If you’re looking to change your style but don’t want to cut your hair or wait for your hair to grow out, you may want to consider wearing wigs or hairpieces. If you’re intimidated by this idea and haven’t worn wigs before, this informative guide will make you feel more at ease with using hairpieces to give yourself a new look that you don’t have to commit to.
Chapter Overview
Different Types of Wigs or Hair Pieces
When it comes to wigs, you’ve got a lot of styles and varieties to choose from. Anti-slip or suction wigs are ideal if you’re bald and want to change your look if you’re not able to grow your hair for health reasons or prefer to be bald. The wig has a base made of polyurethane or monofilament that keeps it secure on your head for hours at a time.
Full lace wigs are made on a lace scalp that is meant to give the illusion of a scalp. The wigs come with strips made of urethane that are made to hold adhesive so the wig will stay on your head.
With a lace wig, you can style or part the hair in any direction so that the wig will look more like your natural hair.
When it comes to hairpieces, you can use extensions that are clipped into the hair, or extensions that you can sew onto your hair.
Hairpieces are often used to create ponytails, or you can use hairpieces that are lighter than your natural hair color to create highlights without applying chemicals to your hair.
Natural and Synthetic Hair Wigs — What’s the Difference?
When you’re shopping for wigs, it’s important to know the difference between synthetic hair wigs and human hair wigs.
The main distinction between these two types of wigs is that human hair wigs can be heat-styled and essentially treated like your natural hair.
In addition to being able to use curling irons or flat irons on the wigs, you can also twist or braid the hair to create a variety of curl patterns.
Synthetic hair shouldn’t be styled with heat, although there are some synthetic varieties that allow you to use very low heat for creating waves and curls. The synthetic hair shouldn’t be manipulated too much since it can become frizzy.
Maintaining Your Wigs and Hair Pieces
Once you find the wigs that you like, it’s important to know how to take care of them. Knowing how to wash a wig can keep the hair looking its best and extend the life of the wig.
For synthetic wigs, make sure you detangle the wig before adding any water to it. Use a detangling brush or comb to ensure there are no knots in the hair and you can come through it smoothly.
Use cold water to wash the wig, since cold water will damage the fibers of the synthetic hair. Use a gentle shampoo to wash the wig, then dip it in a bowl of cold water to remove all shampoo residue.
You can also condition the wig to make the hair softer. Just be sure not to leave the conditioner on the hair for too long, since it can soften the knots that hold the hair to the wig cap.
Rinse the conditioner thoroughly with cold water before towel-drying the hair. Let the wig dry completely before wearing it again.
For wigs made of human hair, you can wash them pretty much the same way you’d wash your natural hair. Use shampoos that are free of sulfates, and you can even use a leave-in conditioner to make the hair softer and shinier.
Towel-dry the wig once you’ve washed it and use a high-quality blow dryer to give the wig more volume or loosen the curls of the wig.
Wearing Your Wig Properly
Making sure your wig stays in place is extremely important. If you’re wearing a wig with combs or clips, make sure the clips or combs are in place after you’ve positioned your wig the way you want it.
If you’re wearing a lace front wig, apply the adhesive according to the instructions and secure your wig by placing the urethane strips onto the adhesive before the glue dries.
Cut the excess lace at the front of the wig as close to your hairline as possible to make the wig look natural and remove any excess glue from the hairline.
As you can see, you’ve got a wealth of options when it comes to wigs and hairpieces. Whether you’re looking for a wig that is curly or straight or want to try out a new hair color to see how it will look on you, a wig can be a fun and essential part of your beauty routine.