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Originally Posted On : https://wigshopstop.com/blogs/news/how-to-put-on-a-wig
There are many different styles of wigs, and if you’re new to them, it may be confusing. Learn how to put on a wig easily in this guid
From a distant point of view, putting on a wig might seem easy. You just put it on your head and move on with your day, right? Not exactly.
If you’re going to put your wig on in a secure and aesthetically pleasing way, you’re going to have to put a little more work in. Wondering what this work entails? Here is the article for you.
Below, we’re going to tell you how to put on a wig, covering a number of wig styles in the process. Ready? Let’s get into it!
If you’re going to put your wig on in a secure and aesthetically pleasing way, you’re going to have to put a little more work in. Wondering what this work entails? Here is the article for you.
Below, we’re going to tell you how to put on a wig, covering a number of wig styles in the process. Ready? Let’s get into it!
Understand Wig Types
Wigs don’t just come in one type. In fact, there are many different types of wigs. We’ll discuss these in detail below.
Lace Front Wigs
First, we’ll discuss lace front wigs. These wigs blend in with natural hair so as to appear completely real. They possess lace closures that enable you to alter the part of the wig’s hair.
While they’re not the most expensive wigs on the market, they’re not as cheap as ready-to-wear wigs, either. You can typically expect to pay between $100 and $500 for a lace front wig.
Ready-to-Wear Wigs
Next up are ready-to-wear wigs. These are the cheapest and simplest wigs. They come pre-styled and pre-colored and are extremely easy to put on.
You can typically find a ready-to-wear wig for between $50 and $150. If you’re just getting into wigs, or if you’re lazy about putting them on, these are probably your best bet.
Full Lace Wigs
Full lace wigs are the cream of the crop when it comes to wigs. Their bases are comprised fully of lace. As such, they show the appearance of a legitimate human scalp.
Full lace wigs can be styled and colored to take on any aesthetic. As such, they can be altered endlessly over time.
Note, though, that they’re difficult to maintain and work with. Plus, they’re expensive, usually costing somewhere between $250 and $750. Because of this, they’re generally not the best option for beginners.
360 Lace Wigs
360 lace wigs come with lace around their perimeters. As such, they do a great job of blending in with natural skin. That said, they don’t quite provide the level of coverage provided by full lace wigs.
These allow for tons of style options and are a little easier to work with than full lace wigs. They’re also less expensive than full lace wigs, usually costing between $200 and $600.
Get the Correct Size for Your Head
Wigs come in a number of different sizes. If you want your wig to stay secure and look good while doing so, you need to choose the right size for your head.
To choose the right size, you need to measure your head accurately. Take a tape measure and wrap it around your skull at the appropriate angles. Be sure to be very precise while doing so, as even a half-inch difference could have a seismic negative impact on the fit of your wig.
If you really want to be accurate, you should have someone else measure your skull for you. This way, there will be no guesswork or inadvertent adjustment involved.
Trim the Lace
As was noted above, the bases of most wigs are comprised of lace. The purpose of this lace is to blend in with the natural color of your skin. However, it should be noted that most wigs have excess lace attached to them, much of which will need to be trimmed prior to the placement of the wig.
To properly trim the lace on your wig, you should find your ideal hairline. You should then use white eyeliner to trace the hairline. This way, you can easily remove the visible line after the wig has been applied.
Next, put the wig on in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Then, cut the lace off at the line that you drew previously.
To get this right, you should watch some instructional videos on YouTube. Written instruction alone isn’t sufficient for getting the job done. You need to be able to see what the process entails.
Pluck Around the Hairline
Another key to properly fitting a wig is plucking the area around the hairline. When a wig is applied, it causes the hairline area to appear dense with hair. This will look unnatural and will be aesthetically displeasing until the additional hair is removed.
You get around this problem by individually plucking some of the hairs from the wig. This can be done with a standard pair of tweezers.
Make sure that the wig is on your head first. Then, visually monitor yourself as you individually pull hairs from the wig. It’s vital that you monitor yourself throughout, as failing to do so could result in your plucking too many hairs.
If you pluck too many hairs, you could have bald spots remaining. As you well know, this is not an attractive look.
Prepare Your Natural Hair
Next, you need to prepare your natural hair so that your wig will fit snugly against your head. There are a few different ways to go about this, a few of which we’ll discuss below.
Braid It
While it might require a little more work, braiding your hair is the recommended method. This is because it creates a smooth surface upon which your wig can fit snugly. There will be no abnormal hair bumps to throw the wig off its balance.
The key here is to braid your hair as close to your scalp as possible. The less bumpy it is, the better off you’ll be.
