Wig Care Instructions

NOTE: All the wigs available on this site are synthetic, so these care instructions refer to synthetic wig care.

Wig care

Because synthetic wigs are fibers, they need to be treated differently than our human hair. You shouldn't use the same shampoo and products that you would use on your regular hair, instead use products specially formulated for synthetic wigs. 

Washing

There are many different opinions on how often you should wash your wig. Some people say every month, some every 4-6, some every 10 wears. Each person uses their wigs for different amounts of time, uses different types and amounts of products, and wears them in different environments; so the best advice we can give is to play it by ear for your situation. A good sign that it needs washing is that it smells musty, or is tangling easily or frequently. If washed properly, a synthetic wig cannot be hurt from being washed, so don't be afraid to wash it if you aren't sure. Here are some tips for washing your synthetic wig:

  • Purchase a synthetic wig shampoo to use
  • Get a towel ready to lay it on and dry it with after washing
  • Brush your wig lightly with a brush meant for wigs to get the tangles out before washing (this will extend the life of your wig)
  • Add a teaspoonful of wig shampoo to a bowl or sink of cool water (do not use hot water on a synthetic wig).
  • Let the wig soak in the water and shampoo for 5 minutes, and then "wash" it gently with your hands. If you have applied products like foundation to the lace or glue, make sure you get all of that gently off. 
  • Once the wig has been washed off, rinse it with cool water, and GENTLY squeeze the excess water from your wig (do NOT twist or wring your wig, this will make it tangle). You can use conditioner if you'd like and follow the same process as the shampoo at this point or a leave in conditioner after you dry the wig.
  • Lay the wig on the towel and "blot" dry (do not rub). Then place it on a wig stand to air dry. Leaving it on a styrofoam or block head may stretch it out, so it is recommended to get one of those plastic wig stands that aren't solid.
  • Do NOT brush it when wet, this can damage the wig

In-between washes

  • Brush your wig with a wide tooth comb or wig brush to keep tangles down (always brush it when you take it off before storing it or putting it on your wig stand)
  • Use a leave-in conditioner to help keep tangles down and reduce fly-aways. 

Styling wigs

  • Refer to the wig card or website for information on whether the wig is heat safe and up to what temperature. Not all wigs are made heat safe. Make sure you stay within the recommended heat guidelines otherwise you may burn your wig.
  • If the wig is heat safe, you can use straighteners, curling irons, hot combs, and rollers on the wig. 
  • Sometimes it's easier to style the wig on a wig head and then put it on your head so that you can see and style the back easier.

Things to avoid

  • Getting close to hot ovens (it can singe the hairs or worse) - great excuse for someone else to put something or get something out of the oven :)
  • Boiling water will remove the style, and if not heat safe, could melt the fibers
  • BBQ's (feel free to eat yummy BBQ, just don't get near it with a wig)
  • Open flames