How to Care for your Curly Wigs

In recent times, women have begun to embrace their natural kinks and curls like in the past and even better, there are now weaves and wigs that closely mimic the texture of our own hair types which we all love. In this blog post, we take you through how to style and care for your curly wigs even if this is your first natural wig and you have no idea what you should be doing to ensure your wig is looking the best.

One of the best things about our Emerald Hair Curly wigs is that it gives you a natural looking protective style that mimics type 3 & 4 natural hair. It offers style versatility as well as convenience. In this guide we talk about the various ways to wear your wig comfortably as well as how to care for it to ensure it lasts for many years to come.

Caring For Your Curly Wigs

The first thing you want to do when you buy a curly wig is to wash it, water gives life to curly hair just like your own natural hair.

Step 1 : Washing

Your wig can be washed and conditioned with regular shampoo and conditioner because it is virgin Remy hair. When washing your wig, be careful not to bunch up or agitate the wig as you are shampooing the hair. This will cause knots and tangling.

Apply some hair shampoo into a bowl of warm water and gently soak the hair in it, running your fingers through from base to tips gently. Do this a few times (only if very dirty) till the water runs clear.

After applying shampoo, repeatedly run your fingers through the hair, going from the ends the of hair to the cap. Rinse thoroughly and apply some hair conditioner using that same motion. Leave the conditioner to absorb into hair for about 10 - 15 mins, then use your hands or a wide toothed comb to gently detangle the hair.

Trim away any shed hairs that have created knots. Rinse off the conditioner thoroughly with warm by running the hair under the tap/shower. Let water run though the hair from top to the ends and apply your leave-in conditioner.

 Note: Avoid washing your wig too often (say every 2 weeks is recommended if you wear everyday) and opt for other methods such as a co-wash.  It is recommended that you set the wig on a Styrofoam mannequin head or wig stand and place it somewhere that allows the hair to hang free, this helps to prevent knots and tangles which can ruin your style for the next day

Step 2: Drying

After washing and conditioning your wig, dry it subtly, then apply a leave-in conditioner and oil-free serum while wet so it dries with some shine to it. The best way to dry it is by blotting it with a t-shirt and then laying it flat on a towel (cap side down). It is not recommended to hang the wig while it is wet because the weight of the hair can stretch out your cap and impact the curls. Then let your wig air-dry naturally .

Consider setting the curls with a light gel. Once the wig dries completely break the gel cast and work the curls back into the volume you desire. Be sure to let the hair dry completely before wearing it again 

Step 3: Wearing

It is pretty simple to wear a wig as the action mimics wearing a hair bonnet or a skullcap. Apply the wig starting from the back of your head and bring the wig forward towards your hairline. Secure with the combs that are included. Depending on the size of your head, you may need to sew on a drawstring (if one isn’t available) or add some more combs to the perimeter in order to hold your wig in place and prevent lifting.

The best thing about our Emerald Hair Wigs is that our caps follow a sizing guide that is tailored to fit your head to give you the most natural looking wig possible. This reduces the need for glue, hair pins, combs or a drawstring. 

When placing the wig on your head, it is important to place your part exactly where you’d like it to be. Whether you choose a lace front cap or a U-part cap the wig can be worn with a middle part or side parts based on your preference.

Step 4: Styling

Now that your wig is secured, it’s time to style it and give it your personal touch. Some Queens like to rock it with its natural curls and take the time to cut the wig to shape it the way that they want, while others opt to do a roller or rod set for more defined curls and style.

Let your hairstyle reflect your personality, experiment with colours and cuts that you do not want to do permanently on your own hair. If you’re a fan of big, voluptuous hair, comb through the wig with a wide toothed comb once or twice in order to separate the curls and give the unit body, making sure you are only combing while its damp, combing while your hair is dry could damage your wig.

Consider wearing a wig cap with your wig to keep the unit clean. Use light weight products to avoid build up and use a leave-in conditioner to define the curl pattern.  

Styling in between washes

You do not always have to wash your curly wig whenever you notice it is getting frizzy, it may just be time to re-style it .

Spray water generously on the hair, then apply a Leave-in Conditioner and a curl activating cream. We recommend Cantu Curl Activator Cream or Hawaiian silky 14-in-1 Miracle Worker.  You can also apply some oil-free serum, you do not want too much oil on the hair though. 

Run your hands through to define the Curls or go in with a wide - tooth comb (Make sure to only comb while wet). It is best to let your hair extensions dry naturally after washing or re-styling  Blow-drying is not recommended, especially for natural hair extensions . A little shedding should be expected.

Your Curly wig/extensions can last up to 2 years or more with constant wear if properly maintained and cared for. Treat it like your own hair and take very good care of it  and it will last well for you.

Note:  Water is the life of curly hair, if you notice your curls getting frizzy at any point in time, just spray water generously on the hair, rub a little amount of oil-free serum between your palms and rub on the hair and your hair will come to life again.

Hydrating

As with your natural black hair sometimes your wig will appear to be dull. If your wig is looking a dull you need to add moisture to it. Since the Kinky Curly wig is virgin human hair, spritzing it with a bit of water or liquid leave-in and sealing with a light oil such as Argan or Grapeseed oil can revitalize your curls and have them looking healthy again. Regularly adding moisture to your unit is essential to protecting the curls.

Your Kinky Curly wig is a style life saver and an excellent protective style. It gives you flexibility to wear a variety of styles and is easy to care for and maintain for many years to come. Wear a wig cap to avoid having to wash your natural hair wig too frequently and remember to explore our other wig styles for straight or blow dried looks.

Storing Your Wigs

If you need to put your wig away, place it back into a hair net and put it back into the bag that your Kinky Curly wig came in and lay it flat. If you do not have the packaging that it came in anymore, place a hair net on it and put it into a plastic shoebox or similar container. These methods will help preserve your curls so that they do not have tangle. They also keep your hair dust-free.

Storing your wigs is best on a mannequin head, you can also use a wig stand or hanger to store your wigs properly

For more on this topic and how to care for wigs in general, see our blog post, 'How to care for your Human hair Wigs'  There is also a pictorial reference below: