Wash or don’t wash a human hair wig? There is a sort of Hamlet’s doubt when we struggle with wig washing.
The process is necessary to remove external debris and pollution residues that build up not only on the wig but also on our natural hair. However, at the same time, wig washing can damage your unity, shortening its lifespan.
For this reason, I created a guide on how to wash a human hair wig gently and with no trouble.
I am Rosalba, a wig wearer who loves washing her human wig frequently. To discover more about my sweet and soft washing method, keep reading.
Detailed Steps to Wash Human Hair Wig
Follow the below-detailed steps to wash your human hair wig.
Step 1: Prepping to Wash
Before washing your human hair wig, prepare the necessary tools.
To perform an effective washing, you need:
- Paddle Brush or Brush for Human Hair Wig
- Soft dry towel
- Basin
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Natural or organic oil
- Wig Stand (optional)
Step 2: Detangle the Human Hair Wig
Place your human hair wig on a wig stand, or hold it on with a hand. On the other hand, detangle the strands with gentle movements, starting from the bottom. A human hair wig can be detangled by hands or with a paddle brush.
The two options depend on the type of hair of the wig. An unprocessed virgin hair can be detangled by hands, while chemically processed human hair must be detangled through a paddle brush.
If the level of tangles and frizzy hair is exceptionally severe, you may need to wet the wig, before brushing it.
In this case, I advise you to go straight washing the unity. Let’s see how to proceed in the step below.
Step 3: Fill the Basin with Cold Water
Proceed as the title of the step suggests. Always fill the basin with cold water. Heat and warm water, indeed, can escalate tangles and cause breakage and shedding of the human hair.
Step 4: Pour a Bit of Shampoo into the Basin of Cold Water
Pour a bit of shampoo into the basin filled with cold water. Use the same quantity of shampoo you use to wash your natural hair. Mix the shampoo gently with water until you obtain a foamy mixture.
Step 5: Put your Human Hair Wig in the Water
Before performing this step, turn your unity inside out and completely immerse it in the foamy cold water. Don’t scrub or rub it, but execute gentle touches on the bottom to remove any tangles. Always perform soft movements. Then, leave the human hair wig soaked for five minutes, at least.
Step 6: Rinse the Wig
Always gently and with delicacy, rinse the wig under cold water. In this stage, you can rinse the wig under your sink’s faucet or even with the shower head.
Carry out this process until the water is clear.
Step 7: Apply the Conditioner and Rinse Again
Apply a big amount of conditioner straight onto the human hair of your wig. Make sure to gently apply the conditioner on the ends of the strands, covering every side of the wig: frontal, lateral, and back. Leave it on for 45 minutes.
After this time, rinse your wig completely and squeeze the bottom of the strands with a soft movement.
Step 8: Apply the Natural Oil
Natural oil is not a whim. It is mandatory after the wig washing, because it makes the strands smooth and shiny, prolonging the longevity of your human hair wig.
As happens for our true hair, natural oil feeds the fibers and the bulbs of hair, making it more elastic and resistant.
Apply a small quantity of oil when the wig is still damp.
Step 9: Lay the Wig on the Dry Towel
Lay your human hair wig on a dry, and, obviously, clean towel. Let the unity completely dry naturally. Don’t use any hair tools at this stage.
Step 10: Style your Human Hair Wig
After air drying, you can style your human hair wig to your liking. In this stage, you can use a hair dryer or curly iron. Remember that the best hairstyle is always obtained with dry hair, never with wet hair. Heat is indeed detrimental on wet hair.
When you are sure that your wig is perfectly dry, you can create stunning curls or straight fringes with your favorite hair tools when you are sure that your wig is perfectly dry. In this stage, in fact, heat can’t penetrate roots and ends of the human hair and lets you give your wig the style you want.
FAQs
As you can see, human hair wig washing is an easy process. You must only follow all the steps. For further questions, instead, follow the section of the FAQs.
How Many Times I Must Wash My Human Hair Wig?
You could reply to this question by yourself. Just think about how many times you wash your hair. Usually, you do it one time per week, at least, or two, if your hair is very dull and dirty.
In the case of human hair wigs, the frequency of washing depends only on the conditions and the usage of your unity.
If you use the wig every day, I suggest that you wash it when you notice that the unity is matt and tangled. If you properly care for your wig (see the guide about this topic, also), you could need to wash it every two weeks. This way, you avoid damaging the texture of your unity or to rip any frontal lace.
Even though it is made with human hair, indeed, a wig is a beauty tool that needs less frequent treatments than our true hair!
Can you Wash a Human Hair Wig with Regular Shampoo?
Unfortunately, you can’t wash a human hair or synthetic wig with common shampoos and regular conditioners. They contain chemicals or organic compounds that can severely damage the fibers of wigs, making them frizzy, tangled and unnatural.
Always use shampoo, conditioner and styling products specifically formulated for wigs. There are many online shops around you to find them.
Can you Put a Leave-in Conditioner on a Human Hair Wig?
My answer will be merciless, but it is better if you apply the conditioner during the washing process. Leave-in conditioners are usually chemically processed and have the cons of making human hair wigs duller and more tangled.
Rinsing is the only guarantee not to have a tangled and matt wig.
Wrapping Out
Yes, this guide will contain ten steps, they seem too much, but, they give us a complete overview of how to wash a human hair wig and keep it eternally beautiful.
Everything from prepping to washing has been explained to overlook and forget no details.
Remember, in fact, that results are always in the details… Even in the smallest one…
Hence, if you have any observations or detail to suggest, feel free to send me your comment.
I’ll be excited to publish it.