r/Wigs • u/Slhallford • Dec 06 '25
Please post all costuming and cosplay questions here.
r/Wigs • u/[deleted] • Mar 21 '23
First and foremost:
DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENER ON YOUR WIG ever. For any reason.
That said...
Huge thanks to u/Miss-Construe- for compiling this great guide to the basics of caring for your synthetic hair.
Here is a summary of best care advice for synthetic wigs that I've gathered over time from the experts in this sub. It applies to both HF (heat friendly) and non-HF (non heat friendly) synthetics unless stated otherwise. I try to keep this updated with current knowledge as I know it.
Washing: You don't need to wash a brand new wig though it is personal preference. I feel like they are silkiest when new so I try to wait before washing.
If wearing regularly, wash once every week or two with water (not hot) and dish soap like Dawn or Dr Bronner's castille soap. You don't need special shampoo and/or conditioner. Synthetic is plastic and cannot absorb moisture or vitamins. If you do still want to use shampoo it should be sulfate free.
It is best to detangle the wig beforehand. Washing in a clean sink is fine or a large bin/container. Just dunk the wig a few times in the soapy water. You don't need to scrub and you should try not to agitate or tangle the wig too much. Use your fingers to gently massage any areas that have makeup or glue that needs to be removed. Rinse well and rinse at least twice to make sure all the soap is out.
You don't need a wig head to dry it, just gently squeeze the hair to remove excess water and dab with a towel and let it lay out or hang up to air dry. Detangle AFTER it is dry.
Detangling: A wide tooth comb is what you should use most of the time. Make sure the hair is not wet and work your way from the ends first and then further up the hair as you work out the knots. Never pull or yank. Don't use a brush or small tooth comb to detangle as these will damage the synthetic fibers. A silicone spray can help with detangling and daily use can help protect the hair from friction damage. I like Turn Up the Heat. I know some others here recommend Simply Stylin'. Bonfi is another mod approved option.
An inexpensive plastic wide tooth comb is fine to get started with. You can upgrade to a seamless wide tooth later if you like. Once it is all detangled a soft bristle brush (like boar's hair) or other combs can be ok to use to create specific styles (as far as I know).
Styling: Use styling products sparingly. More products attract dirt and dust and lead to tangling and damage. Less is more :) That said, obviously some styling products may be necessary to get the look you want sometimes. Just go as light with them as you can. You don't need to use wig brand recommended products as some of them seem overpriced for what they are.
Avoid fabric softener, it is NOT recommended here. The mods can explain why if necessary :). Basically it just adds stuff to the wig that increases damage later.
Storage: You can store your wig any way you like that doesn't stretch or create creases or wrinkles in delicate materials like lace, monofilament, and silk top. A wig head can be ok but is most useful for styling. A box or drawer can protect from dust. Some prefer to hang their wigs upside down to help maintain lift in the style. A hairnet can help support curls/waves from gravity which can cause them to relax.
Long term care: After awhile your synthetic wig will inevitably develop kinks in the hair fibers, tangles, and/or a rough texture. Heat friendly wigs are known to get to this point faster than regular synthetic. Those who want to prolong the life of their wig can use a few different methods to smooth the hair fibers out again. Here are a few options for both types. Non HF synthetic can only handle temperatures up to around 220F or lower so those are the temperatures described. IF using HF synthetic you can experiment with higher temps. For hot tools it is safest to just mist/ dampen the hair first but not everyone does this and it is up to you to experiment safely with different methods. Always test in a hidden area if you haven't done something before.
a hot brush set to around 220F will get the job done fast and will get out most of the kinks but it WILL straighten the hair.
a hot air dryer/round brush device will get the smoothing job done fast too. Usually there is a hot setting, a warm setting, and a cool setting. Hot setting may be too hot for non HF synthetic so check in a small area. If it causes creases/wrinkles in the hair it's too hot (you can still smooth those out) just use the warm setting.
a clothing steamer and a fine tooth comb (metal will work best) after detangling is another effective way to smooth the fibers. Some people really like this method but some find it more cumbersome than using hot tools.
