KEMA Column
During the day, you worry about UV rays, you apply oil before blow-drying, and you even use intensive treatments on the weekends. And yet, for some reason, the hair at the back is prone to tangling, or you notice a lot of breakage at the nape of your neck. The cause of this might just be what happens "while you sleep."
We spend many hours sleeping every single night. During that time, our hair is constantly trapped between our head and the pillow. While we may pay close attention to our hair care while awake, what happens while we sleep is often surprisingly overlooked. In this article, we will explain what happens to your hair while you sleep and introduce "night hair care" habits to protect it.
What you will learn in this article
- The damage your hair sustains while you sleep
- Why "sleeping with wet hair" is the absolute worst thing you can do
- 5 night hair care steps you can start tonight
- How to tie up your hair by length and how to choose pillowcase materials
Table of Contents
- What happens to your hair while you sleep
- The biggest "don't": sleeping with wet hair
- 5 steps for night hair care
- How to style your hair for sleep? A guide by length
- Talking about materials: pillowcases and nightcaps
- Nighttime is also time to pamper your scalp
- The fastest way to fix morning bedhead
- Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to your hair while you sleep
People toss and turn many times while they sleep. While turning over is an important movement for the body, the situation is a bit different for your hair.
Every time you toss and turn, your hair is pressed against the pillowcase under the weight of your head, causing friction. Even though the friction from each movement is slight, when repeated for hours every single night, the cuticle (the scale-like membrane covering the hair's surface) is gradually damaged. This friction is considered one of the reasons why the hair at the back of your head and nape is prone to tangling or becoming dry.
Furthermore, you sweat while you sleep. If your scalp remains in a stuffy state, it becomes prone to stickiness and odors. The time you spend sleeping is actually more grueling for your hair and scalp than you might think.
The biggest "don't": sleeping with wet hair
When talking about night hair care, this is the first thing I want to mention. You come home exhausted, you can't be bothered to use the hair dryer, and you just fall asleep as is. I completely understand that feeling, but this is the habit you most want to avoid for your hair. There are three reasons why.
- Increased friction damage: Wet hair has an open cuticle and is in a very delicate state. In that defenseless state, it rubs against the pillow all night long.
- A stuffy scalp: If a damp scalp stays in contact with a pillow for a long time, it becomes prone to stickiness and odors.
- Severe bedhead: Hair remembers the shape it takes as it dries. If it dries in the shape it was pressed into against the pillow, that becomes your bedhead. If you use a high-temperature iron to fix it in the morning, you add even more heat damage.
"It's mostly dry, so it's fine"—this semi-dry state is actually something to be careful about. Even if the ends are dry, the roots and the back of the head, where hair is dense, tend to remain damp. What you really should be drying thoroughly is the roots.
5 steps for night hair care
So, what should you do before going to sleep? I have summarized the process from before the bath until you get into bed into 5 steps.
1Brush before your bath
When dry, gently brush from the ends. Removing the day's dust and tangles beforehand improves the lather of your shampoo and prevents tangles while washing.
2Wash gently and nourish with treatment
Lather your shampoo well and wash without scrubbing. Apply treatment mainly from the mid-lengths to the ends, and rinse thoroughly to ensure no residue is left behind.
3After towel-drying, use a leave-in treatment
After blotting away moisture with a towel, apply a leave-in treatment from the mid-lengths to the ends. It doesn't just protect against the heat of the hair dryer; it also plays a role in protecting the hair from friction while you sleep. It's essentially "night cream" for your hair.
4Dry thoroughly, starting from the roots
Start drying from the roots. The back of the head and behind the ears are easily left damp, so make a conscious effort to direct air there. Finishing with cool air helps the style set and makes it easier to notice any damp spots left behind.
5Tie it up loosely and have a good night
If you have long hair, tie it up loosely before sleeping to reduce friction and tangling with the pillow. We will introduce how to tie it in more detail in the next chapter.
Please choose a leave-in treatment for Step 3 that suits your hair type. For those concerned about damage like dryness, split ends, or breakage, we recommend our Miracle Bond Balm, which repairs the inside and coats the outside. For those with fine hair who dislike a heavy finish, a lightweight Leave-In Balm is recommended.
KEMA Miracle Bond Balm
A high-repair leave-in treatment that repairs the inside with a complex of keratin, silk, and collagen amino acids, and envelops the cuticle with camellia and jojoba oils.
¥4,290 (tax included)
KEMA Leave-In Balm
A lightweight leave-in treatment that blends in effortlessly without weighing hair down. It is non-sticky and easy to incorporate into your daily routine.
