Hello Beauty,
So, you have made an investment in a 100% human hair lace front or full lace wig… Congratulations! Now let’s talk about how you protect it so your unit will give a return for years to come. With proper care and maintenance, your units will last for years. In this post, we will share a little bit about wig maintenance and offer up a few styling tips that should help you increase the longevity of your unit.
Wig Maintenance
As with hair extensions, you should care for wigs as if you would your own hair. That said, with wigs, in particular, there are some key factors to keep in mind to extend the life of your unit. If your wig is sewn along your hairline, wear a satin bonnet or silk scarf at night to protect the hair and keep it in tip-top shape (the same goes for full-lace wigs that have been applied with an adhesive). For unattached wigs, remove your units every night and store them on a mannequin head.
Cleaning your unit
1) Wash your wig(s) with a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner
Your own hair benefits from the oils produced by your scalp, but wigs don't have a natural source of moisture, so you should avoid cleansing them with products that contain harsh detergents. This is where sulfate-free shampoo and conditioners come in: They work as gentle cleansers, so you won't damage the integrity of the hair.
- Fill your sink or a large container with lukewarm water and add the sulfate-free .shampoo of your choice
- Swish the wig in the shampoo and water mixture.
- Once the wash is complete, rinse the hair thoroughly in cold water then squeeze gently down the shaft of the hair to remove all excess water.
- Apply conditioner directly to the unit, coating the strands from end to end. Allow the wig to sit with product in place. You may place it in a plastic bag and apply heat for a deep conditioning.
- Once conditioning process is complete, rinse the hair in cold water then squeeze do the shaft of the hair gently to remove all excess water. Make sure not to tangle the hair
- Pat dry with a clean towel and place the wig on a hair stand and allow it to air dry.
- After the wig is completely dry, comb into your desired style using a wide tooth comb or finger styling.
How often you wash your wigs depends on how frequently you wear them. If you wear a wig daily, washing it twice a month is sufficient to ensure the hair remains bouncy and fresh for as long as possible. However, if you only wear a wig once in a while, a once-a-month wash will suffice. Never wash wigs more than twice in any given month, or you can risk damaging the unit and shortening its lifespan.
2) Keep all wigs on a mannequin head when not in use
Unless your wig is sewn to your head, we suggest getting a mannequin head where you can rest it between wears. This also works as a great way to keep your wig's hairstyle intact as you get ready to go out. Leave it on the stand, then slip it on before heading out the door.
Styling Tips
1) Do not use heavy oils or styling creams
You don’t want to weigh the hair down, so it’s best to avoid anything that will make it look greasy or leave residue that has to be washed out later.
2) Heat styling
When heat styling human-hair wigs, the tools and products you use are of the utmost importance. The last thing you want to do is ruin the hair, especially considering how much of an investment wigs can be. In general, you should use professional thermal styling tools (flatirons and curling wands), preferably with temperature-control dials so you can determine how much heat is being applied to the hair. Additionally, use heat on human hair only when it's dry, and always apply a heat protectant before you begin any heat styling.
a. How to alter straight hair
It's much easier (and less damaging) to create curls with straight hair than it is to make a curly wig bone-straight. The simplest way to curl straight hair is with a curling iron or curling wand. If you want tighter curls, try a small-barrel iron, and for bigger curls, a large-barrel iron is your best friend. After you section your hair into a few parts, start at the back by wrapping the hair around the barrel while holding the wand face down. As you near the top and sides, change up the direction of the wand, depending on where you want the curl to fall, and be careful not to get too close to your face. Once you've gone over the entire unit, back-comb the roots for extra volume. Spritz on holding spray and you're done
One of the reasons wigs are so fun to wear is the boundless styling possibilities. Two jumbo plaits taken down is a universally flattering hairstyle that's easy to do. Before braiding your hair, spritz it with water or a lightweight leave-in conditioner, then detangle with your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to remove knots and make it lay flat. This simple process usually takes less than five minutes. If you unravel the braids after they dry (usually in an hour or two), you'll get big, gorgeous beach waves
b. For Curly and Wavy Units
If you have a unit with looser curls, (like Brazilian wavy), you can easily straighten your wig with a flatiron. Just remember to use a heat protectant before applying heat, and flatiron in sections.
Generally speaking, it's advisable not to completely straighten a curly wig with type 3 or 4 curls and coils, even if it's made of human hair. Applying excessive heat can risk permanent texture damage. If you want more volume, grab a wide-tooth comb and gently comb the hair, section by section, from the bottom up, to open each curl until the entire unit gets as big as you desire.
If you want to change up a curly unit without straightening it, you can always alter the curl pattern by setting the hair on different size flexi or perm rods. Remember to keep those curls hydrated. We recommend Bumble's curl collection, Bb. Curl, especially the Bb. Curl Pre-Style/Re-Style Primer. It's amazing for detangling, defining curls, and refreshing hair once it gets attacked by the humidity.
Another way to achieve bigger hair is with two-strand twists. Prep the hair by spritzing a liquid leave-in all over, and then section it into 6 to 10 different parts, depending on how much hair you're working with. Next, twist each section from root to tip while holding it taut. You can set the twists by either blow-drying the entire unit or air-drying it overnight (if you opt for the latter, make sure to wear a bonnet or silk scarf to protect hair and keep the twist in place). Once everything is completely dry, unravel each twist with your fingers — and voilà, you'll have big, voluminous curls.