Here are the best ways to protect and preserve your curls while sleeping! I discuss silk pillowcases, the “pineapple” method, silk scarves, and (my personal favorite) sleep bonnets!

How do you protect your curls while you sleep?

I don’t know about you, but I can have a great day hair and the only reason I have to “fix” my hair again the next day is because I slept on it.

Is there anything you can do so your curls don’t get frizzy or stretched out while you sleep?

This is especially a concern if you have fine hair like me — or curls that aren’t so strong (again like me) — because not only is frizz a problem, you can completely lose your curls due to getting flattened or stretched out during the night.

So what can you do?

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I’ve tried many different ways to protect my curls while sleeping. Here are a few!

(Side note: even though satin is cheaper, it’s synthetic, so that’s while you’ll always hear me referring to SILK for hair and body accessories.)

1. Pillowcase Options

First of all, always sleep on a silk pillowcase… never cotton!

But even that isn’t enough because you’ll still most like rub on it during the night, causing a bit of frizz and stretching out or flattening your curls.

I think sleeping on a silk pillowcase “bare” (meaning nothing extra on your hair or head) is the baseline for preventing damage and excessively drying out your hair.

Here is my favorite silk pillowcase. Use code WARDEE to get 10% off!

2. The “Pineapple”

But what about protecting the curls from getting stretched out or drying out?

Many curlies put their hair up in a “pineapple”:  a loose bun on the top of their head using a silk scrunchie (like this; use code WARDEE to get 10% off).

I think that works if you have really strong curls that don’t easily get stretched out. With fine hair like mine, the curls go flat plus you might end up with a mark where the scrunchie was.

So what’s the best solution? It’s actually a silk sleep bonnet … or sleep cap. Which leads me to option #3…

3. Sleep Bonnets

I have two bonnets from Lily Silk (use code WARDEE10 for 10% off through June 30, 2023).

from left to right: the “concise style” and “double luxury” sleep bonnets

First is the “concise style” sleep cap with a band around the front and elastic gathers at back, plus these ties to help cinch it to the right size around your head. I started out using this bonnet and it works very well. I like that the front of it has a band instead of flounces (just in terms of looks). My only downside for this bonnet is that because my hair is fine, I felt it easily slipped off during the night. I couldn’t secure it as well as I wanted.

My other silk sleep bonnet is the “double luxury” and it’s my FAVORITE. The elastic fits snugly (but doesn’t hurt) and doesn’t slip off, and most importantly, it’s lined (there are 2 layers) so it’s more substantial than the other cap. I find it protects my curls more and helps them keep their shape better because it’s stronger.

I don’t love how I look wearing a bonnet to sleep at night, but I *do* love that I can get two full days (sometimes 3) out of a hairstyle if I do. The 2nd morning, I don’t have to fix my hair at all. Just remove bonnet and rearrange my curls to suit. The 3rd morning, I do have to refresh a bit with water and/or curl cream. It’s still all so much easier and quicker if I wear the bonnet at night, so I highly recommend it!

You might balk at the cost. But please understand, a silk bonnet is an investment that will last for many years. Not only protecting your hair from damage, but helping you look better, too! Be sure to use my code WARDEE10 for 10% off through June 30, 2023!

4. Head Scarves

You can also tie your hair up at night in a silk scarf! This may be a good budget option for you if you’re not ready to purchase a silk bonnet yet.

Here’s how to use a silk scarf to protect your curly or wavy hair overnight.

5. Buffs

I’ve also tried “buffs”. They utilize recycled silk for the lining and a stretchy material for the outer layer. You wear these on your head at night as a tube. While this definitely stays on my head and prevents frizz, my curls get pretty much completely smoothed out… not what I want. Plus, because it’s tight to my head, when I take it off in the morning, I feel like it introduces static electricity. Not too much but enough to bother me.

Lots of curlies swear by buffs, so if your hair isn’t so fine and if your curls are stronger than mine, this might be perfect for you. I wanted to love this, but sadly, it just wasn’t right for me.

Here is a link to the silk buff I bought (using recycled silk).

How to Protect Curls While Sleeping With a Silk Bonnet

Some ladies put their hair in a scrunchie inside the bonnet, but again, I think they must have stronger curls. So you can do that if you want, but I don’t.

I bend my head over (and I have to make sure I do this part quickly because of my neck issues), gather my hair on top, then put stretch the bonnet over all my hair from the nape of my neck to the top of my head. Come right side up, then tuck in any wispy ends. The “softer” my hair is, the harder this is. 😉

I also wear a sleep mask at night and that goes over the bonnet at the back around to my eyes.

You can also wear a hair bonnet when exercising or napping, but I don’t usually.

Need Help?

And if you need any help with your hair routine, making your curls look their best, and/or products for your hair type and issues, go here!

God bless you! Bye-bye!