Tie It Into a Ponytail
Another option is to tie your hair into a ponytail. This will snugly secure the vast majority of your hair, providing a solid surface upon which the wig can sit.
If you’re going to do this, you should tie the ponytail as low as possible. The lower the tie, the less bumpage your wig will have to contend with.
Trim Your Hair
This is a fairly drastic step. However, it can help to more snugly secure a wig. You can trim your hair.
The fact of the matter is that the shorter your hair is, the easier it will be to snugly secure a wig. A bald head provides greater security than even short hair, for instance. Long hair, on the other hand, can make it extremely difficult to secure a wig, even when it’s properly braided or ponytailed.
That said, you shouldn’t just shave all of your hair off. Sure, you could. However, you have to consider how long you’re going to be wearing your wig.
If you’re going to be wearing a wig over the next year or so, this is a viable option. If you’re only going to be wearing it for days, weeks, or months, you should use one of the above-reviewed options.
Secure the Wig
Finally, you’ll need to secure your wig. There are a number of ways that you can go about doing this. We’ll discuss some of the most prominent ways below.
Use Wig Tape
If you have no real hair to which you can attach the wig, you’ll need to secure it with wig tape. This is a double-sided adhesive that sticks to the inside of the wig. The opposite side then sticks to the skin on the head.
When using wig tape, you should start by cleaning the areas upon which the tape is going to be placed on your head. Remove any oils and residue that exist as a means of creating a dry surface. This should be done just prior to attaching the tape.
When attaching the tape, make sure that it feels comfortable on your scalp. Also, ensure that the wig looks good to you as it’s positioned. Wig tape sticks for up to 12 weeks, meaning that you have to get it right the first time.
Wear a Wig Cap
Another option is to wear a wig cap. This is particularly useful in situations where the wig isn’t attached to a cap.
A wig cap is essentially a close-fitting hat with tons of traction on both of its sides. Its purpose is to keep a wig secured in one place throughout its use.
When wearing a wig gap, you should first clean the skin on your head to ensure it’s not slick. Then, you should pull the cap over your skull until it’s tight against your head.
Once you’ve done that, you should put the wig over the cap. Adjust it until it looks right to you, and you’ll be good to go.
Apply Wig Glue
It’s not just wig tape that you can use to attach a wig to your head. You can also use wig glue. This is exactly what it sounds like it is: a liquid adhesive that dries after application and which holds a wig cap in place.
When using wig glue, you first must make sure that the scalp is clean. Then, you must apply a scalp protector. This will prevent undue damage from the glue pulling over time.
Now, it’s time to apply the glue itself. Apply a bit to one area of your head and then use a brush to spread it. Once it’s evenly spread, place the wig down on it so that it’s flat and stretched tight.
Be sure to get the placement right the first time, as improperly placing the wig can get it stuck in an unappealing position for the next few weeks or even months.
Employ Clips and Bobby Pins
If you have a lot of natural hair, you should strongly consider employing clips and bobby pins as a means of securing your wig. This is often necessary, as natural hair doesn’t serve as a secure surface. Therefore, in order to keep the wig in place, you must attach it close to the natural hair that’s already present.
This is fairly straightforward. Just use a bobby pin to connect strands on the wig with strands of your natural hair. This will blend the strands together and make the wig look entirely natural.
Be sure to use bobby pins that match your hair color. Otherwise, they will undoubtedly stand out.
If bobby pins alone aren’t getting the job done, consider purchasing some specifically designed wig clips. These connect to the caps on wigs and then slide up strands of hair.
In some cases, these clips come pre-attached to wig caps. In other cases, you have to add them after the fact. Regardless, be sure that they match your hair color.
Style the Wig
Once your wig has been secured, you’ll want to style it. This is similar to styling real hair. However, there are differences.
For instance, when brushing your wig, you should use specifically designed wig combs and brushes. These are softer than conventional combs and brushes and won’t cause your hair to tear out as much.
You should also be sure to wait until the wig is dry before styling it. That said, you can still spray it with a bottle of water as a means of eliminating frizz.
Shampooing and conditioning your wig is important as well. To learn more about this, read this article.
And That’s How to Put on a Wig
And with that, we’ve shown you how to put on a wig. Follow these steps to a tee, and your wig is sure to be aesthetically pleasing and secure.
On the hunt for similar wig tips? WigShopStop.com has you covered. We have all sorts of blog posts for you to browse through.
Looking to buy a wig? We have you covered on that front as well. We sell all types of high-quality wigs, from lace front wigs to long wigs to short wigs and more.
