Silk or Satin?

Which is better for hair?

  • Total voters
    200
I have been told plenty of times that silk is better for the hair, but from my experience both are better than cotton or nothing at all. I also think that those polyester bonnets/scarfs are just as good too because of the smooth finish as appose to cotton, etc...

Lately I've been prefering silk over the satin/polyester bonnets. I actually made my own from some silk I had left over from last summer.
 
I prefer silk scarves, bonnets and pillow cases. The satin scarves and bonnets that I've purchased in the past were rather rough feeling fabric.
 
My hair too seems to prefer the silk to the satin. If I could find a SILK doo rag, I'd buy them in bulk!
 
VWVixxen said:
My hair too seems to prefer the silk to the satin. If I could find a SILK doo rag, I'd buy them in bulk!
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Sounds like a profitable business venture for you or someone! ;)
 
I voted Satin...my current bonnet is a really great satin number I found at the BSS. I've got the silk from tenderheaded.com also but I like the way my satin scarf retains my moisture and is thicker.

I think a good quality satin can't be beat for texture, durability and price and moisture preservation as silk varies greatly in thickness and texture. I think a silk bonnet as thick and smooth as my satin one would be a lil pricey.

Chayil
 
VWVixxen said:
My hair too seems to prefer the silk to the satin. If I could find a SILK doo rag, I'd buy them in bulk!
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I had originally posted my silk & satin-silk scarf source in another thread, but you might be interested:

I use plain white silk scarves that I order from an online craft place — they're inexpensive and if you don't like white, you can paint or dye them whatever colors you like: http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/3273-AA.shtml

I use the lightweight Habotai silk scarves (30"x30" for $2.50 ea.) for sleeping and the heavier satin silk scarves (30"x30" for $3.69 ea.) to wear under my wool hats.

They also have plain white silk Charmeuse pillowcases for $9.95:
http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/en...=clothing.html
 
just_DSP said:
I had originally posted my silk & satin-silk scarf source in another thread, but you might be interested:




Thank you sooo very much!!! I just ordered from them....The biggest one they had...:eek: Large head:D :D
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I use a Silk scarf that my mother use to use back in the day (80's Versace scarf). It leaves my hair very smooth and soft. I also have silk sheets and pillows, but in the summer it gets kinda hot in those sheets. But a girls got to do what a girls got to do for that length and strength!
 
I use satin silk or the polyester but my fav is the silk. Don't laugh but this is what I did. I had an old sexy lingerie slip that I out grew. so I cut it up and turned it into a head scarf. I've used it so much it's kinda raggedy now. I need to do this again.
 
Mook's hair said:
I use satin silk or the polyester but my fav is the silk. Don't laugh but this is what I did. I had an old sexy lingerie slip that I out grew. so I cut it up and turned it into a head scarf. I've used it so much it's kinda raggedy now. I need to do this again.
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I would have done the same thing...So it is ok.
 
I took a pair of silk pj's my hubby bought me many years ago, and made several silk scarves out of them!

Mook's hair said:
I use satin silk or the polyester but my fav is the silk. Don't laugh but this is what I did. I had an old sexy lingerie slip that I out grew. so I cut it up and turned it into a head scarf. I've used it so much it's kinda raggedy now. I need to do this again.
Click to expand...
 
I buy up silks (scarves and shirts) second hand at a GoodWill's, flea markets, etc. put them through a good bleach for unbleachables wash cycle and I have all the scarves I need. Seeing as I put them on my hair and they do soak up oil and moisture, silk costs too much to be paying big bucks to get them oily. Otherwise for real silk scarves here I could pay anywhere from $15 plus a pop! up to $75 a scarf.!!! I go through a scarf a day, and just throw them in the wash when I have about 5 that need to be washed. I have about 10 scarves for evdryday wear. I use the more costly ones with a suit of t.neck sweater or coat. bonjour
 
Neroli said:
Silk is a natural fabric. Satin is NOT a fabric, but rather a FINISH or WEAVE that can be use on almost ANY synthetic or natural fabric. Natural fabrics include cotton, silk, wool, etc. Synthetic fabrics include polyester, nylon, rayon, etc.

Satin is very tightly woven finish which provides one of the smoothest, seamless finish to most fabrics (chiffon is also a very smooth finish or weave, and NOT a fabric).

Thus, you can have a satin cotton, satin silk, satin polyester, etc.

Silk can have a variety of "finishes" from a smooth seamless satin finish to a rough texture 100 woven silk sweater -- all silks are NOT necessarily smooth textured -- it depends on the weave/finish.

