These Silk Sheets Made My Dry Winter Skin So Much Smoother
Whether you’re hoping to keep your skin clearer or eliminate bedhead altogether, we’ve got great news: The best silk sheets can do it all and more. The slick, naturally hypoallergenic material has been popular for decades, with fans (including tons of Glamour editors and the dermatologists we interviewed) reporting fewer wrinkles, less hair breakage, and smoother skin overall. And this time of year, we’ll take all the help we can get in those departments. Plus, the material is seriously cooling and temperature-regulating, making it ideal for hot sleepers.
If you’re ready to graduate from your silk pillowcase into a full sheet set, you’ve come to the right place. Our editors have been hard at work testing some of the most popular silk sheets on the market, evaluating them on looks, benefits, and value. Long story short: Our overall favorite is Quince’s mulberry silk sheet set, which is notably cheaper than similar all-silk options and offers easy cleaning and high-quality finishings. For a cheaper entry point, we also recommend Thxsilk’s sheets, which blend mulberry silk and modal for a finish almost indistinguishable from 100% silk.
Here’s everything to know about investing in silk sheets before you spend hundreds of dollars—plus in-depth feedback on our five top picks.
The best silk sheets we tested, at a glance
What are the benefits of silk sheets?
“Silk is a natural material that is breathable and soft,” says Kseniya Kobets, MD, director of cosmetics dermatology at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care, “making it beneficial to the skin and hair. It offers less friction and more coolness than cotton or rougher fabrics, so it’s a good choice for those with sensitive skin and eczema, while decreasing wrinkles and reducing hair frizz and hair breakage.”
Plus, silk is resistant to mold, fungus, dust mites, and other allergens, meaning it’s considered hypoallergenic; one small 2019 study found that silk clothing corresponded with a “significant decrease” in symptoms among adults struggling with atopic dermatitis, a chronic skin condition.
Are silk sheets worth it?
While you can pick up a nice silk pillowcase for less than $30, silk sheets are a huge step up in price because they use so much more of the material. We’ve found that 100% silk sets start at around $500 and can stretch above $1,000, depending on size, design, and quality. (Silk blends start at around $200; viscose, around $100; and polyester satin, $25. The skin and hair benefits are similar to silk, although they might not be as dramatic.)
Obviously, they’re a big investment, especially for products with a lifespan of about five years or less. (Dr. Kobets recommends replacing them as frequently as every 18 months.) But silk sheets can be a game-changer for anyone looking to reduce frizzy hair or who has dry, acne-prone, or sensitive skin; our testers quickly noticed genuine improvements in both. If you’re hesitant about investing, try to think about it in terms of cost per use—you spend a ton of life in your bed, so it might end up costing pennies per night in the long run.
Are there any disadvantages to silk sheets?
The main drawback to silk sheets is that they’re prone to staining: “Oils and makeup can embed into the silk fabric, making [them] difficult to remove completely,” Dr. Kobets says. “You may notice spots even after thoroughly washing.” We’ve also found that they tend to wrinkle after washing—but you can hit them with a steamer to get them looking fresh. Frequent washing removes some of silk’s luster, and you’ll probably get up to five years of use with proper care before having to buy a fresh set.
Momme count measures the density, and therefore relative quality, of silk. It’s similar to thread count; a higher number means denser threads (and a larger price tag). Silk sheets tend to run from 19 momme (great for beginners) to 25 momme (very smooth), although you can find up to 30 momme. Mulberry silk, which is produced by silkworms fed only mulberry leaves, is widely regarded as the highest quality silk; longer and more uniform fibers make the fabric longer-lasting.
Is 25 momme better than other types of silk?
While 25 momme is pretty much the gold standard—the right balance between price and quality before the difference gets harder to notice—our testers were blown away by the 22-momme silk sheets we tested, including Quince’s list-topping option. To the layperson, there isn’t a big enough difference between 22 and 25 to justify us telling you to go higher.
Unlike other brands that test in labs, we actually sent over a dozen top-reviewed silk sheet sets home with five Glamour staffers, putting them through four months of in-home use. That means real sleep, real washing (they were all washed at least 5 times), real skin, and real feedback. All silk sheets here were tested by at least one Glamour staff member; a few were tested by multiple people. On top of our own empirical data, we also took online reviews into account to provide a fuller picture of each sheet set.
We slept in them with our normal skin and hair—meaning makeup residue, unwashed roots, and oily skin—and assesed stains, then monitored how they came out in the wash. We also looked to see if the colors ran, how the material held up after washes, and whether our bodies caused the silk to pill.
There aren’t a ton of 100% silk sheets on the market these days, and our list reflects that; we tested pure mulberry silk, silk blends, and materials like viscose and polyester satin that mimic the feel and benefits of silk. All prices reflect queen-size sheet sets. Meet our testers below:
1. Best Overall: Quince Mulberry Silk Sheet Set
Editor review: Quince has recently skyrocketed to viral fame for offering high-end products at lower than typical prices, and its popular silk sheets is one of the better deals to be had. It’s made from 100% pure mulberry silk, and while still most certainly a splurge, where other brands charge $700 or more for a full set, this one is $500. If you’re looking for 22-momme silk, this one is a good value.
