Considering a Human Hair Wig?
Wig Shown Above: Shea Wig by Jon Renau | Remy Human Hair in color 12FS12
Human hair wigs have never been more popular, and in my view, they have never been more beautiful. We can see for ourselves that human hair gives the most natural appearance—but maybe not with the minimum of effort. The movement, color, texture and that realistic sheen make it a desirable choice for many. If the cost is a factor, there will be additional questions to ask about a human hair wig purchase. We want our wigs to last as long as possible and look great along the way.
Here are some recurring questions, comments, opinions, from experts that might answer some questions for you about the challenges and care of human hair wigs. A few things to consider that you might like to review if you are thinking about a human hair wig:
You will find that the recommended care is not all that different from synthetic wigs: be gentle, watch the heat, use good products, and treat your wig well.
- Should I wash it before wearing? Yes, wash the coating off to make it easier to style. But…follow the manufacturer’s/vendors instructions.
- Heat styling (at a safe level) vs air drying is recommended.
- How often should I wash the wig? If the hair appears dull, lifeless, it’s time. This, like synthetics, is usually every 6-8 wears. Deep conditioning every other wash might be helpful (mid-shaft to ends). Be careful to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Use shampoo and conditioning products made for color treated hair.
- As a general rule: Do not leave conditioner on more than 3-4 minutes, rinse using cool water, blot/press excess moisture with a towel.
- Style as you would your bio hair, being careful about the temperature of any equipment that you use.
- Do not dry the wig on a solid form or mannequin head to avoid stretching the cap.
- Treat the lace with care.
- Don’t brush the wig when wet, finger comb only.
Other human hair questions: What is Remy Hair? What is Virgin Hair?
Remy hair manufacturers have focused on making sure the cuticle layers (scales) of the hair strand are facing in the same direction. Closing the cuticle protects the hair and reflects light more naturally giving the wig a healthy but natural shine.
Virgin hair is unprocessed and untouched by chemicals. Remy human hair wigs can be virgin but don’t have to be.
One of the biggest differences, besides price, when looking at synthetic vs human hair wigs, is the task of styling. Human hair, just like our bio hair, will need to be styled and re-styled. Unlike synthetic wigs that hold a style, and save you time, human hair will demand more attention. If you are not talented in the styling area, or just don’t want to be bothered with this every morning, it can be an issue for some people. There will be a learning curve, and one that some don’t want to or just can’t tackle.
The care process of human hair wigs is similar to synthetic wigs, but they take more care, and usually more time for that care. The experts tell us to rotate our human hair wigs daily to make them last longer. And like synthetics, a lot of washing will take a toll. Also, like synthetics, correct washing and drying is crucial to the life of the wig.
Buying the right products are as important for human hair wigs as they are for synthetics. Why invest a lot of money in a wig only to use inferior products? The other issue with human hair is finding that right temperature for your appliances when you style the wig. If you constantly overheat your wig, it will shorten its life. Like synthetics, pay special attention to the ends of the hair, extra conditioning and trimming can make a big difference in the look and the life of the wig.
It’s been my experience that hairdressers prefer to work with human hair wigs from a styling point of view. This is understandable, but if you are lucky enough to live near a wig boutique, you will usually find someone skilled in styling human and synthetic wigs.
I made the mistake of buying a human hair wig too early in my wig journey. I had not learned enough about wigs in general and human hair wigs in particular. I grew frustrated trying to style the wig every morning and was never entirely happy with the results. I have since learned a lot but find that I gravitate to heat friendly synthetics because I don’t like the constant styling aspect of human hair wigs, and I like to change up styles and colors. That can become very expensive with human hair wigs. But with all that said, I can see myself buying another human hair wig someday if I can find that “perfect one” – hey, you know what I mean.
Until next week, check out the WigStudio1 human hair wigs and fall in love…something like the one I keep looking at…