I find that satin silks don't stay on my head at night because they're too "slippery" but satin polyesters or chiffon polyesters do a great job. IMO, as long as the FINISH is smooth and seamless (look for "satin" or "chiffon" finishes), your hair is gonna be fine. I tried the satin silks and just can't keep them on, plus, they're expensive to buy AND maintain -- most of the satin silks have to dry cleaned, whereas my satin polyesters can be hand washed and are waaaay cheaper. Unfortunately, a lot on-line retailers just say "satin" and DON'T make the distinction between FABRIC and FINISH and I have to call and ask what kind of FABRIC is it? If they can't tell me, I don't buy.

I hope this helps clear some of the confusion between "satin" and "silk". . .
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^^^ this. I was also wondering whether silk or polyester satin would be better. I assume that we want the fabric to:

1. Be smooth so hair glides along it (any satin would be fine as long as it feels smooth, I would think).

2. Be non-absorbent so it is not drawing moisture from hair (polyester should be better for this- silk is absorbent, polyester is not).

3. Be tightly woven so hair doesn't get caught in it. Satin is tightly woven so I don't think this would be a problem w/ silk or poly. I would think that chiffon would be too loosely woven, but I don't know (never tried it).

My guess is that polyester satin would be the best fabric to use, but I have never done a comparison. I'm thinking about buying or making both and trying them out.
 
The poll is misleading because it suggests that satin and silk are two different materials; that's not the case. Like Neroli said, satin can be made out of many different materials, including silk. Satin just means the finish.

My scarves that I sleep in are 100% silk satin (i.e the finish is satin; the fabric is silk) and I personally feel that they are much, much smoother, more buttery, and more seamless than the synthetic satin bonnets, scarves, durags, and caps from the drugstore and BSS. Honestly, there is no comparison--the latter feel soft on their own but when put up against a well-finished silk satin, silk satin is sooooooo much smoother!
 
I have a scarf thats striped and alternates with silk and satin in the scarf. I love my scarf and its worked for me for years. Because of the two textures it air dries very quickly. I also have a satin pillow case. Sometimes if I'm lazy I ditch the scarf, but I have noticed that my hair stays softer with my satin and silk scarf then when I just lay on the satin pillow case by itself.
 
Satin is great but silk is better. It's also better for your skin as well. Everyone should try sleeping on a silk pillowcase or using a silk hair scarf.
 
I vote for satin all the way. I tried silk a few times I my hair was a bit dried out and not as soft.
 
im going to have to vote for silk, but it may be the design of the product I use. My pretty wrap is made of charmeuse silk and it is a life saver. Technically this has a satin finish but its doesnt feel like regular polyester satin and stuff. Its better than bonnetts and scarves. I dont like satin. Whatever they use for typical doo rags and satin scarves makes me cringe when I touch it. I dont like the texture at all. Some are better than others but you wont ever see me stroking it.

Now the silk on my pretty wrap it so nice. Its not too slick but its definitely not rough. Its also very breathable and my scalp doesnt sweat. This is very important since I wear my hair stright and im long term transitioning. Satin makes me sweat. My hair feels really really soft after wearing silk and but I cant say the same for satin. Also after a 2 or 3 weeks I have to wash my silk pretty wrap because it really holds on to my natural oils. This is good though. I dont have to oil/moisturize my hair daily because my wrap does it for me. Satin just doesnt cut it for me.
 
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delp said:
Silk,
Marshalls or TJ Max usually sale good silk scarves
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I got a bunch of silk scarves from Century 21 for cheap. Any of the last seasons designer stores will sell them for a good price. I have some that don't stay on my head and I simply put a cheap stretchy satin cap over it. You can get those at any beauty supply store. I've never had a problem with it being too hot and I really don't notice it at all.
 
I vote for silk coz it's a natural fiber fabric. The silk fibers can even condition your own hair (tip I read on this board). If you buy silk by the yard at a fabric store it's affordable. You can also cut up old silk shirts you already own or get them from the thrift store - and have silk scarves for cheap.
 
I notice when I sleep in my silk scarf(and manage to keep it on all night:) my hair holds moisture better. My satin scarf stays on my head better. So I would choose satin to sleep in because silk is no good to me if it ends up on the floor:) I normally just where my silk one around the house, when doing yard work, ect. BTW I am a rough sleeper:)
 
100% silk is far better for the hair than satin/sateen IMO. Satin tends to fall of my head at night and I get dry spots from my cotton pillowcase. Satin pillowcases are ok but increases acne on my oily skin. Silk scarves stay on my head and condition my hair better and I can still sleep on cotton.
 
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