DO: Read the manufacturer’s recommendations about hair care.
Do NOT: Just assume it will be as easy as taking care of your bio hair – because it’s not.
DO: Try to own more than one wig in a similar style and color to alternate. Human hair wigs take longer to dry & style than synthetics, and you don't want to be caught in a situation where you need hair and can't wear the only wig you have for some reason.
Do NOT: Wait until the last minute to wash or style your hair, especially if you can only afford one wig. Having wet bio hair is one thing. A wet wig will feel like a heavy hot basket, regardless of what it’s made of.
DO: Use wig-safe shampoos and conditioners that are alcohol & paraben free. Avoid anything containing Sodium Laureth Sulfate or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. These chemicals make soap lather – but they are also very drying and will make the hair brittle. (They’re not that great for your bio hair, either, for the record.)
Do NOT: Use drug store products on your hair without looking at the labels. We recommend avoiding name brands such as Herbal Essences, Pantene, Dove, Organix, or anything else you can buy at Target or Walgreens. You don’t have to wash it very often, so invest in the good stuff so your hair will last longer!
DO: Wash your wig every 8 – 14 days, or as needed. Using a dry shampoo can help you go longer between washings when sprayed on the interior of the cap. (We don’t recommend spraying dry shampoo on the outside of human hair wigs.
Do NOT: Wash every night.
DO: Brush out tangles prior to washing. (Or if it’s a curly wig, just finger comb to avoid creating more tangles and frizz.
Do NOT: Brush out tangles while hair is wet.
DO: Wash wig in still water. Fill a small basin with cool water. Add small amount of shampoo to water and disperse. Only apply shampoo directly to areas in need of more intense washing, avoiding the tips of the hair. Submerge wig. Gently swirl and let soak for 5 minutes. Rinse by submerging in basin of cool water and gently swirling it around. Remove from basin, fill it back up with clean cool water, and repeat this rinse one more time.
Do NOT: Wash your wig in the shower by directly applying shampoo, lathering (remember: a wig friendly shampoo has minimal lather), and rinsing with high-pressure running water.
DO: Condition your wig carefully. Once you rinse out the shampoo, apply a wig-safe conditioner directly to the hair. We recommend putting most of it on the longer parts of the strand and the ends, and not so much neat the roots to avoid having super flat hair. Let the conditioner sit on the hair for a minimum of 2 minutes. (You can leave it on overnight for more intense conditioning.) Rinse twice by submerging in a basin with cool water. Wrap gently with a towel to get out excess water.
Do Not: Condition your wig in the shower by directly applying a WalMart conditioner full of parabens or other waxy products that promote build up and rinse with high-pressure running water.
DO: Gently wrap damp wig in a towel and pat to remove excess water.
Do NOT: Wring and shake hair to remove excess water.
DO: Condition again while damp with a leave-on spray product to lock in moisture. (We recommend light-weight conditioning Argan oil for this latter step, but there are others that work equally well.) Work through with hands.
Do NOT: Forget your leave-in conditioner! Skipping this step accelerates hair dry-out.
DO: Place on a wig stand and allow to hair dry thoroughly before combing again. You may apply more leave-in conditioner once dry, if needed.
Do NOT: Place wig in direct sunlight to dry. This will make the color fade faster.
