So you just bought your very first wig and you cannot WAIT to put it on. But, you have no idea where to begin. Or you wing it, but it doesn’t look right. Surely, there’s a method to this madness!
Yes, of course there is. There are a few different types of wigs – synthetic, lace front, or full lace. But no matter what type of wig you have, there are a few steps you should take to put it on properly. Don’t worry, it’s easier than it looks.
1. Prepare your hair.
Depending on your hair type and length, you may not need to do much here. But if you have plenty of natural hair, you’ll need to prepare it before you put a wig on. The idea is to secure your hair in place against your scalp so that your wig doesn’t look bumpy or uneven, and you can’t see your hair underneath.
To do this, simply braid your hair into two or more cornrows, scalp braids, or French braids. Then, pin the ends into place. We love this tutorial from Esther Adé!
2. Put a wig cap on top.
Next, put a wig cap on, ideally one that roughly matches the skin tone of your scalp (which is usually a few shades lighter than your skin).
3. Cut the excess lace.
You’ve probably noticed by now that there is a bunch of strange-looking extra lace on the front of the wig. Go ahead and cut that off with scissors. (If your wig doesn’t have lace, you can ignore this step and the next one.)
4. Pluck the edges and part.
After cutting the excess lace, it’s time to customize the front of your wig to make it look more natural. If you put your wig on straight out of the package, you’ll quickly see how unrealistic it looks. That’s because the wig’s built-in part and baby hairs don’t look anything like yours!
Pluck some of the hairs from the part and edges to make the wig look more realistic, like it’s coming from your own head. This is an art that you’ll get better at over time, so take your time and go slow – you can always pluck more hairs later, but you can’t undo any hairs that you’ve plucked.
5. Add gel or edge control to your edges.
Now that the wig is ready to go, it’s almost time to put it on your head! First, apply a thick, strong gel, like Gorilla Snot, to your edges to help the wig stick to your hair. Let it dry until it’s tacky and sticky.
Check out our tutorial for customizing a Lace Front Wig!
6. Put the wig on, clipping it into place.
Finally! Put the wig on your head and adjust it until it’s sitting at the right angle, then clip it into place. Use a toothbrush, eyebrow spoolie, or comb along with more gel or edge control to lay your baby hairs into place.
