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Wig Maintenance and care

By FAQ's

If you want to have a good hair day fallow these instructions....

Synthetic wigs are very easy to care for, compared to human hair wigs. The most important thing is to use products that have been specially formulated for use on synthetic fiber wigs and hair add-ons. Even the most mild and gentle products intended for human hair will eventually dull the fibers of a synthetic wig. Hairspray for human hair is especially damaging to a synthetic wig, and it can actually deteriorate the fibers.

Most any “name brand” synthetic wig care products should be fine for your synthetic wig. We carry products by Raquel Welch, Look of Love, Revlon, and Tress Allure. All of these products are excellent, and we don’t really recommend any one brand over the other. Most of our customers select a brand based upon the scent of the product, rather than any special qualities the product may advertise.

It is also important to use combs and brushes that are designed for use on synthetic wigs, or if using a regular hairbrush or comb, be sure it has the rubber “tips” at the end of each brush bristle or tooth of the comb. This will prevent the fibers from splitting, and keep the wig from looking fuzzy and dull before its time. Yes, even wigs do get “split ends!”

A full wig or 3/4 cap fall generally needs to be washed only about once every ten to 12 times it is worn. The reason most wigs need cleansing is to rinse the accumulated scalp oils from the cap, rather than to wash the actual fibers. However, if you use a lot of mousse, gel, or spray on your wig, it will likely need to be washed more often.

Remember, each time the wig is washed, it shortens its lifespan, so the idea is to use as few styling products as possible so that it won’t need to be washed as often. Also, wearing a wig cap underneath your wig will help to absorb the scalp oils. We offer several types of these on our site, starting at just $2.00 each.

Every wig and hair add-on we sell comes with a care tag, but some customers cut off the tags and toss them out without realizing there is important care information on the reverse side, so we’ll offer this brief procedure for washing and conditioning a synthetic wig:

1) First, gently brush out the wig to remove any tangles (unless the wig is extremely curly and/or it came with a tag telling you that it shouldn't be brushed). Most of the longer styles will become quite matted towards the back, and it may be necessary to gently separate the tangled strands with your fingers. TIP: Apply wig spray as Lubricant to aid brushing and easy removal of any tangles.

2) When the wig is ready to be washed, fill the sink with about 2 quarts of cool water. Never use hot water, as this could relax the curl that was set into the wig during the manufacturing process. Pour about 2 capfuls of synthetic wig shampoo into the water and then submerge the wig. When the wig is fully wet, swish it around for about a minute and then let soak for about another minute. TIP: Leave the wig to soak in the shampoo and water for 5 minutes before washing. This will loosen any stubborn debris and require less rubbing friction. Repeat the washing process if you feel that the first wash has not fully cleansed the hair or fibre.

3) Remove the wig and rinse in cold water until no suds remain. Then place the wig on a bath towel to completely dry overnight, or you may place it on a folding wig stand, which will speed up the drying process. It is all right to blot the wig with a towel, but don’t twist the wig or ring it out. You can use your fingers to gently separate and arrange the strands as the wig is drying, but don’t try to comb or brush the wig while still wet. The fibers could be stretched to the breaking point. Tip: Always rinse the shampoo off with the water flowing in the direction of the hair fibre. Lightly spray conditioner onto the wig after towel drying to aid later brushing and to return oils lost through the washing procedure.

If you wish, you can use a spray-on conditioner on the wig while damp. Work the conditioner through the strands with your fingers, NOT a brush or comb. When the wig is completely dry, you can brush it and style it as you usually would.

If you’d like to put a bit of curl back into your wig, read on. While re-curling a wig is possible, it can be very time-consuming if it is a very curly style. The best curlers to use are soft sponge rollers, and choosing the size will, of course depend upon the tightness of the curl that is desired.

First, slightly dampen the wig with cool water and then put in the rollers. It is important to get each strand combed through before rolling it up to avoid any unsightly “kinks” when the curler is removed.

Once the wig is all set, run HOT water all over it until fully saturated, then gently squeeze each roller to remove excess water. Let the wig dry completely before removing the rollers. If you have a folding wig stand, this will speed up drying time. Once completely dry, carefully take out the rollers and you should have a nicely re-curled wig!

Please be aware the hot water actually will take the curl completely out of a wig unless the rollers are in place, as it acts as a relaxer (kind of like a perm) which softens the fiber to the point that it can take on the new shape of the roller. So...if you decide to just re-curl the wig in a certain spot or two, it is really important to avoid getting any hot water on the rest of the wig!!!

One word of warning: don’t ever use any type of electric styling appliance on your synthetic fiber wig, thinking that this will be quicker than the method described above. Even on the coolest settings, a blow dryer, hot rollers, and curling irons will frizz the fibers, and may even melt them, therefore ruining the wig.

We hope this information is helpful to you, but if you require additional information, please email customerservice@AceWigs.com