Here's a couple examples of steaming https://youtu.be/oy2LcFFRmt0 https://youtu.be/GjdDWXgvpEM
a method of smoothing that MAY maintain the curls/waves instead of straightening is a hot comb set to 180F and carefully running it through the hair while supporting the curls. This technique was pioneered by u/slHallford and is tricky to get the hang of (I personally have not had success yet). If you don't mind the hair becoming straight you can use a hot comb and increase to temp to around 220F.
For really stubborn kinks you can use a straightening iron (set to around 220F or less) and a fine tooth comb (metal will work best) AFTER it is detangled. Place the comb next to the flat iron and run it through the hair so it passes through the comb first and then the flat iron. This method is time consuming but the most thorough in my experience and can get out kinks that other methods may skip over. I save it for when I want perfection.
Restyling: Sometimes you need to refresh curls/waves or add them back in after straightening your wig. There are MANY ways to do this and may require some experimentation to discover what works best for you. All methods require heating the hair to take the new shape and then cooling to finalize the style before unraveling or combing.
Rollers of any size and steam. This is a traditional method and you can easily find YouTube videos about it. Best results come from putting a heat safe bag overtop and allowing the steam to gather inside with the hair for a few minutes You don't necessarily need to buy a special bag as a durable oversized plastic grocery bag can work fine. Let the hair cool before undoing the rollers.
Downsides are sometimes the ends are a little messy and you can fix that with a curling iron set to 220F or lower if needed. Also some people (like myself) dislike how steam can emphasize the way the hair on top is parted for the rollers. It can be hard to get that hair to lay and part the way you want after steaming. That said, some people have no problems there so your experience may vary.
Hot tools. A variety of traditional hot tools can be used to add curls and waves to synthetics. I prefer barrel rods instead of clamp style curling irons as the clamp causes creases in synthetic. The larger the barrel rod, the larger the curl. How you wrap it can change the curl pattern too. Many videos on YouTube can be found demonstrating this. Techniques for synthetic differs mainly from HH (human hair) in that the hair wrapped around a curling tool has to heated for a few seconds, then dropped in your hand while still in a curl and cooled off (you can blow on it) before releasing the curl. Time consuming to do an entire head of hair but can be a preferred method for better control over the results. Also can be a great choice for touching up styles that are falling a little limp.
Hot air brushes can be used to style synthetic but they don't work the exact same as they do with HH and the hot setting may be too hot for non-HF. They work well to straighten and if you want the ends curled or bangs curled they can do a good job but requires some practice. You have to hit areas with warm air and then cool air for it to set a style.
Downsides are the air blowing creates fly aways and it can be difficult to get a sleek look
r/Wigs • u/balilove1111 • 15h ago
I’m still getting used to all of this hair! I bought Hairvivi Juliet (the lighter one) and Raquel Welch Runway Rehearsal in shaded cappuccino (darker and layered) Does one looker better than the other? And what about with my skin tone? Juliet is human hair so I can curl and style and Runway Rehearsal is heat friendly synthetic.
r/Wigs • u/fuzzycici • 13h ago
Now that September is here, summer is officially over in my house. I am retiring curly brown with highlights (for now…) and we are welcoming black kinky body wave 😁 I’ve already put up my halloween lights and I grabbed a PSL as soon as they dropped 🎃
Looking at the wigs side by side, I can’t tell which one I prefer. I think I’ll keep the brown for spring/summer and black for fall/winter because it still lets me switch up my style rather than have to stick to one wig, but let me know if you have a favorite :-)
r/Wigs • u/shadowofhersmile • 8h ago
I ventilated a 5x5 lace with raw Burmese hair I bought from eBay. I then sewed it onto a u part wig that I wasn’t using. I dyed the hair it was a 1b black color originally. Been looking for a way to hide the lace but I think the grid knot concealer has worked. It has a learning curve so it took me a couple of tries to get it along the part line properly. 👍
r/Wigs • u/Bloody-Banana • 35m ago
I live in Finland and I'm looking for a black wig with bangs, synthetic and longer than a bob haircut at least. Otherwise no preference. It's supposed to be an almost everyday wig, as I plan on shaving my head but can't rock the buzzcut everywhere... My budget is unfortunately 50€, preferrably closer to 30-40€... Is this completely impossible? Everything on Amazon looked super thin and shiny... Thanks in advance!
r/Wigs • u/South_Helicopter_836 • 18h ago
New wig from Prairie Fire Hair Collection! This is Lilliana (16”). Can’t wait to style with some loose waves!
