human hair wigs tips for proper care to last

Human Hair Wigs: Tips for Proper Care to Last!

Because Your Wig Needs Love Too!

As I’ve evolved in my experience of wearing wigs as my protective style, I’ve become more aware of the importance of care for them.

I first began my journey wearing synthetic half wigs to get accustomed to wearing a wig. To be honest, I was terrified and fearful of them not looking authentic, so I decided to try out human hair wigs.

Switching to human hair wigs completely changed the game for me. Not only did my hair look more authentic on my head, but the more I took care of them the more the texture and durability lasted.

I’d like to share five ways you can care for your human hair wigs as the precious jewels they are and get more for your coins.

You didn’t spend all of that money on anything girl!

custom-color-wig

Custom Wig Made with the Brazilian Loose Wave Hair

Wash Your Wig!

Trust me; it’s okay to wash your wig!

Its human hair just like your hair, therefore, it needs to be properly treated and maintained with an excellent and thorough wash. Shampooing your wig during appropriate time frames helps guarantee for more durability, the look of the healthiness of the human hair wig and upkeep of texture, and its feel.

It’s important to remember the recommended time frame in which to wash your wig. Most people swear by washing their wigs every 7-14 days of wear.

It’s also important to remember that, even though this step helps with durability, the lifespan of your wig can become shorter because of the handling of your wig during the wash. Therefore, do not wash your hair more than it’s necessary.

As you wash your wig, be gentle in handling it and be careful not to create any snags with the threading or wefts.

Wig Washing Alternatives

There are two alternatives to extend your wash time in between wears, and that is: wearing a wig cap and utilizing dry shampoo!

Who would have thought you could wash your hair and skip the water part?

Rocking a wig cap underneath your wig helps to absorb the natural oils from your scalp and hair strands instead of your wig cap reaping all the oily dirty benefits. Wearing your wig cap is good for your natural hair anyway by keeping those natural oils locked in.

Hello, hair growth!

Using a dry shampoo helps eliminate the labor of doing a full shampoo on your wig. Simply spray the dry shampoo inside of your wig on the actual cap versus the hair and voila!

wig-shampoo-conditioner

Condition Your Wig!

I literally cannot express how important this is to the health and care of your wig!

Conditioning helps maintain your wig’s ability to be managed, to be free of tangles, and to be free from looking raggedy.

When are you suppose to condition you to ask? Immediately after a good thorough shampoo.

While the hair is still wet, add a quarter size of conditioner, preferably something containing a fatty oil to help with the shine and softness of your wigs like coconut oil or argan oil, to the palm of your hand working it through your wig with your fingers.

Personally, I like to get down and dirty with this part because I have a theory that the more, the better. You’ll catch me applying about four quarter sizes of conditioner and doing magic with my fingers because I love soft, luminous hair!

Once you’ve used the conditioner, allow it to sit at least 5-10 minutes and most importantly, rinse with cold water. Rinsing with cold water allows the hair cuticles to close, locking in all the goodies the conditioner provides.

This whole process is always easiest while the wig is on a canvas or Styrofoam head. It never hurts to do an in-depth treatment now and then, but I believe it’s important to determine what kind of hair therapy will work best with your human hair wig based on the origin type such as Brazilian, Malaysian, or Vietnamese.

Styling Your Wig!

The tools are endless when it comes to the desired style you want to slay in your wig.

It is essential to remember and follow certain techniques when it comes to using these tools and styling. I believe for any type of hair that heatless is the healthy way to go but sometimes less efficient and effective. Sometimes you need that little hit of heat when you’re on the go and to have more control of the way you want your style to go.

Looking for big voluminous curls? Say no more and grab some large Flexi rods to get the job done.

Need that bone straight look? Turn up the heat, but not too high, on your favorite pair of straighteners.

To maintain that healthy look when using any styling tool, especially heat, you can never go wrong with applying a protectant. Before applying this product and using any tool, please make sure your hair is dry!

The worst two things can happen when and if your hair is not dry and using heated tools is: the desired style will not last and most likely won’t be retained well and just simply damages the hair. It’s always great to use products that are very lightweight and tailored for human hair wigs.

styling-wig

Important Human Hair Wig Tip!

Another thing to keep in mind when using heat to style your human hair wig is not getting the heat too close to the base of the wig, even while using a heat protectant still use caution.

Applying too much heat to the base of your wig can cause shedding and hair strands to loosen from the wefts. Keep this in mind especially if your human hair wig was created using glue versus thread.

Knowing the origin of your human hair wig is necessary, not just for shampooing and conditioning, but also when it comes to the style that will work best.

Various types of hair work best for styling while damp and have the potential to last longer when you are not using heat. I recently styled my human hair wig which is Brazilian in the style of body wave into two French braids after spraying some water, and you wouldn’t believe how well it waved up and lasted for a week without any additional care or maintenance.

Cheers, to heat freestyling!

Storing Your Wig!

A wig head is your best friend, say it with me!

Don’t be lazy and just toss your wig to the side. Care for your human hair wig not only consists of styling, shampooing, and conditioning but also how you store it away when you’re not rocking it.

It is always best to store your wig away from any type of heat. Storing your wig away from heat is a vital key to the care of your wig especially if it is colored.

No one likes a dull wig!

I have found that linen closets or even your bedroom closet are great dry places for storing your wig, stored on your clothing shelf. Again, a wig head is your best friend as this will help maintain the shape and style of your wig versus just laying it down.

Now you may wonder how to store your wig while on the go. A secured container or freezer storage bag will help your wig maintenance while you travel.

wig-storage

Sleeping with Your Wig!

"Can I sleep in my wig?" is the most common question I get when it comes to wearing a wig.

Can you actually sleep with your human hair wig on? My answer is, of course, you can!

However, most people have the concern of causing more wear to your wig by sleeping in it, and most people prefer to be comfortable with the ability to let their scalp breathe.

Personally, I prefer wearing my wig to bed because I do not have to apply additional adhesive for it to stay in place daily. If you are looking to wear your wig as you rest easy during the night, there are a few items I advise you to invest in ensuring you keep your wig looking fresh and free from wear.

First, grab a satin pillowcase.

Second, secure your wig with either a satin bonnet and/or a silk scarf.

The grand theory behind these items and using them simultaneously is if your scarf or bonnet were to come off during the night, your satin pillowcase would be there to save the day.

Wig-Vestment!

Think of your wig as an investment, considering the bag you just dropped for it!

But also look at it as an investment to prolong and benefit the growth of your natural hair all the while keeping your wig protected. With this kind of investment, you get a good return, but you have to maintain the proper care for what you have invested in.

I believe the better you care for your human hair wig, the more you realize the high value it has.

I firmly stand by these five ways to care for your human hair wig, and you should stand by them as well!

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