Does your wig need a refresh? Is it feeling a little flat, or a bit fuzzy? Sometimes a wash is necessary, even with a synthetic wig. Here’s how we do it!
YOU WILL NEED:
A wide tooth comb, or specialised wig brush
A bowl, or a sink if you prefer
Wig shampoo/conditioner of your choice
A clean towel
To start, take your comb and working from the bottom of the wig to the top, gently brush out any tangles in your wig, until it’s brushed through. Never brush a wet wig, it’s important to get rid 0f knots before the wig gets wet.
Fill your bowl or sink with water. The water temperature depends on what you want for your wig, cold water will help maintain the shape of the wig, although it’s never guaranteed to hold a style once it has been washed. So for instance, if you have a curly wig and you’d like it to keep the shape, we recommend cold water. Warm water may soften the synthetic fibres slightly, so would relax the style the wig has been set in. This shouldn’t make any difference to a straight wig. Never use hot water to wash a wig, synthetic hair is very different to human hair, and may get damaged beyond repair if the water is too hot.
Pour a little shampoo into the water and swoosh it around, the same as if you were adding a little bubble bath. Short wigs don’t require as much shampoo as long wigs, don’t make the water too soapy as it’ll be harder to rinse out. Gently submerge your wig in the water, and swish the soapy water through it by slowly moving it from side to side. The aim is to get the soapy water through the cap and hairs without creating any tangles. You can make a gentle scrunching motion down the length of the wig and the cap if the wig needs a good wash.
Remove the wig and pour the soapy water away. Rinse the wig through with cold water until you can feel you have rinsed all the soap from it. You can do this by submerging it in a bowl of clean water, but running it under the tap will ensure the soap is rinsed better. At this stage, if you have a wig conditioner you want to use, apply this to the wig and leave for 3-5 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
Squeeze any excess water gently from the wig starting at the cap and moving down. Then lay the damp wig on your towel, and use the dry towel to press any moisture you can out, being careful not to tangle it.
Be careful when drying a wig. We recommend drying wigs by laying them flat. If the wig is stretched over a wig head to dry, this could cause the cap to stretch and become loose. Also, if the wig is hanging on a head to dry, you are more likely to lose any style left in it (like curls) due to the hair being heavy while wet.
Once your wig is completely dry, take your wide tooth comb or special wig brush, and brush any knots out, starting in small sections from the bottom up.
This should leave you with a refreshed wig! Ready to wear again with confidence.