How to Be Fabulous You In Wearing a Wig
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African American wigs are a big deal right now. Not only are celebrities and fashionable women wearing them more and more, but wigs themselves just keep on getting better. Whether you’re completely new to wigs…or have a gorgeous collection in the double digits, we invite you to read along and get inspired.
To start with, we sat down with our fabulous wig stylist, Kerre Berry, to get her seasoned perspective on how to wear a wig—and tips on how to feel absolutely fantastic in them.
Let’s DARE to be ourselves
When our hair doesn’t match what we feel like on the inside or when it gets in the way of what we’re trying to accomplish in the world, Ladies, it’s time to TRANSFORM! The fabulous YOU you’ve been becoming all this time might just be ready to be revealed, and that’s not the time to hold back. Why not open your mind and imagine something new? Sometimes this means tweaking our go-to style just a bit…and sometimes it means trying a completely new look altogether.
The possibilities are endless and pretty magical because wigs are TEMPORARY. They let us experiment and reinvent ourselves—without having to drastically cut or color our own hair. And that is what is called OPPORTUNITY.
Truth be told, wigs can save us from more than style ruts. They can turn around bad hair days, lazy hair days, and even, for some strong beautiful souls fighting hair loss or thinning, a wig can be our beautiful crown and our glory when we need it most.
Each of us should feel like we’re living our best, most beautiful version of ourselves.
Let’s take care of the hair God gave us (and the wig we just spent money on).
The Natural Look
The Styled Look
Proper Wig Care
Know why you want to get a wig, what you want from it and how much you want to spend. Then educate yourself. It’s really important to use a wig stand, even for the everyday storing of a wig. Don’t just throw it in a drawer. Using a wig stand protects the style and shape of your wig and helps to keep it looking beautiful.
Let’s choose the right wig type for us
1. Synthetic Wigs
This type of wig is made from manmade materials. It tends to be more affordable, so it’s a great option if you want to experiment with a new style that you aren’t sure about.
WARNING: Hot styling will ruin most synthetic wigs. Do not use curling irons, flat irons or hot blow dryers on them unless the manufacturer clearly states otherwise. Thankfully, some retailers are now making heat-tolerant synthetic wigs, but always follow the manufacturer’s temperature recommendations.
GOOD NEWS: you can cut a synthetic wig and even use hair products—sparingly. For the most part, synthetic wigs come pre-styled and hold that style as long as they receive basic care. They even stand up to wind, rain and humidity.
”Synthetic wigs can sometimes have more shine than is natural. If you want to minimize that just a bit, try using a small amount of dry shampoo. Not too much! Work it through the hair evenly, and you’ll have a beautiful, more natural-looking shine.“
2. Human Hair Wigs
This type of wig is made from real human hair. It tends to look “real” because it is real. A human hair wig is ideal for ladies who want a very natural look and for the true wig wearer—the woman who knows the style she wants and is confident that she’ll get her use out of it.
A human hair wig can handle just about everything you’d do to your own hair: you can cut, color, curl, straighten and blow it dry. For this reason, a human hair wig is perfect for the lady who wants to “play with” and customize her wig. Keep in mind that the gentler you are to your wig, the longer it will last. You’ll also need to condition it after washing because it can’t make its own oils anymore. And just like real hair, humidity and wind can affect it.
3. Human Hair Blend Wigs
This type of wig is a combination of human hair and synthetic fibers. It is typically mid-priced, giving you a more realistic look without having to spend as much as you would on a 100% human hair wig.
A blend tends to look fantastic and wear well. It’s a great middle-of-the-road option. See manufacturer details for heat and styling tolerances.
If your hair color matches the color of your wig, pulling out a little bit of your own hair at the hairline will make your wig look even more real. Once you’ve pulled them out, match the texture: curl those hairs if your wig is curly, straighten them if your wig is straight. Take it up a notch if you like by twirling and twisting your own hairs into the wig hair. This really does make a difference! Experiment and don’t be shy.
To start with, we sat down with our fabulous wig stylist, Kerre Berry, to get her seasoned perspective on how to wear a wig—and tips on how to feel absolutely fantastic in them.
