How to Sleep After a Keratin Treatment and Maintain Smooth Hair
Written by Charlene Latreuille
Updated on
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After trying a few weird sleeping hacks, I finally managed to nail down the ultimate trick on how to sleep after a keratin treatment and wake up with sleek untangled smooth hair.
And the good news is, you don’t have to sleep in a chair all night to keep your hair straight.
But here’s the thing …
What really helped me was something simple and elegant.
Today I will show you how NOT to make your blowout fall flat after sleeping, and also enjoy your precious night time with a touch of luxury.
[me author=”charlene” label=”Trust me, this works every time!”] No sleep creases, no tangles, no loss of shine.[/me]
And the best part?
The morning after, your hair will look flawless and fresh like it was just done yesterday.
So what’s the trick you ask?
These 2 little beauties:
SLIP Pure Silk Pillowcase
Boar Bristle Brush
SLIP – The Mulberry Silk Pillowcase I’ve Fallen in Love With
Beauty sleep is real peeps!
And when it comes to extending the life of your keratin treatment, sleeping on luxury silk bedding make sure your hair doesn’t snag, muss up, or end up in a nest of tangles.
The slippery smooth texture literally makes your hair glide off the surface to prevent creases and knots.
Unlike cotton, which is more absorbent and abrasive to both the skin and hair, silk is friction-free.
- Less split ends
- Less broken hair
- Less pulling and tugging
This is exactly what you want when sleeping after a Brazilian keratin treatment.
You want your hair to be free and stay straight all night.
And it gets even better …
Silk doesn’t run against your hair. Instead, it slips off and makes your layers move in straight lines, which mostly keeps them neat all night while you’re snoring away.
So why did I choose SLIP amongst all the silk bedding brands available online?
Well, you simply cannot go wrong when you see famous hairstylists and celebrities endorsing the brand on Instagram.
I’m a big fan of Jen Atkins who does hair makeovers for A-class celebs like Madonna, Lindsay Lohan, Bella Hadid and many more.
So when she shared a post that endorsed SLIP saying this …
“I give SLIP out to all my friends and clients. It’s a must-have for everyone.”
I was immediately on it. I went to check what’s this cool new brand was all about.
And I was completely sold.
Slip has a cult following with celebrities like:
- Cindy Crawford
- Kendall Jenner
- Kim Kardashian-West
- Rose Huntington-Whiteley
- Emily Ratajkowki
- And Victoria Beckham
Wow!
There must be something to it.
And if that’s not enough, they won numerous awards in the beauty space too!
Slip is also endorsed by Dr. Dennis Gross, a world-renowned Dermatologist who highly recommends it for healthy and glowing skin.
So what makes SLIP so good and how does it help you sleep better at night after a keratin treatment without having to worry about your hair?
Zero Friction = Zero Frizz = Straight Hair All Night Long
The SLIP silk pillowcase does not ruffle your hair while you sleep.
Honestly, this is the most important thing to consider after your keratin treatment. You need to let your hair down as much as possible.
Don’t let it crease, bend, or tangle during its setting phase.
Unfortunately, most of us wake up like we’ve just put our finger into an electric socket.
So why does your hair end up like this after sleeping?
The answer may surprise you.
Cotton and polyester pillowcases.
That’s right!
Most of us sleep on cotton or polyester fabrics.
These fabrics literally absorb all the moisture and night cream you put on your face or oils and serums you put in your hair.
To make it worse, their textures are rough and abrasive, which cause the hair to drag along with them whenever you shuffle around.
Let’s be honest, we all end up in weird and awkward positions when we sleep.
So shuffling around, friction catching and tugging your hair, cotton draining the natural moisture from your hair, all add up to a frizzy morning.
Plus let’s not forget, cotton also warms up, which makes your scalp sweat.
Silk, on the other hand, doesn’t get warm or cold.
Silk Regulates Temperature
For those who tend to get sweaty at night, it won’t help with your keratin treatment if your scalp sweats.
Think about it.
You are not allowed water anywhere near your hair for the first few days after your keratin treatment.
When your scalp sweats, it melts the keratin in your hair. To make it worse, friction against a cotton pillowcase can strip keratin off.
So you’re more likely to see your cotton pillowcase turn yellowish after a few days.
But I can guarantee you this doesn’t happen with a silk pillowcase.
Why?
Because silk is an excellent temperature regulator.
The material neither heats up nor cools down. It stays constant throughout the night.
According to Lexie Sachs, Associate Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Textile labs, silk fibers are inherently temperature-regulating.
Unlike cotton, silk wicks moisture away to keep you dry and cool all night long.
Silk is Also Chemical-Free and Naturally-Sourced
Because of the high demand for cotton, these plants are sprayed with pesticides to protect them from insects and maximize their harvest.
Silk, on the other hand, is a natural textile woven from the protein chains that worm cocoons make.
These worms are raised in environments where no pesticides are used.
Therefore, the whole production line of silk goes through a chemical-free process.
Silk Doesn’t Accumulate Dirt and Grime
Here’s a question for you?
How often do you wash your pillowcases?
My guess is: Not every day.
Here’s one thing you need to know about cotton and polyester fabrics.
