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What Are Benefits Of Using A Silk Pillowcase In Hair Health?

Silk, more specifically a silk pillowcase, has many properties that may lend itself to being a healthier option for your hair, especially if you are noticing hair fall, dry hair, or hair breakage. I’m always considering healthier lifestyle alternatives, and using silk pillowcases is something I’ve been doing for several months. I mention silk pillowcases in my free e-book 23 Tips for a Healthy Scalp & Hair. Feel free to download it here. A healthy diet and drinking enough water is also important for hair and scalp health. Want to know more about the possible benefits of using a silk pillowcase to your hair? Keep reading below! 

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Downloading this e-book does add you to my LoveLeavingLegacy with Lilla Rose email subscription list, but you are free to unsubscribe at any time and keep the free e-book with my blessing and thanks. Any information you provide prior to download is not sold or used in any way except for the purposes of the newsletter or contacting you with helpful information, usually monthly, sometimes twice.

 

Obviously, changing to using a silk pillowcase is not a magic cure all for your hair care, but there may be some good benefits in hair care and self care. Heat styling without protectant, lots of chemical hair processing, very tight pulling hair styles, and medical problems are the first main reasons for hair health problems, and should always be addressed with a doctor and hair stylist. But, there are some possible benefits to using them in your self care. (Find more on healthy self care here.)

First, silk pillowcases don’t absorb moisture or hair oils since they are not as porous as other fibers, and they may provide less hair friction. These two properties could help reduce drying out hair and help to prevent tangles, frizz, and breakage. This is especially important for ladies with natural hair or extra curly hair. They leave moisture and hair oils in the hair where it belongs. But, also, regular hair trims and using daily conditioner, for even those of us without dry hair, is important. Again, drinking plenty of water is also important for hair hydration.

Second, silk pillowcases do not retain heat. For anyone who runs hot or is going through menopause, this may be especially helpful for keeping heads (and necks) cooler.

Third, silk pillowcases are hypoallergenic. Again, this alone is not a magic bullet for those with allergies. Regular pillowcase and sheet washing, along with pillow and mattress protectors is also important. For those allergic to cotton or other textile fibers, however, using silk could be helpful.

Fourth, they are also anti microbial. If you go to bed with wet hair, you may find that you have less propensity for hair fungal problems using a silk pillowcase as a result.

Fifth, silk pillowcases, since they reduce friction, often extend the life of a hair style, especially a blow out style. This could mean less product and less heat styling for those who often straighten their hair.


How to Choose a Silk Pillowcase

  • Be sure to choose a silk pillowcase that uses a silk fiber, rather than one that is a satin weave. The pillowcase fiber should contain at least 70% natural fibers, and not additives.
  • According to the Washington Post, choose silk pillowcases with “Global Organic Textile Standard, which means a product is made of at least 70 percent natural fibers, and OEKO-TEX, which means the product doesn’t contain chemicals or additives.”
  • Silk fabric weight is measured in terms of “momme.” When choosing a silk pillowcase, some experts recommend a momme count between 15-30. Some say those with a momme count over 22 is best. 
  • The price of the silk pillowcase will depend on the grade of the silk. Silk fiber is graded A-C. Grade A is smoothest and finest. Prepare to spend up to $40/pillowcase.

Caring for Your Silk Pillowcase

  • Washing by hand is preferred. Turning it inside out, submerge the pillow case in water and detergent for 30 minutes. Rinse in cool water. Do not wring, but push excess water out and lay flat to dry on a rack.
  • If you choose to wash by machine, choose a cold delicate cycle with low spin. Insert in a laundry bag turned inside out. Do not wash with other fiber sheets or items. Air dry on a flat drying rack.

This is the pillowcase I chose for myself. I found it on Amazon. (This is an Amazon affiliate link. An affiliate link means that, at no extra cost to you, when you click through a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission which allows this blog to remain active.) It is available in 28 or so colors and in multiple bed pillow sizes. Silk pillow cases make great gifts when pampering a loved one! 

