Everything You Wanted To Know About Wigs
Our Hair Gurus at VogueWigs have designed this FAQ page to answer all of your questions on your new beauty purchase. Here you can read and watch videos on topics such as how to wear your wig and how to wash your wig or hairpiece. We value our hair-obsessed fans at home and we are here to help! If you are completely new to wigs, you can also visit our Wig Glossary to learn about the different terms and features you'll come across on your alternative hair journey. For questions regarding our new & improved site, please click here. If you have any suggestions or questions relating to ordering, shipping, returns, exchanges or other related matters, please contact us here.
Finding The Right Wig
It will vary depending on how you treat your wig, how often you wear it and the kind of material it is made of. With proper care and maintenance your wig can last anywhere from 3 months to a few years. A typical synthetic wig will last between 3 to 6 months if worn daily and washed on a regular basis. Having 2 of the same wig and rotating between them is a good way to prolong the life of your wigs. Washing and styling your wig with the proper products will also help it last longer and keep it looking like new.
With a tape measure, begin at the front of your hairline and wrap the tape behind your ear to the nape of your neck around to your other ear until the tape meets again at the front of your hairline. 95% of the population will fit into the average wig size. The comfortable elastic/cloth material stretches and fits head sizes from 21.5"-22.5". Cap sizes may vary slightly by brand. Most wigs have adjustable tabs at the neck to adjust the cap up to 1" for a comfortable and secure fit.
Size Head Circumference Ultra Petite 20.5" Petite 21" Petite-Average 21.25" Average 21.5"-22.5" Large 23" First time putting on a wig? We can help you put one on properly. You'll be a pro in no time. Follow these simple steps on applying your wig.
- Wigs should be worn on the natural hairline (for most people it is four finger-widths above the eyebrow).
- Remove wig from the plastic bag or box. Gently remove the protective hair net from your wig. Give your wig a few good shakes to separate the fibers and give some body to the hair. Some wigs need to be shaken to release the preset styling.
- Brush your hair off your face at the top and sides. If your hair is too long, you may want use bobby pins to help keep it off your face, back at the sides, and up at the nape. Some women use a wig liner or wig cap to keep their existing hair in place.
- Hold your wig at the sides with the woven label in back. Place it at your natural hairline and slide it on from front to back. Adjust the wig as needed so the front edge is just over your natural hairline. Use the ear tabs to center your wig from left to right. Adjust the Velcro tabs in the back if necessary for a more secure fit.
- Tuck in any stray hairs at the front, sides and nape. Now you're ready for styling!
If you are unsure on what color you need for your wig or extensions, we recommend using the color chart provided by the manufacturer or loaning a color ring. This will help you get the most accurate description of the color, being that computer monitors can vary from one to another. If you are looking to venture into a new shade and aren't sure where to start, you can use your skintone to determine which shades would look most flattering on you. Click here to learn more.
- Synthetic: Synthetic fibers are more easily cared for and also lower priced. The synthetic fibers can hold a "pre-styled" texture: curly, wavy, or straight. Higher quality synthetic hair wigs are practically impossible to differentiate from human hair. Avoid styling synthetic wigs with heat or chemicals not designed specifically for those fibers.
- Heat-Friendly: Want the styling flexibility of human hair combined with the affordability of synthetic hair? Heat-friendly synthetic fibers are the answer! This is an amazing breakthrough in hair technology, where you can style the synthetic fiber with your favorite heat tool (up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit). This is great for the woman on the go, who still wants to customize it to fit her style.
- Human Hair: If you want the ultimate in realism, then human hair is just for you. The cost of human hair products can vary from the quality of the fiber. Regular (non-Remy) human hair wigs have cuticles that have been removed. The more luxurious, Remy human hair wigs have all the "Virgin" hair cuticles facing one direction, providing the ultimate in softness and less tangling. The best thing about human hair? You can style it with heat or have your stylist color it!
