Could the answer to all of our skincare woes be as simple as new linens? Some recent product launches would have us believe so. From copper in your pillowcase to aloe in your mattress, new products are making big promises in the skincare market. Whether or not these products can live up to those claims remains to be seen, however. Let’s take a look at a few of the claims and see how they stack up.

Copper in your linens

Copper has been used in skincare products for years and works with your skin to help boost collagen production. But in your pillowcase? According to at least two new products, copper incorporated into the weave of the fabric on these pillowcases can do just that. Certainly there has not been enough research to substantiate the advertising claims (although to be fair, that statement includes most beauty products to one degree or another). However, we do know that enzymes in your skin can use copper to actually produce collagen and elastin, which can help repair your skin from damage – including everything from acne to age spots, fine lines to crow’s feet and all the wrinkles in between. There are a variety of environmental and age factors that curb your body’s production of these two age fighters, so anything that helps stimulate their production is a good thing. Of course, it remains to be seen if copper alloy embedded in the fibers of your bedding is really the best delivery system. Using a night cream that includes copper in the ingredients seems like a safer (or at least more productive) bet to us.

Soy in your pillow

You have your soy latte, but have you considered a soy pillow? According to some manufacturer claims, a soy pillow can help your skin fight the signs of aging and even benefit your hair and your nails. There is some truth to the beauty benefits of soy. Research has shown that that chemicals in soy can help accelerate your skin’s natural exfoliation process. This, of course brings new (undamaged) skin cells to the forefront for a fresher more youthful look. Soy also helps decrease pigmentation. However, incorporating the soy into a pillow seems to be a very passive way of getting the soy into your cells to renew your skin. Again, a cream seems to us to be a better delivery method.

Aloe in your mattress

Aloe is most often associated with healing skin trauma – whether it be a sunburn or a cut. Some manufacturer claims may inflate the benefit of aloe to healthy skin, but the reality is that it is a useful ingredient in moisturizers. So while it certainly doesn’t hurt your skin and can certainly help after a chemical peel or a bad sunburn (which you should never get, by the way), having the soy in the mattress, which gets covered by a mattress pad, sheets and then whatever you wear to sleep in, we wonder if any of the aloe actually comes in contact with the skin it’s supposed to be helping. Again, if you’re looking for the healing properties of aloe, it’s best to apply it directly to your skin.

The bottom line

Incorporating beauty aids into your linens and pillows is probably not the best use of your beauty budget. Buy some good moisturizers and night creams and with the money you save on not buying a new mattress, buy some high thread count sheets and feel great while your beauty products do their work.

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