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Wig Wearing Tips For Beginners: My experience switching between hair toppers and wigs
This blog post is all about my wig wearing tips and I hope some of these will bring you more confidence while you're wearing your wig.
If you're familiar with my blog then you know I'm a huge fan of hair toppers. I love being able to just clip them in and head out the door.
But...Not so fast...
Due to my androgenic alopecia I've been playing around with hair toppers with Bangs. If you want to know more about this then check out the link to my blog post HERE.
Bangs cut out the hassle of trying to camouflage my thinning hairline with the front of my hair topper. But in order for hair toppers to blend you need them to be a similar length and color to your bio hair.
And that can be annoying if you're trying to change up your color/ length.
Enter our friend the wig...
Now I wasn't really a wig wearer... I didn't have a ton of experience with them...Until I washed my favorite hair topper in the laundry machine... (Yes this happened) See the picture below. Definitely not my finest moment. Try not to gag when you look at this hair ball.
R.I.P. hair topper....
Moving on....While I was getting ready to join my friends for my birthday dinner I randomly decided to instead reach for a lace top wig that I had been putting off wearing.
I had never worn a full wig around my friends, and some of the women joining were women who I hadn't even disclosed my hair loss to.
So imagine my surprise when all I received were compliments about my subtle highlights. I kept thinking I would get questions about my wig but literally no one and I mean no one knew. It blew my mind.
The next time I wore it out was to a wedding and I noticed myself being more outgoing (No it wasn't the alcohol lol). I truly believe that wearing the wig made me feel more confident in myself. I ended up having a really great time, and figured I should share some of the wig wearing tips I have.
Here is a pic of me from the wedding... This is the Divine 20" lace top wig in dark brown with highlights and rooting color service by Milano. I've provided the link to this wig HERE.
I find that these highlights are a bit more carmel colored then they appeared when viewing the image online but this may differ from monitor to monitor.
Overall, I'm really happy with this particular piece and the coloring. I also found the lace top to be lightweight contouring to my head perfectly without any poofing.
The part is very realistic looking which I was nervous about since this is lace and not silk. The lace front came pre-cut which I loved... and was virtually undetectable in the transition from forehead to scalp.
This is also a light density piece listed on the website at 100% approx .190 grams. I love this. I usually go for medium density pieces because let's face it... I love hair. But to me the light density makes it look more realistic and could easily be used as an everyday wig.
*I purchased this piece myself and these are my honest opinions.
1. Wig Wearing Tips: Get that thing secured!
First things first.... You're going to want to make sure you're buying the correct cap size. If not then your wig may poof up in places or slide around. So make sure you're measuring your head properly. There are tons of youtube videos on how to do this.
Then depending on your level of hair loss you may want to use a Wig grip. I use the one linked below in the dark brown because the wigs I own are dark brown. If you have a lighter hair color then I suggest using the lighter colored wig grip. This way if by chance it poked out at all it's a bit more camouflaged.
This Wig grip has reinforced swiss lace by the hairline and part which helps make a seamless transition from your forehead to the scalp. To use this wig grip I first slick my hair back and tie it in a very low bun. Then I put on this headband, pulling out the hair along my side burns. (I do not purchase wigs with ear tabs because I still have a ton of hair in this location. If you are thinner there then consider purchasing a wig with ear tabs for a more realistic look).
Pro tip: Make sure your headband is tight but not too tight. You want to make sure it's comfortable.
Then I put on my wig! Boom. It's secure.
I personally have not tried a lace grip cap. But I like the idea of a cap as well because when you're wearing a cap your wig is being protected from your own hair oils and I imagine it would probably help keep your wig cleaner. Check out the wig cap below if this sounds like an option for you. They come in tons of colors.
2. Wig wearing Tips: Use a Wide Tooth Comb and brush the hair back
When I first put on my wig I notice it is totally flat against my head... looking like some sort of pancake. So I want to get some volume in there and I achieve this by holding a finger down at the start of the lace on my wig and combing straight back.
Be very gentle around the lace. You just want to be grabbing the hair. I do this a few times and notice a huge difference.
3. Wig Wearing Tips: Create The Perfect Part
With a lace top wig I use a scalp concealer to hide the knots. You could also have your knots bleached but this is the method I use.
Your scalp is typically lighter than your skin. So I'll go in with the angled brush I've linked above and lightly apply color along the parting. Then I'll go in with the spoolie brush on the other side and make sure everything is blended well.
I think that peoples eyes notice straight lines. And so in some sections I may break the part up a bit by bringing some hair over from one side or another. I find that this technique also helps make my part look more realistic.
4. Wig Wearing Tips: Keep that lace clean!
I first learned about this tip from @hairlossgirlboss on instagram and I'm pretty stoked about it. Sometimes when I'm wearing my wig I will get some makeup transfer onto the lace front. This can make the lace look visible. Tip: Use a makeup wipe and gently press it onto the lace to remove any makeup product build up. This way you keep your lace clean and lookin invisible!
5. Wig Wearing Tips: Create The Illusion of Baby Hairs
To the left and the right of where I have the part I will go in with the spoolie side of this brush and tease gently.
Be careful to not damage the lace while doing this.
Then go in using the wide tooth comb to brush the hair back, away from the face.This will make the wig look like it's actually growing out of your head.
I never want my wigs to look too perfect because to me that's not realistic. That isn't how hair naturally behaves. So I like some pieces a little out of place.
6. Wig Wearing Tips: Don't over wash you wigs!
Wigs are expensive and in order to extend their life I like to treat them with care by not styling them on the highest heat setting, using hair oils, and not over washing. Some things to consider when thinking about how often to wash your wig: How much product has built up on your wig (how often are you styling it), how active you are in your wig, what climate you're in etc. With all of these factors considered I've been washing my wig about once every 12 wears...
Pro tip: Dont wash yours in the washing machine...
Sighs in defeat...
7. Wig Wearing Tip: Store your wig carefully
I store my wigs by scrunch up some tissue paper and using this to stuff the wig cap. This will help the cap maintain its shape.
Then I use a large hairnet linked below to cover the entire wig and then place this into the storage case like the one linked above.
