Pure silk.

Silk to me is pearl in fabric form. It has that same luminescence. So beautiful. You have to feel silk to understand and it is nothing like satin or other substitutes.

A silk pillowcase is a beauty treatment in itself. Really. Dermatologists, plastic surgeons, hairdressers and beauty therapists all recommend them. Now we are talking about 100% pure silk. 

There is a brand sold in gift stores that sells gift boxed silk pillowcases for around $100 each. Now you can get online pure mulberry silk pillowcases for around $25 and they are very good. But I will help you make them for a few dollars and besides revolutionising your beauty routine they make gorgeous presents for your girlfriends.

First of all the benefits of silk. When I first learned this, from a beauty therapist, I hoped all this would be true as I rather fancied a beautiful silk pillowcase. Anyway it is all true as I have used them for a few years now.

Ok first of all your hair. In the morning you wake up with far less trashed hair! Your hair looks pretty much like it did when you went to bed rather than a birds nest gone wrong. Obvious bonus and time saver. But more.... because your hair slides over silk it is much more gentle overall. Anyone with hair loss/thinning hair should use a silk pillowcase. 

Now your skin. Have you ever woken up with a crease line on your face making you look like you aged 90 years? This just does not happen. Next many of us use face creams before bed. A cotton pillowcase absorbs your face cream. A silk one will not, your face will absorb it instead. 

Some sleep positions really squash our faces. A silk pillowcase will lessen this effect and we will form less lines and wrinkles from how we sleep.

Many of us have had a child with very fine hair. Fine delicate hair mats and knots like nothing else and we have to patiently and gently de knot it in the mornings which is a real pain. A silk pillowcase will pretty much solve this problem and so many headaches. So this is a lovely gift for a Mum with this problem or for a little girl with long hair.

For anyone with hair extensions this will also help keep them in and make them last.

When making a silk pillowcase allow an extra large turn under section inside it as silk is so slippery that extra amount holds it in place better.  The way to get your hands on beautiful silk very inexpensively is at the op shop. It is there and no one knows. Your best bet is in the scarves department. Most have labels and once you know the feel you are searching for you will find 100% silk scarves for a couple of dollars. The other one is in the lingerie section. I have found wraps and dressing gowns in pure silk and these have a lot of material. The label will confirm if you have pure silk. This is a great way to get a good amount. I have found them in mens dressing gowns also and I walk along the dresses and evening dresses isle too. Like my earlier pillowcases with crochet edging I think it is fine to mix two or three pieces of fabric to make up a pillowcase. This can be very pretty if you end up with a collection and can make things look nice together. Plus with the scarves you tend to get vintage prints some of them are amazing!

I love that this is such a nice thing and has so many benefits. Your pillow is your "home" for eight hours or more a day. It should be beautiful, comfy and feel lovely. While upgrading our mattress is a big expense keeping your pillow just right for you is more affordable and makes a huge difference to your sleep. We all need a new pillow now and then and we need to wash them too and refresh them.

The first time you sleep on your silk pillowcase you will notice so much difference! I hope you love it!