Wig tips and tricks!

When I first got into costuming, I only ever did blonde characters because I wasn't sure how I'd feel about wearing a wig. I have a lot of sensory issues and didn't think I'd be able to handle all my hair being under a wig cap and then a wig on top of it. But, as there were lots of people I wanted to portray that weren't blond, I decided to give it a shot.

  I bought my first wig about a year ago, and while it's no picnic, it wasn't as bad as I thought.  I've learned a lot about wigs over the past year, so I thought I'd share some of that here.

First things first, wig caps!  I've used different kinds and the only kind I like are the mesh type as opposed to the sheer, pantyhose type. I have a lot of hair and so I need a lot of bobby pins to pin it all up. With the mesh caps, I can pull out all of the bobby pins before putting the wig on, so they're not digging into my scalp.  Huge plus.

All my wigs come from Epic Cosplay. I love their wigs, the price is great and the quality is fantastic.  Also, shipping is extremely fast and FREE! These wigs can be put through a lot and still retain a great appearance.

Styling a wig can be scary if you've never done it, but as long as your wig is made of good, heat-resistant fibers, it can be easier than styling real hair. I do recommend some sort of wig stand though; it's pretty difficult to style it otherwise. I use a wig head attached to my body double, but in the past I've used a "volunteer" in the form of my daughter as well. Pretty much any styling product that's okay for real hair is okay for a wig as well. I have found that foam rollers work better than my curling iron for curls, but a flat iron works great for straightening or making loose waves.

All that product can make your wig messy and frizzy though! I've found the best way to tame a wig is to wash it (they make wig shampoo but I always just use regular shampoo and a tiny bit of conditioner to help with detangling) and then combing the tangles out. Then, while it's still damp, I flat iron the whole thing. The dampness creates steam that really helps to lay the hairs flat. I don't know if that's bad for a flat iron; I know you're not really supposed to use them on wet hair unless they're designed for it.  I use a cheap one just to be safe. I mean really cheap. Like $20.

 I didn't take a before pic, but here she is after washing and halfway through straightening, and when it's all done.  You can see the difference between the frizzy puffiness and the sleek look after. I also tried to take a "during" pic because it looks really terrifying and you'll probably be worried you ruined the wig. When the hair is wet, it really looks like it's fusing together into one useless plastic sheet!

The most commonly accepted way to curl a wig it either to put sponge rollers into the wet hair and then blow dry each roller (for like, EVER) to heat them, or to put in rollers and then dip the whole thing into really hot water and then wait for them to dry. They both work, but they're tedious and boring and I'm impatient. So one time when I was using the steam method with the flat iron to straighten a wig and my boyfriend at the same time was steaming a shirt, I had the idea to use the garment steamer to style the wig. I thought, wow, I'm a genius! A quick search of Google told me I wasn't the first to have this idea (disappointing) but man is it ever easier and faster than the other ways.

 Just roll her up and use a garment steamer to blast all over her head. The longer you steam, the tighter the curls will be...the first time I tried it I steamed way too long and ended up with freaky tight curls all over. The second time I overcompensated and ended up with barely even waves. The third time I got it right though! The wig was a little too tightly curled around the face, so I used the steamer and a comb to relax the hair in that area. It's been several days and the curls haven't come loose at all and I didn't have to put any product in it.

Wigs should be stored with care. Most of the time it's fine to store them in the plastic zippie bag they came in, but I prefer to store them on a wig head with a clear produce bad over them to protect them from dust. Plus it's just amusing to have a row of creepy-looking heads on the top shelf.