Wearing a wig may seem like a simple thing to do, but many quickly realize they can’t simply throw on a wig every day. To get the best out of your wig experience, we have 7 tips to help you!
7 Tips for Wearing Wigs
1. Measure your head
When wigs are too small, they are too tight around the head. When wigs are too large, they are harder to keep on. Small wigs pull on your natural hair, especially the edges around the hairline. Hair loss due to frequently pulling too tightly on the hair can lead to traction alopecia. This is a condition that causes hair loss on the scalp.
Constantly pulling on the hair ultimately damages the root which can lead to permanent hair loss. It is a process that takes years, so usually, people are unaware of how constant tugging affects the hair until it is too late.
Measuring your head is key to purchasing the right-sized wig. The wig should not be very hard to put on or keep on. Purchasing the right size wig can prevent excessive pulling to the scalp and minimize the chances of damage.
2. Wear a wig cap
Wig caps are used to flatten the hair so that it looks more natural and they also cover and protect your hair from damage. When your natural hair is flatter underneath, the wig looks more natural.
Wearing a wig cap will help keep your wig from sliding on your edges. A wig cap also protects your edges from products like glue and hairspray, which can pull out the hair as they are being removed. Using combs inside a wig to keep it secure is best done with a wig cap. If you use wig combs in the same place on your hair all of the time, you can damage the hair in that area. Attaching the combs to the wig cap is much better.
3. Pluck the lace
Plucking your frontal is a way to make the wig look even more realistic. Many frontals have an unrealistic amount of hair along the hairline, which can cause it to look bulky on your head. You can create a natural-looking hairline by first plucking out some of the hair on the frontal.
How to Pluck Your Frontal
- Wet the wig – You can pluck your frontal when it is wet or dry, but I prefer to do it when it is wet because it is easier for me.
- Part the hair – Try to refrain from plucking the very front of the hairline, unless it is really thick in that area. Use a fine-toothed comb to part the hair in the front, so you can part right behind the hairline. If you part the hairs in the front of the hairline (along the scalp), then you may push the hairline back too far.
- Start to pluck – Start to pluck the hairs with a tweezer behind the hairline, but not right on the part. When you start to see the hairline flatten and have natural-looking gaps, you will know you have plucked enough.
It is entirely up to you how flat you want your hairline, and how you want it to look like. You can even customize your frontal to mimic your natural hairline.
4. Tint the lace
When the lace is darker or lighter than your skin tone, it is more visible on your head. Usually, the lace on a frontal does not match your skin perfectly, unless it is HD lace. Even if your scalp is lighter and the lace matches it, it may not match your forehead – where the lace will also show.
Some people tint the lace only along the forehead area or tint all of the lace on the bottom of the frontal. There are several ways you can tint your lace, which range from very simple to a little effort. Some methods are tinting sprays (which you can buy or make), foundation, and hair dye.
5. Co-wash
Washing your wig is key to keeping the hair fresh and healthy. When products are consistently put on wigs or heating tools are used, the hair can become stiff and dull. However, washing the hair with shampoo too much can dry the hair out and you don’t want that either.
For the times that you need to clean your hair more than once every two weeks, it is recommended that you co-wash. Co-washing is a method used to clean the hair, while not stripping the hair of the moisture that it needs. The method of co-washing is simply using a conditioner to clean your hair.
Shampoos are great for the day that you want to do a deep clean, but co-washing is great for removing product buildup. Usually, after a week or even a couple of days of using styling products, your hair will start to get stiff and in need of a fresh start.
Co-washing will not only re-moisturize your hair but also cleanse your hair and scalp enough to hold you over for the next wash day. You should co-wash as needed, it really depends on what your lifestyle is and how frequently you use products. It is an especially good thing to do for curly wigs – to keep those curls defined and rejuvenated.
Also read: How to Wash a Lace Front Wig
6. Wear a wig grip
A wig grip is similar to a headband which is worn under your wig to prevent it from slipping backward. Many times people don’t want to use glue or wig combs to keep their wig secure because they don’t want to damage their edges.
A wig grip can protect your edges by limiting the amount of friction a wig can cause when it slides back and forth as a result of not being secure. A wig grip is especially helpful if your wig has stiff lace and you don’t want it rubbing against your hairline. Wig grips also are great for securing wigs that are slightly big for you.
7. Moisturize
Wigs that consist of human hair need to be treated like human hair. Human hair needs moisture, or it will be dry and dull. Moisturizing curly hair is especially needed for the hair to maintain its curl definition and shine.
To hydrate the hair, you always need water. Making sure you spray the hair with water on a regular basis is key. Leave-in conditioners and argan oil are great moisturizers to use on a daily basis and help to retain moisture in the hair.
Also read: How to Moisturize 4c Hair
The Final Word
Your wig experience will definitely be better if you follow these helpful tips. The main thing to remember is to take care of your wig and natural hair, and you will see the results you want!