“Laying down in these sheets feels like sleeping on a cloud. They’re so soft to the touch and, for lack of a better term, silky,” says Lauren Brown, Glamour’s senior visuals editor, who raves that they gave her the most luxurious night’s sleep she’s experienced. “The tan was subtle and looked gorgeous in my room. The quality is so high that they’re super-easy to launder, too. After washing, they really held up perfectly in terms of quality and feel. I have been sleeping with a silk pillowcase for years to protect my curls, so there was no change there—but I do think there’s been a benefit for my skin, since I seem to wake up less oily. You’ll feel rich laying in these sheets.” Because Quince’s sheets have all the bells and whistles of higher-priced silk bedding sets (including 100% natural material that won’t exacerbate allergies or skin issues) with a remarkably lower price tag, they’re solidly our first recommendation for beginners and silk obsessives alike.
2. Best on Amazon: Thxsilk Mulberry Silk Sheet Set
Editor review: If you’re not quite ready to invest many hundreds of dollars in silk bedsheets, this set is a great place to start: It’s woven from a blend of silk and modal that Glamour commerce editor Jake Henry Smith says “feels identical to 19-momme silk.” (Modal, by the way, is a semi-synthetic form of viscose made from beech tree pulp, and it feels very similar to silk.) Plus, if you’re hoping to go all the way, the brand also sells a silk duvet cover.
“While there could be a bit more silk in the mix for the price, I still believe this set offers great value. On top of offering a luxurious feel, it’s packaged very nicely—it essentially arrives in a gift box,” Smith continues. “It’s as cool to the touch as the real stuff, which is a temperature-regulating godsend for hot sleepers like me. The fitted sheet’s deep pockets are a little too big for my mattress, meaning they’re more likely to slip out when you’re shifting in bed. The material is just as wrinkle-prone as full silk, but it’s incredibly easy to steam to return it to normal; it relaxed so much more quickly than the modal and cotton sheets I’ve tested. It strikes me as a little odd that there’s no wide seam at the top of the flat sheet to denote placement. But this might end up being a plus if the top sheet starts to stain or pill. Overall, I’m genuinely impressed by this Amazon find—it’s well worth the investment.”
3. Best for Skin & Hair: Mulberry Park Silks 22-Momme Silk Sheet Set
Woven from high-quality silk—22-momme mulberry silk at grade 6A, the highest rating possible, to be exact—this sheet set is the softest and slickest we tested.
Editor review: “The sheets are extremely soft right out of the box and even after washing; they were easy to clean with other sheets and held up fine. Once you lay on the sheets, they feel slippery and cool to the touch,” says Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle, who says they’re also ideal for hot sleepers. “My thick, wavy hair wasn’t as frizzy as usual each morning.”
While Calle thought the texture made it tough to sleep with a partner, Glamour editorial assistant Monique Wilson called it “not too slippery” and “smooth, but in a good way. Cleaning was easy—I used the delicate setting on my washer, which helped the sheets hold up well. Stains come out with a wash, but still have faint visibility. My skin definitely felt smoother after a few nights.” Perhaps as a side effect of its extreme sheen and softness, this set seems especially prone to wrinkles, snags, and pilling, especially if you have facial hair. But because this Mulberry Park Silks pick is so slippery, that means it’s best equipped to address all of your hair and skin concerns, as our testers experienced.
4. Best Silk Alternative: Luxome Luxury Sheet Set
Bamboo sheets can actually mimic silk very closely when they feature a sateen weave; Luxome’s viscose set, for example, feels like low-momme silk without the headache of hand-washing. Whether you’re a vegan or you prefer luxury bedding that’s cheaper than proper silk, this pick is a great alternative.
Editor review: “I immediately noticed that Luxome’s sheets were a little warmer and ever-so-slightly rougher than real silk, so this is not the right pick for anyone who wants the coolest or slipperiest sheets on the market. (I actually prefer sheets with a little more friction than silk, so this bamboo was just right for me), Glamour’s Smith says. “But the downsides stopped there. I tested these in the middle of a cold, and the impressive moisture-wicking and smooth texture came in handy for night sweats and fitful sleep. I woke up with way less bedhead than usual, and my acne-prone skin felt clean and smooth despite not getting the best sleep experience. My favorite detail is an elastic strap at each corner of the fitted sheet, which keeps the whole thing firmly in place. The head and bottom of the fitted sheet are also marked by tags. It’s the attention to detail that really sets these sheets apart.”
5. Best Budget: Bedsure Satin Sheets
Hoping to get a similar feel to silk and spend less than $50? Bedsure’s satin sheet set is your best bet. Because it’s made from polyester, a manmade material, it’ll be warmer at night, less moisture-wicking, and won’t be biodegradable—but the tradeoff is that they’re cheaper and much easier to launder. Beginners, start here.
Editor review: “These sheets are slippery, cool to the touch, and thin,” Glamour’s Brown says. Glamour designer Channing Smith found that they’re pretty wrinkle-resistant, as far as silk and satin go. “The sheets held up well in the wash, but they had minor pilling and lost a bit of their texture,” she says. “I love the texture for my hair, which was less frizzy when I slept on these sheets, but I didn’t notice much difference for my skin.” In the end, we recommend these sheets if you’re looking for the most affordable entry-point.
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