¥5,500 (tax included)
How to style your hair for sleep? A guide by length
If you sleep with long hair down, it gets squashed under your back and shoulders, tugging at it, and it tangles every time you toss and turn. Tying it up loosely can significantly reduce friction and tangling. The important thing is "don't tie it tightly." Tying it firmly not only leaves marks but also concentrates stress on the knot, causing breakage.
| Hair Length/Style | Recommended Method |
|---|---|
| Long | Loosely braid it to the side or back. Alternatively, a loose bun on top of your head keeps it from hitting the pillow. |
| Medium | Tie loosely into a single ponytail at a low position. If it's not long enough to tie, a nightcap is also convenient. | Short/Bob | No need to tie it up. Instead, the keys are drying it thoroughly and choosing the right pillowcase material. |
| Perm/Wavy | Tying it loosely in a high position prevents the curls from being crushed by the pillow. |
When tying your hair, use a scrunchie made of silk, satin, or another soft, smooth material rather than a thin rubber band; this reduces marks and minimizes stress on your hair.
Talking about materials: pillowcases and nightcaps
Your hair stays in contact with your pillowcase all night long. Rethinking that material is a genuine form of hair care.
Choose pillowcase materials with good "slip"
Standard cotton pillowcases feel nice and are highly absorbent, but they are materials that easily cause friction with hair. On the other hand, materials with smooth surfaces like silk or satin allow hair to glide, reducing friction caused by tossing and turning.
Silk is popular for its feel, but it requires a bit of care. If you want to start easily, it's a good idea to try a satin material that can be machine-washed. Also, sebum, sweat, and hair care products gradually accumulate on pillowcases. It is important to wash them frequently to keep them clean.
The option of a nightcap
A nightcap that fully covers the hair is another way to protect it from pillow friction. The key point when using one is to make sure your hair is completely dry before putting it on. If you wear it while damp, the inside of the cap will become stuffy, which can actually be counterproductive.
Nighttime is also time to pamper your scalp
Don't forget about your scalp in your night routine. In facial skin care, we use toner or milk to condition the skin after washing. Your scalp is skin that is continuous with your face. The idea of conditioning the scalp after shampooing is already widely established in Korean hair care.
KEMA's Scalp Tonic is an item meant to be applied directly to the scalp after shampooing. It provides moisture to a scalp that tends to get out of balance due to dryness or stickiness, keeping it healthy. After towel-drying, apply it to the scalp before blow-drying, and spread it by gently massaging with the pads of your fingers. Don't dig in with your nails; imagine slowly moving the scalp. It also makes for a relaxing end to your day.
The fastest way to fix morning bedhead
Even if you care for your hair well at night, there are mornings when you wake up with bedhead. When that happens, are you just wetting the ends that are sticking out? Actually, the cause of bedhead is rarely the ends, but rather the "direction of the roots."
1Wet the "roots" of the problematic section
Thoroughly dampen the hair starting from the roots using a spray bottle or wet hands. If you have time, applying a warm, wrung-out towel for a few minutes is also effective.
2Re-dry from the roots with a hair dryer
Direct air from above while moving the roots from side to side with your fingers. Once the roots are directed properly, the ends will naturally fall into place.
3Set the style with cool air and finish with a small amount of oil or balm
Finally, hit it with cool air to calm the style down, and apply a small amount of leave-in treatment to the ends, and you're done.
Frequently Asked Questions
I wash my hair in the morning. Is it okay not to wash it at night?
We recommend washing at night if possible. Sleeping with the day's sebum, sweat, dust, and styling products left on causes dirt to accumulate on both your scalp and your pillowcase. If you wash in the morning, make sure to dry your hair thoroughly to the roots before going out.
If I apply oil or balm before sleeping, won't it get on my pillow or skin?
If you apply an appropriate amount from mid-lengths to ends and then dry it thoroughly with a hair dryer, it's rarely an issue. Another key is not to apply too much to the hair around your face and to tie your hair up loosely while sleeping. If you are concerned about the effects on your skin, washing your pillowcase frequently will provide peace of mind.
Aren't nightcaps stuffy?
If you put it on after your hair and scalp are completely dry, you shouldn't feel much stuffiness. If you are still concerned, we recommend using a pillowcase made of smooth material instead of a nightcap.
What if I'm too tired and really can't be bothered with the hair dryer?
Those days happen. Try towel-drying more thoroughly than usual, and at least dry the roots and scalp. Just having dry roots makes a huge difference in scalp stuffiness and the next morning's bedhead. However, please consider this a method for "emergencies only."
How often should I wash my pillowcase?
Since your face and hair touch it every day, we recommend washing it often. A general guideline is at least once a week. Keeping a spare cover ready makes it easier to keep up the habit.
Summary ─ Make your sleeping hours an ally to your hair
Your sleeping hours continue for many hours every night. The friction and stuffiness during that time accumulate night after night, gradually affecting the condition of your hair. But if you dry it thoroughly, protect it with a leave-in treatment, tie it up loosely, and sleep on a smooth pillowcase, these habits will transform your sleeping time from hours that damage your hair into hours that let it rest.
Night care leads to more manageable hair the next morning. Starting tonight, why not begin with simply "drying thoroughly to the roots"? Tomorrow morning, touching your hair in front of the mirror should become something you look forward to a little bit.
Night care, with KEMA
From balms that protect your hair while you sleep to tonics that condition your scalp, check out the KEMA lineup.
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