Let’s DARE to be ourselves
When our hair doesn’t match what we feel like on the inside or when it gets in the way of what we’re trying to accomplish in the world, Ladies, it’s time to TRANSFORM! The fabulous YOU you’ve been becoming all this time might just be ready to be revealed, and that’s not the time to hold back. Why not open your mind and imagine something new? Sometimes this means tweaking our go-to style just a bit…and sometimes it means trying a completely new look altogether.
The possibilities are endless and pretty magical because wigs are TEMPORARY. They let us experiment and reinvent ourselves—without having to drastically cut or color our own hair. And that is what is called OPPORTUNITY.
Truth be told, wigs can save us from more than style ruts. They can turn around bad hair days, lazy hair days, and even, for some strong beautiful souls fighting hair loss or thinning, a wig can be our beautiful crown and our glory when we need it most.
Each of us should feel like we’re living our best, most beautiful version of ourselves.
Let’s take care of the hair God gave us (and the wig we just spent money on).
The Natural Look
- Many women of color are going to more natural black hair styles.
- If you want to truly rock this look, you need to avoid excessive chemicals, blow drying and hot tools.
The Styled Look
- Still, as fantastic as this look is, sometimes we might want something different, something that calls for styling that’s not so damaging. Why not protect your own hair…and save the extravagant styles for wig days?
- This girl looks fierce. She’s wearing a wig which means she didn’t have to straighten her own hair. Smart!
Proper Wig Care
- If the lovely lady above kept on wearing that wig without keeping it up, she would not look fierce anymore.
- Just like our own hair, a wig needs washing. It accumulates sweat, dirt and hair products. After a while, any wig can start to get stiff and tangled and, well, nasty.
- What to do?
- Wash your wig as needed in warm water with wig shampoo.
- Once the wig is perfectly dry, use a wide-tooth comb or wig brush to detangle.
Know why you want to get a wig, what you want from it and how much you want to spend. Then educate yourself. It’s really important to use a wig stand, even for the everyday storing of a wig. Don’t just throw it in a drawer. Using a wig stand protects the style and shape of your wig and helps to keep it looking beautiful.
Let’s choose the right wig type for us
1. Synthetic Wigs
This type of wig is made from manmade materials. It tends to be more affordable, so it’s a great option if you want to experiment with a new style that you aren’t sure about.
WARNING: Hot styling will ruin most synthetic wigs. Do not use curling irons, flat irons or hot blow dryers on them unless the manufacturer clearly states otherwise. Thankfully, some retailers are now making heat-tolerant synthetic wigs, but always follow the manufacturer’s temperature recommendations.
GOOD NEWS: you can cut a synthetic wig and even use hair products—sparingly. For the most part, synthetic wigs come pre-styled and hold that style as long as they receive basic care. They even stand up to wind, rain and humidity.
”Synthetic wigs can sometimes have more shine than is natural. If you want to minimize that just a bit, try using a small amount of dry shampoo. Not too much! Work it through the hair evenly, and you’ll have a beautiful, more natural-looking shine.“
2. Human Hair Wigs
This type of wig is made from real human hair. It tends to look “real” because it is real. A human hair wig is ideal for ladies who want a very natural look and for the true wig wearer—the woman who knows the style she wants and is confident that she’ll get her use out of it.
A human hair wig can handle just about everything you’d do to your own hair: you can cut, color, curl, straighten and blow it dry. For this reason, a human hair wig is perfect for the lady who wants to “play with” and customize her wig. Keep in mind that the gentler you are to your wig, the longer it will last. You’ll also need to condition it after washing because it can’t make its own oils anymore. And just like real hair, humidity and wind can affect it.
3. Human Hair Blend Wigs
This type of wig is a combination of human hair and synthetic fibers. It is typically mid-priced, giving you a more realistic look without having to spend as much as you would on a 100% human hair wig.
A blend tends to look fantastic and wear well. It’s a great middle-of-the-road option. See manufacturer details for heat and styling tolerances.
If your hair color matches the color of your wig, pulling out a little bit of your own hair at the hairline will make your wig look even more real. Once you’ve pulled them out, match the texture: curl those hairs if your wig is curly, straighten them if your wig is straight. Take it up a notch if you like by twirling and twisting your own hairs into the wig hair. This really does make a difference! Experiment and don’t be shy.