Again there is no magic bullet to my hair care in using this product. I do notice less hair fall on my pillow in the morning, less bed head, and I can go longer between hair washings. I also noticed that even with night sweats, my pillowcase is not wet and my head is remaining cooler. I also use this in conjunction with my Reverse Method hair care method, weekly Masque treatments, and with Lilla Rose hair accessories. 



Other sources used for this post: Good Housekeeping and New York Post.

Hello, Summer! How I’m Transitioning Through New Seasons of Life

I’ve been absent from social media and blogging. Or incognito. Or something. I’ve been posting less and following less. My priorities have kind of shifted for a season. Hello, Summer! There are some new life seasons, and this is how I’m transitioning. 

The end of February and March brought our first daughter, Lydia’s bridal shower and wedding. She was a beautiful bride, and she and her new husband clearly adore each other.

May brought our 5th child, Elizabeth’s, graduation from Legacy Academy homeschool high school. She graduated with the local homeschool group. There were 51 graduates who participated in the group graduation. Each student’s parents said a blessing over them. It was beautifully emotionally exhausting.

If it weren’t for my Lilla Rose business, I’d probably never have learned how to use Canva. Without Canva, I’d not have learned how to make yard signs for my daughter.

Then, over Memorial Day weekend, my husband left for two weeks to participate in grading thousands of American politics Advanced Placement (AP) exams in Salt Lake City. When he left Utah to return home, there were only 75000 entries to go. Needless to say, he’s still grading those here at home, in addition to leading his summer class at Western Michigan University, and the ones at his additional side gig adjunct professor job. Super funny, though, that in some ways when I had six children at home, his being away for a week or ten days was harder, but in other ways, it was easier than it was with two older children.

I miss all the kids being here doing our June projects!

Elizabeth, Anna, and I started working on our gardens around Elizabeth’s greenhouse work, which she started in May also.  We also worked around Anna’s horse volunteering and riding lesson schedules, and our various appointments. We’ve even been trimming tree limbs so they don’t poke us in the eyes while we garden. Our burn pile is ridiculously high. I’ve been investing in various tools that aid in reducing my imbalance issues or that don’t require me to rely on the muscle strength of someone else. Last year I invested in this drill attachment for digging holes for plants and bulbs. Honestly, I’ve also been using it in the garden to turn over dirt and mulch.

We are pleased with how pretty our property is turning out. We’re enjoying new yard ornaments, new humming bird feeders and the evening visitors to them each day, bird baths, and our month old ducklings enjoying time out on the lawn while we work.


In this new season, I’ve started seeing a mental health counselor. A lot of people criticize Facebook posts or other social media as “fake book.” It’s not fake or disingenuous keep all the dirt one or one’s family is going through, nor do all one’s thoughts need to be aired. Not putting up all the hurts, not engaging in all the “discussions”, etc, is merely respecting privacy or placing boundaries around relationships. Not everyone needs to be privvy to the inside scoops within personal and family dynamics. Sadly, we have learned this the hard way by being open and honest-so sometimes we’re either too honest or we’re accused of being a fake.

At the advice of my new counselor who is helping me transition through the new stages and seasons, I’m considering the things that drain me and the things that fill me as I explore my purposes. Some of the drainers are not things I can negotiate, like medical appointments and therapies. Even my OT has suggested that my neuromuscular brain retraining therapy is going slower with out finding more things that bring me joy in my life.

I’m placing an emphasis on rest and on rediscovering joy in this season. 

How am I doing that?

I’m making gifts.

I’m gardening.

I’m sitting with my chickens and listening to them.

I’m crafting. My kitchen currently looks like my brain exploded with craft ideas and supplies.

I’m cleaning and organizing areas of our home-just not the craft supplies in the kitchen.

I’m reading for pleasure.

I’m spending a lot less time on social media.