Styling Tips & Wig Care
To keep you wig fresh in between washes, we recommend wearing a clean wig cap each day. This will help prevent build-up in your wig. If you live in a hot area or are prone to sweating, we recommend wearing trying out the patented No Sweat Liner by Headline It. The unique combination of micro-fiber materials are engineered specifically for your needs to stay dry and comfortable. The moisture transport system quickly draws perspiration away from the skin, wicking it into the transport layer. These liners will trap any odors making your time between washes much longer.
The best way to store a wig is on a wig stand. Storing a wig on a wig stand prevents the wig from becoming tangled, misshapen or dirty between uses. The wig stand will also help maintain the factory produced style and shape of your wig. Wigs should be stored in a cool dry place free of dust, mildew and high temperatures.
The first step to washing a wig is to make sure it is detangled. Use a wide tooth comb to get rid of any knots your wig may have. Next you want to pour a cap full of wig shampoo into a large bowl filled with water. Gently swirl your wig in the solution and let it sit in the bowl for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes have passed, rinse your wig until the water runs clear. Wrap your wig in a towel and gently pat dry until all excess water is gone. Finish with a leave in conditioner, focusing most of the product towards the ends as this is where the hair gets the most tangles. Let it air dry on a wig stand. For a step by step guide on how to properly wash your wig click here.
Your synthetic wig can be styled by using a wig brush, a wig comb, or your fingertips. Avoid using a brush designed for human hair. These brushes can create excessive tension, over-stretching the hair with abrasive strokes that may damage the hair. The wigs we carry are “shake & wear” and can be styled by simply using a wide tooth comb or your fingertips. The best styling tool is the most inexpensive; a spray bottle of clean, cool water. Lightly spritz your wig with water to remove static electricity and return your wig to its original look. To achieve style variations, liquid wig mousse is an essential styling tool. For curly or wavy styles, just mousse, hand scrunch, and pick the style into curls. On straight styles, to minimize tangling use a wide tooth comb and brush starting from the ends and moving towards the root. You can add some hair spray to finish off your look.
To style heat friendly or Tru2life fibers, you must make sure that your heat tool is set to the correct temperature. The maximum temperature they should be at is 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If your heat tool does not have a temperature gauge, we recommend putting your settings on medium to low. To curl your hair, take 1" sections and curl around the barrel. Then slowly slide the fiber off the curling iron and pin the curl together. Once the fiber is cool to the touch remove the pin. To straighten, just simply slide the flat iron, slowly down 1" sections starting from the root to the tip.
You can mini-style your wig every time you wear it, with your fingers and a wig pick, very gently. If knots have accumulated at the ends of the wig, pick apart the knots by starting near the end of the hair and working your way back to the top. You can even use a little spray-on leave-on wig conditioner to help detangle the hair. You can use a lukewarm curling iron, dryer, or rollers of the proper size to re-set your wig’s curls. If you prefer a straighter style, just take 1" sections and run your flat iron over them. Why did my Human hair wig lose its style after I washed it? The factory style in Human hair wigs are made by setting and not by perm. Therefore, the style will always wash out of Human hair wigs.
Follow along with our step by step guide on how to attach your clip-on extensions. Click here.
Wig Cap Construction & Features
This type of cap allows for maximum aeration for the wearer. The crown is constructed by vertical lace strips with open spaces between wefts. These openings allow the wig to be lighter and more breathable than standard cap wigs.
A lace front wig is a wig with sheer mesh at the hairline where all the hair have been individually hand-tied. The mesh will often have a neutral skin color that will disappear once applied to your hairline. The lace is undetectable and will allow you to have an extremely natural and exposed hairline. Most lace fronts will extend from temple to temple. People won't be able to tell that you're wearing a wig! What's more, you will be able to style your hair off of your face without worrying about exposing your wig cap.
- How do you apply a lace front?