Linked a longer version in the comments. I bought during a sale and paid about $680 including shipping.
r/Wigs • u/Queen_of_saigon_ • 13h ago
r/Wigs • u/Stink3rK1ss • 4h ago
I’ve been geeked on pink hair, pink everything this spring/ summer, going into fall! But I wear each for a day and take it off so I’m always in need to add to the rotation… y’all know how it goes!!
A few weeks ago I got this girly from amazon for $19!!! https://a.co/d/0hVaMEVz
And if I’d known she’d be OOS right after I’d definitely have gotten a backup or two.
Anyway, I’ve trimmed, thinned, and added rainbow wefts with one or two small blonde wefts. Will be adding a few more of the blondes for dimension when they come in. But she makes me feel like a princess-saurus! 😸
r/Wigs • u/Any-Experience8823 • 26m ago
Has anyone here considered using AI image editor to make your wig look like your own hair? Here is my result: the left photo is the original picture, the right is the altered version.
r/Wigs • u/Exotic_Wash_5717 • 15h ago
How to make this part-line and lace part less obvious
r/Wigs • u/MitoMomma • 11h ago
I am new to wig wearing so I'm trying to figure this stuff out. The wig I bought is human hair but I was told I should still be careful with using high heat tools. I did a search in this sub for recommended hot combs and didn't come up with an answer to my question. Do I need to worry about high heat with a human hair wig?
r/Wigs • u/mandoo-dumpling • 14h ago
Hi all. I ordered the Blair Brown wig from HairVivi a while back. Straight out of the box, it looked fantastic.
I’ve only worn it briefly a handful of times. For the past couple of weeks, I had it stored in the silk bag and box that it came with.
Today, I wanted to wear the wig and because it was laying in the box for so long, the hair had kinks in it. To straighten it out, I dampened it slightly and used a hairdryer (one that is shaped into a rolled brush) on the LOWEST possible heat setting.
I’m disappointed to see that there is a lot of breakage in the strands, split ends and flyaways. It no longer looks smooth and shiny. And I didn’t even wash it! I just tried to style it with low heat.
Is this typical with all wigs or just this brand? It’s supposed to be human hair so I’m surprised to see that it cannot even tolerate minor styling with low heat.
Are you guys able to heat style your human hair wigs without destroying them?
Hi everyone, I need to bring this wig back from the brink of death! It’s a sensationnel cloud9 “what lace” 100% premium fiber. I am new to wig restoration. I tried using the silicon mix hair treatment. Maybe i didn’t use enough or leave the product in long enough… I am not sure what I am doing wrong. It’s a little knotted and a bit hard like a Brillo pad. If you can give some suggestions step by step, that would really be helpful! Thank you!
r/Wigs • u/NotoriousSilver • 16h ago
Hello all,
I am looking to buy a 360 HD lace wig, 24inches minimum in platinum blonde, HH. I can across this company the other day Kora Strand. The prices look too good to be true IMO but they do have some reviews on their website. That being said, their social media have no comments so I'm not 100% sure if this company is legit.
Has anyone ordered with them before?
r/Wigs • u/bingobigbody • 1d ago
I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about a curly wig since this is my first time wearing one, but I’m honestly surprised by how easy it is to work with. I really like the curl pattern. I just don’t know how to define it…any ideas?
r/Wigs • u/LopsidedStaff1431 • 1d ago
After my other post I had to order from chiquel again, because they essentially "stole" 100€ from me that wasn't refunded but instead restored on the gift cards I used, but also only after multiple emails and my complaints.
