If you’re new to wearing wigs, entering the faux-hair world can be daunting. Whether you want to switch up your look without the commitment or experience hair loss, we’ve got your back with our wigs for beginners guide covering 7 tips to help you take the plunge with confidence.
1. Bring The Basics
Ensure you’re armed with a handful of essential items to be fully prepped for your first ‘wig install’.
Wig cap – to cover and flatten natural hair
Scissors – to snip flyways, loose strands or go further with a customised, face flattering cut
Dry shampoo – to add texture and remove any excess shine from synthetic hair
Bobby pins – for added security if and where needed
2. Think Outside The Box
Removing your new wig from the box, placing it straight on your head and feeling disappointed that you’re not instantly the double of a Margot, Kylie or Zendaya is not how we want you to start your wig journey,
It is always necessary to at least tweak a new wig, as any generic style will not have been designed with your unique shape and features in mind.
Firstly, you should always give a new wig a good shake to bring it to life. This separates the hair and loosens up the fibres.
It’s also important to customise the wig to your face shape. Trimming the bangs, thinning out the hair lengths, moving or adding a part line, adding texture and volume are all relatively simple steps you can take to mould the design to flatter your face. The smallest of tweaks to a generic design will enhance the authenticity significantly.
3. Be A Hairline Hero
Consider how having a fringe cut into your hair completely changes the whole look of your face. This is all down to the fact that your natural hairline is concealed, thus removing the ‘outline’ and changing the appearance of the shape of the face.
Wearing a wig too far forward, and therefore changing where your natural hairline appears to sit, has the same effect but with not so flattering consequences.
Ensure the hairline of your wig sits exactly along your own hairline.
If you do not place your wig on the head correctly, the eye will be immediately drawn to an unnaturally shortened forehead.
4. Dump The Bumps
Lumps, bumps or an unnaturally shaped scalp are dead giveaways when it comes to a wig masquerading as the head of hair you were born with. For those blessed with long and / or thick hair, it is essential this is secured flat and symmetrical. Our go-to method is the halo plait technique:
Separate your natural hair into 2 sections, plait and secure with elastics.
Pin the plaits around your head, making the hair as flat and even as possible.
Apply a wig cap to cover and conceal all natural hair.
5. Slay The Styling
Owing to the advances in synthetic hair technology, many wigs can now withstand heat, allowing for the use of flat irons, curlers and wands.
You’ll find that a synthetic wig styles more easily than natural hair as it does not need as much heat as human hair in order for it to curl or straighten. The lowest temperature on your curling wand or flat iron will do the job and you will not need to hold the styling tool on the wig as long as you would your natural hair.
Using the correct brush on synthetic hair is also super important. The wrong styling tool will cause excess shedding and can even encourage the formation of knots. A wide tooth comb, paddle brush or looped bristle brush are ideal.
Specialist styling brushes tend to cause static and frizz or feature harsher bristles that may weaken or even break synthetic hair strands.
Always brush small sections of hair, starting at the tips and moving toward the crown, holding each section to prevent any pulling at the wig cap (where each strand is sewn!)
6. Too Posh To Wash
Washing your wig will cause some shedding and slight loss of density, no matter how gentle you are. If you can avoid it, we always recommend revitalising a well-worn or tired wig instead, by spritzing a DIY leave in conditioner of equal parts water and fabric softener.
Your wig will not be affected by the natural oils produced by your scalp due to your natural hair or wig cap acting as a barrier, and if it is brushed and cared for correctly, there should be no reason to wash your wig.
If absolutely essential, be sure to follow our How To Wash A Wig Guide.
7. The Important Part
If your wig has a set parting line, this does not mean that it should be worn in the centre of the head. If in doubt, check the images of the style from the retailer’s website.
Some wig designs are based entirely around a dramatic side part. The hair is sewn into the cap so as to encourage root lift or a fringe that sweeps to the side. Wearing the parting line in the dead centre of the head can completely change the intended look of the wig and force the hair to fall unnaturally.
One of the most efficient ways of making your synthetic wig look natural, is the concealer part line trick. Turn to your favourite skin-tone-matching concealer, and carefully apply along the entire length of the wig parting line using a small angled makeup brush. The ‘faux scalp’ will now appear more skin-like and will perfectly match your skin tone.
Isabelle wears the Jessica Rabbit, Copper Leaf Lace Front and Rosie Bombshell Wigs.
Plenty more tips and tricks to be found in our following guides:
How To Make A Wig Look Less Shiny
7 Ways To De-Frizz A Synthetic Wig
10 Ways A Wig Can Help You Achieve Your Hair Goals
How To Remove Odours From Synthetic Wigs
8 Mistakes You’re Making With Your Wig
How To Make Your Wig Last Longer
How To Put On A Lace Front Wig
10 Makeup Products You Can Use On Your Wig
5 Essential Items Every Wig Lover Should Own