Three Surprising Ways You’re Damaging Your Hair (And How Silk Can Save It)

This article recaps a conversation between the Mulberry Park Silks brand manager and one of our team of stylists. They discuss how you may be ruining your hair without realizing it, and offer some hair-friendly alternatives, including silk pillowcases and silk scrunchies.

Here at Mulberry Park Silks, we are all about how sleeping on our silk pillowcases can keep your hair soft, shiny, and tangle and frizz-free. You could call us tress obsessed.

That's why we never miss an opportunity to grab an expert opinion on all things hair-related so we can share it with our clients. Mulberry Park Silks Associate Brand Manager Zoe recently sat down with Danielle, our favorite hair stylist who created many of the stunning looks you see on our product pages. Zoe asked Danielle to offer some insights on how we may be ruining our hair without realizing it and they got into a super informative discussion that highlights three everyday hair hazards: box dye, sleeping on the wrong pillowcase, and using regular elastics.

The Perils of Box Dye: Dryness and Hair Damage

Zoe: What are some of the complaints you're hearing about the most from some of your clients?

Danielle: The biggest complaint is frizz, damage, that their hair is not lasting as long as it used to, air pollution…there are so many factors that come into play.

Zoe: Do you grill your customers and ask them if they use box dye?

Danielle: We hope that you would not, but I mean I'm not going to make you feel bad about it. I'm going to recommend a more professional brand so that your hair looks better.

Zoe: With people who sometimes get grays…we're always touching up at home trying to hide it. Sometimes you can't get in there every six weeks on the dot.

Danielle: Right, but I do suggest you use the spray because it lasts…but also because it's not so much damage so that you're not putting an application on your own hair and overlapping [with the salon process] too much which will definitely dry out your hair. So just use a spray in the meantime. They have powders, they have so many options out there.

Zoe: Like at a regular drugstore you can get that?

Danielle: Absolutely.

Silk Sense: Color-treated hair is definitely more prone to damage. Read how sleeping on silk fabric can help protect dyed hair.

Sleeping on the Wrong Pillowcase

Zoe: Since we were just talking about dryness, and of course Mulberry Park Silks is who we are, I wanted to ask you, do you recommend silk pillowcases to your clients?

Danielle: A thousand percent. Honestly, my grandmother a million years ago used a silk pillowcase. I can't talk highly enough about them. Your hair will look amazing. There's no friction that you would get with a cotton pillowcase. Even for your own skin, I can't say enough about the product.

Zoe: Do you notice that when your clients are using a silk pillowcase regularly, they come in with less damage on their hair?

Danielle: Absolutely. Even for my brides, months before when I meet them, I will always suggest for them to use the brands. In this very special time in your life you only want to look amazing, of course, who doesn't? Even on a normal day you want to look amazing. But to start prepping your skin and your hair, a silk pillowcase is…the way to go.

Zoe: One of the things that always would bother me before I had a silk pillowcase is waking up with creases and lines on my face and I'm thinking, these are going to turn into wrinkles if they stay.

Danielle: Eventually yeah, of course. And unfortunately, when your skin pulls in that direction so much while you're sleeping, it's eventually going to happen.

Silk Sense: Mulberry Park Silks pillowcases are made from pure mulberry silk of the highest grade. Silk fiber is protein-based, and naturally hydrating to hair and skin. A cotton pillowcase, on the other hand, pulls moisture and natural oils away from your hair and skin while you sleep, which can absolutely take a toll on hair health, particularly for anyone with frizzy hair or curly hair. The smooth surface of our silk pillowcases is virtually friction-free, which minimizes hair breakage and helps prevent sleep wrinkles on delicate facial skin (all of which are common with cotton bedding). Our real silk is a natural fiber that is hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, making it ideal for anyone with sensitive skin (unlike a satin pillowcase, which is made from petroleum-based polyester). Get the beauty sleep you deserve with a mulberry silk pillowcase from our extensive silk pillowcase and bedding collection.

Using Regular Hair Elastics and Clips

Zoe: The last question that I have for you is about these silk scrunchies.

Danielle: Amazing

Zoe: Why do you recommend these to your clients?

Danielle: I 100 percent recommend them. If you notice, a lot of people who pull their hair up get that damaged line exactly where the hair band will be, in the crown of the head. A lot of people pull their hair back and they get damage if they're using not a coated elastic band or just a regular clip. I understand that we're not wearing a scrunchie every single day, but if you do you will see that it doesn't leave that line. It's a hard break line that you get with the wrong supplies.

Zoe: What can you do about that?

Danielle: Eventually it has to grow out unless you're going to cut your hair very short. Using this [silk scrunchie] and stop using the bad ones will make it better.

Silk sense: Using silk scrunchies instead of elastics or hair clips can absolutely help prevent breakage at the crown, particularly from hair styling and today's on-trend high ponytails. Read more about crown breakage.