First, trim the lace as close to the hairline as possible using pinking shears. Once you have trimmed off the excess lace, prepare your own hair by making sure it is as flat as possible. Clean your hairline area of any excess oils to ensure that the adhesive will stick. Apply tape or adhesive to the perimeter of your hairline. After the adhesive feels tacky, the wig is ready to be placed onto your head. Make sure the lace is pressed down securely to your forehead. Now you're ready to go! - Do all lace front wigs require adhesive?
Not all lace front wigs will need tape or glue. There are some newer styles where the lace extends from temple to temple so they will lay flat against your forehead without the need for any sort of adhesive. You can still use adhesive if you want a very secure fit but it is not necessary. - Do all lace front wigs need to be cut or modified?
Not at all. Newer styles are on the market that have the lace already pre-cut so it's ready to wear right out of the box without any need for modifications.
- How do you apply a lace front?
A monofilament top or mono-top wig will have a transparent lace like material on the top of the wig, where each individual fiber has been hand knotted onto the lace. This will give you the most realistic scalp appearance and will allow you to change the parting on the wig, where the monofilament fiber is located.
Monofilament top wigs can be made with synthetic or human hair fibers. Some wigs will feature a monofilament side part or button at the crown. Also the fiber on the monofilament top will not feature any "perma-tease" or "perma-lift"."Perma Tease" or "Perma Lift" is a crimping effect done at the root of the wig to create a permanent volumized look. This will lessen the styling time and you will not be causing any damage with back combing or teasing to the fiber. You will not find any perma tease on monofilament wigs or human hair wigs. You can view some popular styles that have perma tease by clicking here.
Hand-tied wigs are wigs which have individual hair fibers hand-tied to the cap during the manufacturing process. This delicate and time consuming process creates the most natural hair appearance because each hair is filled in one by one.
The most common of all wig cap types and is usually not visible through the hair. The cap usually has a closed lace layer around the crown at which the hairs are sewn onto by machine. Hair is usually styled in such a way that the crown is lifted so the cap is not visible. This cap gives the hair volume at the crown due to the natural lift.
A weft of hair is a long "curtain" of hair that has a seam at the top. Wefts of hair will be found on wigs and hair extensions.
An open wefted cap, means the sides and back of the wig are constructed with wefts of hair. They have about 1/2" of space between each row so the wig will be light and well ventilated.
A skin top is a flesh colored section on the cap that will create a scalp like appearance. This will usually be used in standard caps around the parting or the crown. You cannot change the parting on the skin top.
Human Hair
Not all human hair products will be Remy. Remy means that the cuticle of the fiber is still intact and will be facing one direction. This will help will less tangling and feel softer. Non-Remy human hair will mean the cuticles have been removed or they are not facing all the same directions. This will cause more friction, so there will be slightly more tangling in the fibers.
Yaki hair refers to the processed texture in which hair resembled chemically relaxed hair. Yaki hair may be from a synthetic, Remy or non-Remy source. Yaki hair, while defined as having the texture of chemically relaxed Afro Caribbean hair, is available in four variations. Silky or Straight Yaki hair looks like hair that has been relaxed and flat-ironed. Regular Yaki looks like relaxed hair but is not as silky as the Silky version. Kinky Yaki hair resembles hair that has not been chemically relaxed but has been blown straight. Kinky Yaki is more natural looking and usually has a thicker texture. Coarse Yaki resembles untreated Afro Caribbean hair and may be Wavy Coarse or Curly Coarse.
We do not recommend altering any human hair products, unless the manufacturer specifically states the product can be dyed or lifted. Most human hair products you can deposit colors 2 shades darker, not lift any colors out. Certain manufacturer's like Jon Renau, produce a color line, where you can actually lift the color. The Renau Naturals (RN) colorization process does not use any bleach or dyes, so it leaves the hair superbly healthy and ready for custom color and highlights, if desired. When you decide to color your wig we always recommend that you consult a licensed stylist.