A Satin Pillowcase Guide, Plus What to Put On Before Bed

A Satin Pillowcase Guide, Plus What to Put On Before Bed

A satin pillowcase is the easiest sleep upgrade I know, and the silk versions here are the ones brands say protect hair and skin from friction. I have paired them with overnight hair, face and lip treatments that do their work while you sleep.

In 2004, Fiona Stewart and Justin Dubois launched Slip in Australia, which the brand calls the first silk pillowcase branded and marketed as a beauty product. Stewart had been prescribed acne medication that left her skin sensitive and her hair thin, and her dermatologist suggested sleeping on silk. That is where the beauty-pillowcase habit starts, according to the brand, and the point still stands: less friction against your face and hair while you sleep.

A quick note on words. Satin is a weave and silk is a fiber, so a satin pillowcase can be made of either, and the ones in this grid are silk. Slip Silk Pillowcase in Wildflower is made of mulberry silk and is described as anti-bedhead and anti-sleep-crease, and the Slip Pure Silk Queen Pillowcase with Scalloped Edge in Ivory comes from the same slipsilk, which the brand says it developed over ten years. Crown Affair The Silk Pillowcase is a queen-size 100% mulberry silk case that the brand says reduces frizz and minimizes hair creases. Cozy Earth Silk Pillowcase in White, SILKE London Queen Pure Silk Pillowcase in White and Matouk Silk Collection in Daphne Embroidery in Bone are quieter, and Hill House Home The Sisi in Pink Pond Floral and Coco & Wolf Jannah in Dusky Pink use prints.

A quick test: check the size on the label against your pillow before you buy, because queen and standard fit differently.

Big numbers collage for Satin Pillowcase: six products from Slip, Crown Affair, Moroccanoil, Cozy Earth and LANEIGE, each set beside a large numeral
Satin Pillowcase

Satin and silk pillowcases

Hair treatments that work overnight

A smooth pillowcase pairs well with treatments that stay on overnight. Moroccanoil Overnight Hydrating Leave-in Hair Mask is a hyaluronic acid mask the brand says leaves hair four times more hydrated. amika Dream Routine Overnight Hydrating Hair Mask claims 3x more hydration by morning, and amika Midnight Mender Overnight Strength Repair is the repair option for damaged hair. Crown Affair The Overnight Repair Serum is a lightweight leave-in the brand says is clinically proven to restore strength, softness and shine. Messy by Alli Webb Overnight Repair Hair Oil Serum is a no-rinse nightly serum for dry, damaged hair. Kérastase Chronologiste Overnight Youth Serum is a leave-in for dry, thin, aging hair. The Nourishing Hair Sleeping Mask in Coconut + Mango is a cream made with coconut oil and mango butter. Oribe Gold Lust Night Hair Cream is a leave-in cream the brand says absorbs quickly and will not transfer to your pillow.

How to use them: start on damp or towel-dried ends, use a small amount, and tie your hair loosely on top of your head.

What I would skip: a heavy oil on fine hair right at the roots. Keep the product mid-length to ends, and choose something lighter like the Crown Affair serum instead.

Overnight hair treatments

Face and lip masks for the pillow

Face masks and lip masks are the gentlest part of a nighttime routine, because you apply them and forget about them. LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask in Baskin Robbins Rainbow Sherbet is an overnight lip mask with a berry fruit complex, murumuru seed and shea butter. Rare Beauty Find Comfort Lip Butter Balm in Loved is a tea rose shade with a subtle vanilla scent that works as a daytime balm or overnight mask. The Nourishing Lip Sleeping Mask in Cherry + Vanilla is a melting overnight lip treatment. LANEIGE Bouncy + Firm Sleeping Mask has a peony and collagen complex, and Hanyul Korean Yuja Brightening Sleeping Mask has vitamin C and 2% niacinamide. belif Aqua Bomb is a jelly-pudding mask for dry, tired skin. Youth To The People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Night Cream + Mask is a rich hybrid with vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, and the Quenching Sleeping Mask with polyglutamic acid and ceramides is a fragrance-free gel.

Pairing tip: apply your mask last, and give it a minute before your head hits the pillow.

What I would skip: layering a rich cream mask over a lot of actives on the same night. Choose one treatment a night and let the pillowcase do the rest.

Overnight face and lip masks

Building a beauty sleep routine

A beauty sleep routine is mostly about one or two things you will stick with. Start with the pillowcase, since it works every night without extra effort. Add a hair treatment on nights your ends feel dry, and a lip or face mask on nights your skin needs it. Wash your silk cases according to the label, since each brand has its own care rules. Keep the rest simple, and let the pillowcase do its slow, quiet work. Consistency beats every product here, so choose the case you like looking at, the treatment you like the feel of, and make bedtime the one part of the day that asks nothing of you.