How To Restore A Synthetic Wig: Straightening Tips And Tricks For Your Old Wig
Curated from artificial fibers using specialized technology, synthetic wigs are known for their realistic appearance and natural hair feel. Being pre-styled, these wigs don’t lose their original style, shape, color, and texture over the course of time. With its customized monofilament and adjustable straps, a synthetic wig provides a comfortable fit and convenience to the user.
Since good wigs can be quite expensive, replacing them repeatedly is not a good idea, but maintenance is. So to restore the natural sheen and look of the wig, it’s important to wash and maintain it.
The process of cleaning and maintaining a synthetic wig is determined by three factors – the volume, length, and texture of the wig. Where synthetic short wigs can be easily detangled with some basic cleaning steps, maintaining curly long wigs is a challenge due to their volume and texture. 
So here’s a tutorial to help you sort your old wig restoration mission:
- De-tangling: Before shampooing the wig, it’s important to detangle it with a professional wig brush. For easy and smooth de-tangling, follow these steps:
- Put the synthetic wig on the wig stand and spray detangling spray (if there are excess knots)
- Try to remove the knots with fingers first and then use a wide-toothed wig brush/comb.
- Now, start combing from the ends and cover the entire wig accordingly.
- While de-tangling synthetic lace front wigs, avoid aggressive combing as it may lead to excessive hair shedding and breakage.
- Shampooing and Conditioning: In the case of split-ends, dry or frizzy hair strands, follow these washing and conditioning steps:
- Choose a container and fill it with lukewarm water (that is neither hot nor cold)
- Now, add a generous amount of keratin shampoo as prescribed by the professional hairstylist.
- Immerse the synthetic wig into the container and gently rub the strands. (if the wig is in very bad condition, soak it for 30-45 minutes)
- Now, thoroughly rinse the wig and apply some high-quality conditioner to avoid detangling/ restoring the damaged hair strands.
- Leave it for another 30 minutes and rinse it under running tap water.
- Reviving:
- If the wig is in poor condition, it needs more than just shampoo and conditioner. So, to bring back the moisture and regain the shine, apply a salon-quality ‘Reparative treatment cream’. Such creams deeply nourish the wig hair strands and improve its texture and manageability.
- Drying:
- Once the above steps are done, place the wig in a dry towel and gently drain it. Make sure that you don’t wring the wig as it can result in excess shedding and breakage. Now, place the wig on the wig stand and allow it to dry naturally at room temperature. Avoid using hairdryers and other heat devices at this time.
- Styling-n-Straightening:
- For a perfect shape and texture of your wig, style it when it is completely dried. While straightening your wig, make sure you use a wig stand or wig blockheads. With wig stands or blockheads, you can easily secure the wig in place and style it from every possible angle. Additionally, you can use a few T-pins or hair clips to hold the style in place for a longer period of time. Before straightening the synthetic wigs, check the maximum temperature limit of the wig as well as the heat setting of the styling tool. Additionally, you can also straighten your old synthetic wig in the following two ways :
Flat Iron: Ideal for long and voluminous wigs, flat iron straightening allows you to hold the style for more than 12 hours. The steps are:
- Separate your synthetic wigs into eight sections and spray ‘thermal or heat-resistant liquid’ on it.
- Now, hold each section between the flat iron for at least 10-15 seconds (on the mentioned temperature)
- Repeat this procedure again for every section of the wig.
- Lastly, leave the wig on the stand or blockhead for 20-25 minutes to lock this luscious style.
Blow Dryer: Perfect for synthetic lace front wigs, blow dryer can instantly create the sleek, voluminous, and salon-like look.
- Separate the wig into two equal sections and spray little water on it.
- Slowly move the wig brush down to the ends and start blow-drying at a lower temperature. Now, increase the temperature of the dryer and go ahead with the upper section.
- Now, leave the wig for 30-45 minutes and apply ‘Styling Mousse’ to uphold the style!
Your wig is now ready-to-wear and flaunt! Just place the wig on the head and secure it with adhesives like wig grip or toupee tape. With careful preparation and right way to use toupee tape, your wig will remain in place for hours, creating that much-needed realistic look.
With hair loss in women on the rise, wigs serve the purpose right. You just have to treat them right. Though maintaining and restoring your old synthetic wig may seem complicated, these easy tips and tricks will help you maximize the optimal lifespan of the wig while enhancing its natural look and shine.
But if your old wig is completely damaged, it’s time you vouch for a new one. Just check out the alluring range of Wigs Vancouver to get the best out of the amazing lot.
Amanda Byers is a graduate of Columbia, where she played volleyball and annoyed a lot of professors. Now as Zobuz’s entertainment and Lifestyle Editor, she enjoys writing about delicious BBQ, outrageous style trends and all things Buzz worthy.
