Sleeping beauty: the best sleep routine for your hair

Getting healthy and beautiful hair doesn't happen overnight, it is often said. But we disagree. With these tips, you can make sure your hair stays healthy and beautiful while you sleep.

Sleep with your hair fixed

Moving around while you sleep is inevitable. What you can prevent, however, is damage to your hair. When you toss and turn at night, friction is created between your hair and your pillow, which can lead to damage, breakage and tangles. By wearing your hair fixed while sleeping, the friction is reduced and therefore the damage. You can choose to wear your hair in a bun on top of your head or in a braid if you want to wake up with beautiful, natural waves.

Bonus: Sleeping with your hair fixed is also beneficial for your skin. It reduces the appearance of pimples because your face is not in contact with the (perhaps) slightly greasy hair while you sleep.

Not too tight

Tying your hair too tightly is not only uncomfortable but also harmful to your hair. This is especially true if you tighten your hair for a long period of time, like while sleeping. When your hair is too tight, a lot of tension is put on it and if this happens for a long period of time, it can lead to hair loss. This is also known as traction alopecia.

In addition, it is advisable to use a soft, (preferably satin) scrunchie instead of a regular hair elastic. A satin scrunchie exerts less pressure and friction on your hair, so your hair is less damaged.

Never go to sleep with wet hair

Wet hair is fragile hair. When you go to sleep with wet hair, there is a risk of your hair getting tangled during twisting and tossing. This can lead to tangles and even hair breakage. Especially if too much tension is put on the hair when brushing it out. Then you actually pull the hair beyond its 'natural stretch' and the hair then shrivels up, resulting in an even bigger tangle. In addition, the moisture in your hair can change the structure of the hair shaft, making your hair brittle and weak.

Moreover, sleeping on wet hair can cause your hair to stay damp longer. A humid environment creates an ideal environment for the growth of bacteria and fungus on your scalp. This can lead to an unhealthy scalp and possibly even itching, irritation and dandruff.

Therefore, never go to sleep with wet hair. An exception to this rule is using a hair mask that is meant to work at night to repair and nourish your hair while you sleep. Not sexy, but sleeping with a bath cap can then prevent a lot of problems.

Use a satin pillowcase

Friction while sleeping is a big culprit for your hair. Friction can damage your hair, break it down and make it stiff as it loses moisture. So say goodbye to your cotton pillowcase and buy a satin one. This is because the fibres of a satin pillowcase are much finer, causing less friction. Unlike cotton, satin does not absorb your hair's natural oils, making your hair less dry. Moreover, sleeping on satin makes your hair (and your skin!) less likely to get oily. Satin regulates temperature better, making your scalp less hot. This reduces the stimulation of sebum production, resulting in less oily hair. A real gamechanger!

Change your pillowcase regularly

There are several reasons why you should change your pillowcase regularly, and your hair is one of them. The sebum, dander and sweat you lose at night end up on your pillowcase. When you lie on the same pillowcase again the next night, all this comes into contact with your hair. This can cause your hair to get greasy faster, and of course you want to avoid that.

Quick fix

Of course, you can't always bring your satin pillowcase, and sometimes you might forget to fix your hair, just like you sometimes forget to take your make-up off before you go to sleep. So if you wake up with a stiff bunch of hair full of tangles, there's a quick fix: use the No-Frizz Styling Cream. This versatile leave-in styling cream eliminates frizzy hair and tangles and moisturises, protects and strengthens hair at the same time. This is also a great product to 'calm' hair in the winter months, especially if it is static or damp outside. Also perfect for curly hair. Silky soft and healthy hair guaranteed!