We’re considering what homeschooling will look like with only one child left at home, and where that child’s focuses should be.

I’m considering where my focus on my Lilla Rose business should be. For the summer, I’m doing no craft shows or festivals.

I’m enjoying my own company, quieting and holding captive my thought life, and enjoying the quiet of our home. Admittedly, sometimes it’s down right weird to be alone or to have quiet! Sometimes, I allow myself to grieve the losses I feel from the transitions. There have been a lot of changes to our lives in the last few years.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5


What are you doing to enjoy summer this year?
Where is your favorite vacation spot?
What book will you enjoy?

Tell me here, and if you are a new to Lilla Rose or current LoveLeavingLegacy with Lilla Rose customer, enter my summer appreciation customer giveaway running until June 16th, 2022. I’d love to bless a winner with $17 in Lilla Bucks to use on my Lilla Rose website.

Entry form:
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Sharing Lilla Rose products and gifting are Joys for me!

 

Hair Tutorial: How To Do An Easy Wrapped Pony Tail

One of my six children is getting married at the end of March. When I saw a post in a group I’m in for ladies “going gray naturally” with a photo of a lady with long silver strands in a wrapped high pony tail, I got excited! I knew I’d have an easy hair style idea to present my hair stylist for my hair for the wedding! I recently got face framing layers with a side part on the affected side of my face, and pony tails are easy! My shortest layer tucks behind my ears. My hairstylist will be able to easily braid or French braid a section of my hair, wrap it around the base of my pony tail, and secure it with my favorite comfortable Lilla Rose bobby pins or a flexi clip. I’ll ask him to curl the pony tail tresses and some of the face framing sections left out of the pony tail, and then spray it with hair spray to prevent any flyaways or shorter hair from slipping out of the pony tail. I’m imagining this being a middle-high pony tail, not a low one.

Hair tutorial: Easy Wrapped Pony Tail

Hair Tutorial: An Easy Wrapped Pony Tail

Below are two tutorial videos. One is a video A-Grape and I did a few years ago which describes how to do wrapped pony tails with bobby pins. The other is a low braided wrapped pony tail with a flexi hair clip. We could also use U-pins or hair sticks!

FLEXI: Braided Ponytail from Lilla Rose Inc. on Vimeo.

We’re in the midst of finding shoes to match our dresses. I no longer fit in the Dress Shoes With Heels Club, because hello imbalance disorder and fall risk. Finding comfortable and nice dress shoes with a stable low heel is proving to be quite a challenge. My dress skirt is also a high low hem, as I am afraid of tripping if the skirt wrapped around my ankles.

I need to find jewelry, beyond matching the dress and the wedding theme and colors, that isn’t too heavy on my numb ear, neck and shoulders, and won’t poke or prod those areas or make my head tilt to the right to increase the chances of imbalance and dizziness.

Finally, I have met with a make up artist to learn some techniques for creating the appearance of facial symmetry around my “not great at blinking” right dry eye while using make up that won’t cause itching or other problems around my eye, plus decrease the eye opening of my unaffected facial issues, while “opening” the right side affected by facial nerve weakness and the need for ongoing neuromuscular brain retraining. I have to do different techniques around my mouth in order to appear like I’m smiling from both sides of my mouth equally, which means using bronzer to create the appearance on one size of my face, and highlighter on the other side to decrease natural lines on the unaffected side. Make up is a challenge for a 50+ year old mom’s skin and then to “create” something on my face because muscles aren’t freely moving increases the make up challenges for a non make up, natural appearance person! The learning curve has been steep!

These are not your average wedding stressors! Thanks a lot, acoustic neuroma! I see my make up artist and my hair stylist in the early morning of the wedding, though, so I’ll have some help.

What would you do for your child’s wedding: a traditional Mother of the Bride (or groom) updo? Or would you try a fancy braided pony tail? Do you have an expert do your hair and make up?

Give me some feedback! Maybe I’ll change my mind!

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