THE BEAUTY SLEEP YOU DESERVE INVOLVES A SILK PILLOWCASE AND NEW NIGHTWEAR

Sleep is an undeniably important part of our lives. Without it, we’re doomed. And not just because it’s enjoyable to be in the ultimate state of relaxation: chronic sleep deprivation can eventually lead to an untimely death, which no one wants. Worse still, a lack of sleep can negatively affect your appearance. We’re not solely referring to eye bags here, either. There’s a link between sleep deprivation and a spike in the stress hormone cortisol, which can destroy collagen, the protein that keeps skin supple. Ironically, however, sleep itself can also make you look bad. No matter how fastidious your nightly skincare routine and whether or not you ensure your hair is conditioned and brushed before bed, awaking with untold fine lines and frizzy hair is a daily reality for many of us. More often than not, the culprit is a cotton pillowcase. The solution, though, is a silk one.

Silk pillowcases can seem outlandish as far as bedding goes, but they’re worth the investment. In the gentlest way possible, cotton pillowcases rough us up – it’s their friction against the skin which can result in wrinkles and subsequent misery. But even silk pillowcases in the Real Housewives universe wouldn’t cause friction. They allow your skin to glide instead, like an enamoured couple doing the waltz. And although we’d actually recommend daily use of a facial SPF to truly ward off wrinkles, a silk pillowcase certainly won’t go amiss in the fight against them. Furthermore, the smoothness of silk means that it doesn’t absorb as much moisture from the skin as cotton. Silk pillowcases help to maintain a hydrated glow, in other words.

Then, there’s the matter of your hair. Friction is its enemy too, so sleeping on a silk pillowcase should leave it considerably less tangled and frizzy which, in turn, could prevent hair breakage. If you’ve recently had something like a blow dry done, it can also help preserve it. Ultimately, silk pillowcases bring the term ‘bedhead’ into disuse.

But although silk pillowcases are a revelation initially, an unassailable fact remains: they are boring to behold, which is why we’ve paired the ones below with pieces of nightwear. After all, you can’t sleep on a silk pillowcase in – what might as well be – rags. They just wouldn’t do it justice.

THE BEST FOR ABSOLUTE LUXURY

SLIP

SLIP MARBLE KING ZIPPERED PILLOWCASE, £105

ID SARRIERI Lombard Street silk-blend satin chemise, £152 AT NET-A-PORTER

THE BEST FOR PROTECTING YOUR BLOW DRY AND EYELASHes

THE BIG SILK

THE BIG SILK SILK PILLOWCASE, £49

HESPER FOX AUBREY BLACK LINEN PYJAMAS WITH GREEN PIPING, £165