They are porous materials. By just stroking the texture alone, you can tell they accumulate dust and all sorts of dirt.
Now, imagine what happens night after night when your skin moisturizer and hair serums accumulate on your pillowcases.
Then there is the case of dust sticking to them throughout the day!
Dirt and grime make your pillowcase surface an easy breeding ground for bacteria, which in turn gets to your skin causing problems like acne.
Some people, to an extent, even become allergic to cotton pillowcases for these reasons.
Silk surface is non-porous.
The material is tightly woven at around 22000 microfilaments per square inch.
And it can only absorb a maximum of about 11% of its own weight in moisture.
With less absorbency, it doesn’t get dirty as fast as cotton materials.
Silk is, therefore, more resistant to dirt, grime, dust, fungus, and mold.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wash your silk pillowcases.
It’s just a better and more hygienic alternative than cotton and requires fewer washes.
Silk is Easy to Care For
Yes, silk does require some special handling when washing, but it’s nothing complicated.
Just follow the instructions on your silk product label and do it accordingly.
Bonus: Your silk pillowcase will also dry much faster than cotton ones, and it doesn’t need ironing either.
Silk Feels Luxurious and Soft to the Touch
Nothing feels more blissful than laying your head on silk at night after a long hard day.
It personally makes me drift into a peaceful sleep.
[me author=”charlene” label=”Confession”] I also use the SLIP silk mask to prevent dark circles and wrinkles around my eyes.[/me]
Call me shallow, but I couldn’t resist getting one after seeing Kendall Jenner flashing it on Instagram. I’ll be honest with you, it has definitely helped sooth the area around my eyes. No dark circles or puffiness.
BTW: You can also buy the eye mask personalized with your star sign!
SLIP Silk Eye Mask
All in all, the delicate and impeccable silk cradling your hair and skin is an experience in itself.
You would want to stay in bed all day!
Another important point I wanted to add here is ..
Silk has the same pH level as the skin and hair. Which means over time, it protects and keeps the hydration levels in good balance.
Ok, I think this is probably too much silk-overload info.
You have to try it to see what it’s all about.
Does it pay to sleep on silk?
Hell yes!
I wouldn’t go back to cotton, and it especially helps when you’ve just had a hair makeover.
I highly recommend sleeping on a silk pillowcase after a keratin treatment.
In fact:
Most hair professional hairstylist recommends you do this.
To recap, here are the reasons why you should get a silk pillowcase:
- It keeps your face smooth and prevents wrinkles
- It does not leech moisture for your hair and skin
- It doesn’t absorb natural oils from your skin and hair
- It prevents hair from frizzing
- It doesn’t create friction in your hair
- It’s hypoallergenic
- It’s more hygienic and doesn’t accumulate dust and grime
- It’s pH balanced
My Next Secret – The Boar Bristle Brush
Before you go to sleep on the day you’ve had your keratin treatment, I highly recommend you run a boar bristle brush through your hair.
Read: Can you brush your hair after a keratin treatment?
But be super gentle.
The idea is to separate your strands as much as possible and don’t let them stick together.
Brushing with a boar bristle brush also stimulates your scalp to normalize sebum production so that your hair doesn’t get too oily in patches.
Look:
I use a boar bristle brush every night before I go to sleep. It’s my nightly ritual, and it definitely keeps my hair sleek and tangle-free.
Loosen up your hair before you go to bed.
A boar bristle brush is a must-have.
Remember: Brush to loosen and stimulate.
Never brush to fix kinks and knots.
Denman Boar Bristle Brush
Mistakes to Avoid When Sleeping After a Keratin Treatment
- Never put your hair up before sleep
- Never wrap your hair
- Do not blow-dry your hair before sleep
- Do not use any spray in your hair before sleep
Just leave your hair down, sleep on a flat back, and let your silk pillowcase take care of the rest.
Brush your hair as soon as you wake up as well.
What If Your Hair Still Creases up in the Morning?
Don’t panic.
Gently untangle with your fingers.
Then brush to make your hair straight.
Use a hair straightener at no more than 180°C to flatten your hair.
What If Your Scalp Feels Sweaty After You Wake Up?
Blow-dry in the morning, but don’t wash.
If your hair feels gross and dirty, use a dry shampoo like Klorane (which I use).
Klorane Dry Shampoo
It’s sulfate-free and contains only the finest botanical ingredients.
Dry shampoo also does an excellent job at soaking up excess oiliness on the scalp to make sure your hair stays dry and grease-free throughout the day.
How Do You Sleep After a Keratin Treatment?
So there you have it.
My advice on how to sleep with a new keratin treatment without messing up your hair.
It’s all about what you’re sleeping on that makes the difference.
Just lay your head on a silk pillowcase, and make sure you loosen up your hair with a brush and enjoy the new passive beauty sleep.
Once you’ve tried the SLIP silk pillowcase – you’ll be hooked.
And the best thing …
You’ll soon realize how easy it is to style your hair in the morning.
About the Author
Charlene LatreuilleCharlene Latreuille has been blogging for over 10 years and has a background in digital marketing.
Specializing in women's hair health, she blends scientific insight with practical advice, crafting easy-to-follow guides.