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Finally say goodbye to bed head...

You’ve finally mastered the art of the at-home blow dry, yet by morning the results seem to have been replaced with frizzy strands and unwanted tangles. Sound familiar? If so, a silk hair wrap might be a very smart investment for you. In fact, these traditional saviours could deliver benefits beyond keeping those curls looking sleek for another day.

Here, we ask the experts to reveal exactly why we should be adding a silk hair wrap into our before-bed routines.

Silk hair wraps have been embedded into certain cultures for years, used for the way they protect hair and keep your style intact through the night.

"Every time we sleep, we toss and turn against abrasive bed linen which can aggravate our hair and cause moisture loss and breakage," says hairstylist Charlotte Mensah. "Wrapping your hair in a silk scarf, (or an easy, ready-made turban) will help to promote healthier and shinier hair."

As hairstylist and co-founder of SILKE London, Maria Sotiriou explains: "Not only is the surface of silk completely smooth, ensuring your delicate hair cuticles glide safely under its protection, but it is also far less absorbent than other materials. This means it won’t strip away the naturally nourishing oils from your hair, like cotton or synthetic satin will."

Really, it couldn't be easier: simply tuck your hair inside before bed, and you’ll wake up to fresher, less tangled hair with a noticeable bounce and brighter shine.

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Even the finest cotton pillowcases have a rough surface, meaning they rub against your hair and create friction while you sleep. This not only creates that dreaded bed head, but roughs up the hair cuticle, leading to frizz, damage and ultimately breakage. And that's not all: as cotton is an absorbent material, it’ll soak up any oils on your head, which may then be transferred onto your skin, leading to breakouts.

Of course, upgrading from cotton to a silk pillowcase is a good start, but a hair wrap offers so many additional benefits.

"Whilst sleeping on a silk pillowcase is great for your skin, it doesn’t have the same overnight conditioning effect of a silk hair wrap," explains Sotiriou. "A wrap cocoons the hair, encasing your naturally forming oils rather than letting them transfer to your pillow. This allows your scalp's oils to be re-distributed along the hair shaft, acting as a naturally nourishing conditioning treatment whilst you sleep." What’s more, with your natural oils no longer concentrated at the roots, greasy hair days could be few and far between – lessening the need to wash.

As Mensah explains, a silk hair wrap can be transformative on hair types that frizz easily overnight. "They're brilliant for curly hair and have been a necessity for Black women for decades," she says. "They help to keep your hair soft, moisturised and free of tangles."

But it’s not just textured hair types that can benefit from a silk hair wrap. "They’re also great to use after you've had a blow dry, as they’ll make the style last longer."

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A quick scroll online will throw up plenty of silk hair wraps for you to choose from, but scrutinise the options and you’ll notice they aren’t all made of real silk. Most at the more affordable end of the spectrum are actually made of satin: so, will this affect the results?

The biggest difference between the two is that satin is a weave and silk is an all-natural fibre – meaning it is much more expensive and luxurious. Silk wraps are a lot more durable which is ideal if you move around a lot in your sleep. But as satin is a synthetic fibre, you can throw it in the washing machine along with the rest of your laundry.

Overall, satin and silk hair wraps yield much of the same results. But be wary of sateen – cotton with a different weave – which can feel as smooth as silk and satin but will sap moisture from the hair and won’t deliver the same protective benefits.

If your hair is especially dry, dull or damaged, you can supercharge the nourishing effects of your silk hair wrap with Mensah’s pro hack. She recommends working a weekly overnight oil treatment into your routine, which "can help to moisturise dry strands, add a glossy shine to hair that’s dull and help repair and protect from damage," she says.

One night a week, apply a nourishing hair oil – Mensah’s own Manketti Oil is perfect – to wet or dry hair, being sure to distribute it evenly throughout your lengths. Wrap it in your silk scarf or turban, and wake up to incredibly soft, nourished hair.

An all-organic, rich and hydrating hair oil that tames frizz and flyaways.

A restorative and concentrated product that aims to repair hair bonds for a sleek and smooth look – great for bleached or heat-damaged hair.

Weleda's Hair Tonic focuses on scalp health and is formulated without any silicones or potentially irritating synthetic fragrances and colors – ideal for those with sensitive skin.

Bumble and Bumble's option is a saviour for curly hair battling frizz and humidity, and the gel-oil texture helps your curls hold their shape and bounce.