5 Benefits of Using Silk and How To Tell If You Have a Fake

Silk was once the well-kept secret of beauty insiders. Now, it’s the not-so-secret beauty secret - and for good reason. There are so many benefits to using silk products, especially at night time, but it’s important to note not all silk is made the same.

Benefits of Silk:

Silk masks are now a thing thanks to the large amount of people dealing with maskne! I love this pack from Etsy. They’re $10, are beautiful, and they come with matching scrunchies for your hair too

A youthful and glowing complexion
Thanks to the smooth and tightly-woven fibers in silk, using a silk pillowcase while you sleep helps to retain the moisture in your skin, something extremely beneficial to those who’s skin types run on the drier side. Another benefit is you’ll be able to save some coin by using less of those fancy and expensive hydrating night creams. More hydration and plump skin also means you’ll have fewer fine lines (wrinkles) and a glowing and radiant complexion when you rise. You will literally be getting beauty sleep!
Healthy, shiny, and stronger hair
Your hair will also thank you for using a silk pillowcase at night. “Silky smooth” will no longer just be an expression for dream hair! Studies have proven that the silk fibers helps in reducing those frustrating knots and provides soft, shiny hair. For myself, I go one step further. I only use silk scrunchies now too. They avoid those ponytail kinks and continues to promote healthy hair all day long. My favorites will be linked below!
Relief from skin irritation
The material from some clothes and pillows and irritate and aggravate sensitive skin. Silk doesn’t do this as it’s a natural fibre and encourages hydration rather than moisture loss that can be produced by various synthetic fibers. With maskne being a thing of 2020, many have also turned to silk masks too. If you suffer from conditions such as eczema or maskne, I highly recommend you giving silk products a go.
relief from allergens
Just like skin irritants, silk can also help people who suffer from various environmental allergies such as dust mites, mold, and fungus, due to its natural qualities that ward off these allergens. As someone who has really suffered from an allergy to dust mites, I noticed an immediate and unbelievable change when I moved to a silk pillowcase. It’s wild how much of a difference it’s made for me. In the US, I only use silk pillowcases, but if I travel back home to Australia and sleep on my usual bedding, dust mites are right back in my life. Now, if it’s not a silk pillowcase, I’m not sleeping on it.
A good night’s sleep
I’m an insomniac and have been for all of my life. Now, unlike the last point, I can’t put my silk pillowcase down to curing my sleep difficulties, but can say that when my head touches down on the pillowcase, it’s soft, smooth, and relaxing. According to the National Center for Sleep Disorders, 30 to 40 percent of Americans have problems sleeping. The experts say that bedding can very easily be to blame - as some sheets and pillowcases can irritate your skin, bunch up, and invite allergens such as dust mites. Silk also helps regulate your body temperature and keep you cool while you sleep. I currently only use a silk pillowcase, not sheets. I’ve never tried silk sheets and from what I’ve heard they can be just a little too slippery in bed. I currently use natural eucalyptus bamboo sheets and I love them. They also have natural properties, are incredibly soft, and don’t bunch up.

How to choose the right silk product:

I’m crushing over this Intimissimi silk set. Comfortable, breezy, silky!

These days, you’ll lots of products marketed as ‘silk,’ but a lot of them are fake. If it’s fake, you won’t be getting the health benefits. So how do you go about determining which are real and which are not?

satin vs silk
First and foremost, get to know the terminology. Satin is NOT silk. Many brands will market products as ‘silk’ and in the fine print reveal the material is satin. Others may say ‘silk satin’ or ‘silky satin.’ Silk is a fiber while satin is a weave.
price
Price is the biggest indicator. While some brands do have more affordable pricing, if a brand is selling a silk cami for $10 - 20, it’s probably not real. Using real silk to make a product costs 10x more than synthetic silk on average.
the ring test
There are a few little tests you can also perform to determine whether you have a real or fake product. The ring test is super easy and all you need to do is pull through the item in a ring. If it goes through easily, it’s more likely to be real. Artificial silk will scrunch up and be harder to pull all the way through.
the flame test
If you really want to test whether your product is real silk or not, there’s a burn test you can perform. In a safe environment, pull out a thread and ignite it with a lighter. If it’s genuine silk, it will stop burning as soon as you remove the flame from it. If it’s fake, it will continue to burn - as unlike real silk, synthetic threads are flammable and will catch fire.

And there you have it. It really comes down to doing your research and being aware of the large amount of fake products on the market. The pillowcase I use is super affordable but has been proved to be a real silk product and has amazing reviews - which is a win win! I’m going to link some of my favorite silk products below. Most of the items (especially the clothes), are just my wants! Call it my vision board wish list if you will!