I was fully prepared for the fact that what I order is again not in stock because it never has been the 4 times I ordered and everything customer service is doing is telling you that it isn't in stock. So here we are with another conversation.
I love the part about the "full transparency" 😂
Full transparency about it maybe being in stock, but also maybe not. Full transparency that you have the opportunity to stick around and eventually after your order and payment find out. Like a little surprise gift 🎁📦 Schrödingers wig
r/Wigs • u/Stink3rK1ss • 1d ago
I’m so sick of scar tape not staying put whatsoever, so I bought some wig making lace from Amazon and I’m installing it (not the prettiest technique but, meh) in my units one at a time now. It definitely helps hide the dark roots growing from my bio hair and though I didn’t put any on the unit in the photos, it also creates a layer to help secure the scar tape!! Win win win!!
r/Wigs • u/MundaneRain14 • 1d ago
I’ve been wearing the same color and style synthetic wig for nearly six years. I’m getting married in a few months and decided to splurge on a totally custom human hair wig so I could get it styled for the wedding and special occasions afterwards. I had an in-person consultation with the wig maker and brought in the exact wig I wanted her to color match. I also emailed her photos and the actual listing of the wig online as references.
The wig maker sent me a photo today and told me the wig is finished. It’s possibly just bad lighting, but the wig is much darker than what I wanted. Similar examples in the attached photos. This is exactly the reason I went the custom route: every wig that I’d ordered online wasn’t quite right and had to be returned. Obviously since this is custom, there’s a no returns policy.
What do I say when I go to pick up the wig if the color is as off as I think? I’m worried she’ll respond like some online sellers have, trying to gaslight me that it’s a perfect match. Or tell me I have to pay even more to fix it. It’s really important to me that I look and feel like myself, and I can’t afford to count this as a loss and keep looking for a different wig.
r/Wigs • u/AlecHidell1234 • 1d ago
I was using jojoba oil on my lace to remove the hair line makeup and I love the way it made my regular synthetic lace fibers lay flat!
Then I thought hmmm is this not ok for regular synthetic fibers. Does anyone have any thoughts? Should I try to steam off the jojoba oil? Or is it ok?
This is Jon Renau Julienbe lite petite (regular synthetic). I thought you might like this!
https://www.wigs.com/products/julianne-lite-petite-synthetic-wig-jon-renau
r/Wigs • u/learninglife44 • 1d ago
This might sound so dumb! I'm not trying to sound ignorant. I genuinely want help. The few stores I've seen in my area all have posters in the windows of African American women. I'm white and I'm new to wig wearing. I don't wanna look stupid as a white girl going into a shop that's not for me or my hair texture. Mostly I think I just want some styling tools and some help with front lace. Will I find what I am looking for in one of these stores?
r/Wigs • u/plantyplant559 • 2d ago
This wig is long but really lightweight. It's 150 density, which is a nice change of pace and closer to the thickness of my bio hair. The face framing layers aren't my usual style, but they're growing on me.
I wish the lace was a bit longer, though. It came pre-cut and is shorter than I would have left it.
r/Wigs • u/alylew1126 • 1d ago
New to wigs. Would prefer glueless, pre plucked, and pre bleached knots. I do not want high density as I feel like I’m so used to less hair that too much might be shocking for me lol. Budget around $200 for the right wig, but since I’m new would prefer cheaper. Once I get used to wigs I’d be willing to purchase a really nice one but not yet. I currently wear extensions with a topper, but I want to go to wigs because my hair is falling out again (postpartum 😩)
I’m just looking for one that matches my current hair. Right now my hair is about 22in so a few inches more is perfect.
r/Wigs • u/chabadlubabitch • 1d ago
I REALLY want to try hairvivi or pigment hair (any human hair brand) but I don’t know if I can actually wear them glueless or I’ll look stupid (I don’t like gluing them down, I’m allergic to the glue so I get blisters).
Has anyone worn these glueless? Or have brands I could? Ty!
(For reference - I’ve been wearing wigs for 3 years and all my wigs are from Milano)
