
- Alcohols and sulfates in certain dye formulations can further dehydrate the hair and scalp.
The cumulative effects of lifting, stripping and coloring causes changes to the hair shaft and damages your hair over time. Even so called "natural dyes" and simple bleach highlights are a risk for dried out hair and breakage. The more color you use, and the longer you color your hair, the greater the damage.
Why Cotton Pillowcases Damage Color-Treated Hair
So why does your pillowcase matter so much when you have color-treated hair? The answer begins with understanding the shortcomings of your cotton pillowcase. Cotton is a plant-based fiber that has two innate properties that make it a hugely popular fabric: absorbency and texture. A cotton pillowcase acts as a reverse conditioner by pulling moisture out while you sleep, leaving you with dry hair. Additionally, the cotton fibers cause friction, which can tug and pull on your hair. This results in frizz, hair breakage, split ends, tangles, and bed head. Indeed, sleeping on cotton is a bad choice for any hair type, but especially so for anyone with coarse, curly, or color treated hair, which has already sustained significant damage. But a silk pillowcase on the other hand is completely different.
Benefits of a Silk Pillowcase for Color-Treated Hair
Unlike cotton, a silk pillowcase is perfect for all types of hair, particularly hair that has been dried out or damaged from color. Like hair, silk is a protein-based fiber; mulberry silk fiber contains a specific protein known as sericin is a natural conditioner that helps keep your hair soft, smooth, and healthy. In fact, sericin can be found in many salon-quality hair products because it helps hair retain moisture by coating the cuticle. Unlike cotton, which absorbs moisture from hair, silk's unique molecular structure helps your hair and skin retain moisture. Lastly, our mulberry silk charmeuse is incredibly soft and smooth which protects the fragile cuticle of your hair. As you sleep, your hair will gently glide across the surface of the silk pillowcase, with no tugging, tearing, or friction. This is why natural silk pillowcases are so great at minimizing frizz , tangles and bed head (Note: silk pillowcase benefits also include slowing down sleep wrinkles and protecting sensitive skin).
Pro Tips for Using a Silk Pillowcase After Coloring Your Hair
As we all know, freshly dyed hair can discolor your favorite pillowcases and towels. Silk is certainly no exception to this rule. If you're like us, make sure to have a separate, dedicated silk pillowcase and towel to use for the few days just after coloring your hair, whether stained or pristine, your hair will still reap the benefits of real mulberry silk. If your silk pillowcase is zippered, use one side when freshly dyed hair has a chance of staining and keep one side fresh for when you make your bed. You can always opt for blackto avoid any visible stains.
How to Choose the Best Silk Pillowcase for Hair Care
Look no further than Mulberry Park Silks for a wonderful selection of pure silk pillowcases. As you shop, keep in mind that silk comes in varying momme, quality, and type, all of which influence the cost. We recommend learning more about how to shop for silk, and choosing only a high-quality, 100 percent mulberry silk pillowcase. Don't be fooled by satin or blends; insist on pure mulberry silk to treat your hair and scalp to a true night of beauty sleep.
*Momme (mm) is the traditional Japanese unit of weight that measures the density of silk fabric, with higher momme numbers indicating thicker, more durable, and more luxurious silk.
New to Silk?
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Frequently Asked Questions About Hair Color and Silk Pillowcases
Q: How does a silk pillowcase help protect color-treated hair?
A: Silk pillowcases reduce friction and preserve moisture, helping extend the life of your hair color. Whether your hair is dyed blonde, brown, or black, sleeping on silk keeps shine intact and minimizes tangles, breakage, and dryness over time.
Q: Will a silk pillowcase make a difference for brown or black hair colors?
A: Yes. Darker shades like brown and black can look dull when hair becomes dry or frizzy. A silk pillowcase helps cut down on friction, keeping strands smoother and shinier. This makes it easier to maintain color vibrancy between salon visits.
Q: Can silk pillowcases prevent dullness and keep my hair color looking fresh?
A: Absolutely. Cotton pillowcases absorb natural oils, which can lead to changes in texture and faded shine. By contrast, silk pillowcases lock in hydration and help protect the vibrancy of your hair color for weeks after coloring.
Q: How much time does a silk pillowcase save in my daily routine?
A: By reducing tangles, frizz, and bedhead, silk pillowcases save you valuable time in the morning. You'll spend less time detangling or heat styling and more time enjoying healthy-looking hair and skin.
Q: Are silk pillowcases better than satin or polyester pillowcases?
A: Yes. Satin or polyester pillowcases may feel smooth but lack the natural proteins and quality benefits of pure mulberry silk. A silk case is breathable, non-drying, and OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified for safety.
Q: What sizes do Mulberry Park Silks pillowcases come in?
A: Our silk pillowcases are available in standard, queen, and king sizes to fit every bed. Each pillowcase is made from 100% pure mulberry silk for consistent quality across all sizes.
Q: How do I wash a silk pillowcase?
A: Silk pillowcases are easy to care for. You can wash them in a washing machine on a delicate cycle using cold water or lukewarm water. For best results, place them in a mesh laundry bag. Hand washing with a gentle detergent is also recommended. Avoid bleach or harsh products.
Q: Do dermatologists recommend silk pillowcases?
A: Many dermatologists recommend silk pillowcases for people with sensitive skin or acne. Silk minimizes friction, which reduces irritation, helps prevent wrinkles, and keeps skin hydrated overnight.
Q: What about frizzy hair - can silk pillowcases help?
A: Yes. Silk pillowcases smooth the hair cuticle and reduce friction, which makes a big difference for frizzy hair, curly hair, or hair prone to tangles. You'll wake up with fewer knots and less frizz.
Q: Are there expensive options like Slip Pure Silk Pillowcase or Blissy Silk Pillowcase?
A: Yes, brands like Slip Pure Silk Pillowcase, Blissy Silk Pillowcase, and Brooklinen all offer silk pillowcases. However, Mulberry Park Silks delivers the same luxurious quality at a more accessible price point, with OEKO-TEX® certification and a wide range of colors.
Q: Can silk pillowcases help with wrinkles and skin health?
A: Yes. Silk pillowcases reduce nighttime friction, which minimizes fine lines and wrinkle formation. They're also naturally hypoallergenic and gentle on the skin and body, making them an excellent choice for beauty sleep.
Q: Can I order Mulberry Park Silks products on Amazon?
A: Yes. Mulberry Park Silks pillowcases and other products are available on Amazon for easy ordering. For the best selection of colors, sizes, and exclusive offers - including gift cards - shop directly at MPSILKS.com.
