Many years ago, wigs were said to be only for those who really needed the. Its hard now to walk down any street and not run into someone styling and profiling, as they say, one of their favorite wigs. You see so many variations, from colors, to big, to long or short. Its just amazing to see so much variety. Back then and rarely now, wigs were made from horsehair, wool, feathers, yak hair, buffalo hair, and synthetic materials. Now a days wigs are worn for various reasons, including cultural and religious observance.
Wig use has evolved so much over the years, and so has the beauty industry which really caters to those that choose to use wigs as a fashion statement or an every day accessory, not necessity. Wigs are so creative that there are ways to wear them without damaging your hair. Wigs are considered protective styles now days. There are so many endless ways to wear a wig and when. How about needing to go out on the town and your hair isn't done?, then put on a wig or even if its your daily ritual. Here is everything you need to know about a wig before you head all in, which you will someday. They are fun!
Types of Wigs
There are so many options when choosing a wig such as, hair type, construction of the cap, style, texture of hair, or whether you want it sew on.
Hair Type: Synthetic Wigs vs. Natural Wigs
Synthetic hair is made from acrylic or nylon fibers, whereas natural hair can be human or human mixed with other things such as horse hair, yak and many others.
* Human hair is the highest quality. Yet it also depends on the grade and quality of the human hair you buy. At Salon DeJuan we have all human hair grades to choose from at www.deglamshoppe.com
* Raw human hair best grade can last for years with proper care. You can shampoo it, style it, color it, put heat to it and more. The higher the grade the more expensive it is as for the quality.
* Our human hair wigs can be colored, bleached, shampooed and styled with various forms of heat. Note: After shampooing our wigs , you can air dry them or blow dry and wear them many times, yet the synthetic wigs can never be styled with heat or colored.
* There are many synthetic wigs that are beautiful and affordable but you won't get much wear out of them for the cost these days.
* Synthetic wigs are less likely to tangle, but the mat up after a few days and you may get as long as a month out of them.
* Synthetic wigs do maintain the shape and curl pattern of the specific style, yet you wouldn't be able to change the style or pattern. It is what it is.
* The disadvantage of a synthetic wig would be that you can't style it different ways, when you shampoo them , you must air dry them because if you put heat to them they may burn.
Production: Hand Tied or Machine Made?
The two main methods of a constructed wig are Hand Tied or Machine Made. A Hand Tied wig is where individual hairs are attached to the wig cap by hand. This process is very intensive and takes hours or days to finish, yet it is a more natural look as if the hair is coming out of your scalp. We also have hairpieces that are called toppers, which some ladies use to add fullness i the crown of their head. These are also constructed in different ways to make it look like your hair coming out of the scalp. These are called partial wigs. These are also great for those with hair loss or those with areas that they want to look fuller and still want a natural look.
Specialty Wigs
* Full Lace- This is the most flexible construction. You would be able to part the hair in any direction and it will look like your scalp. The wig would be made with different colors of lace according to the color of your skin. We even have those that are transparent and looks just like your hairline, even though they all do, but these are very undetectable. Most full lace need to be applied with adhesive, yet you can always get a glue less cap wig. These wigs have a strap in the back for comfort and to make sure the wig doesn't come of because your'e not using glue
* Lace Front- These lace front wigs have lace only in the front. You are only able to part the hair in sections from ear to ear and approximately to the top of the head. The rest of the cap is constructed with a breathable fabric. The lace front wig can be glued to the head, but not mandatory. It is a complete option. These wigs are hand tied in the front and machine made wefts in the back.
* Closures- A closure is not a wig. It is an attachment used to close a weave without having to use weft hair to do so, which would not make it look natural like a closure would. Having a closure added to a sew in makes it look like you have on a wig. Which will make your sew in look natural.
* U Shaped or T Shaped- This wig has an opening that clips in so you can pull your natural hair through to give it the look of your own hair. To wear this you must have the actual texture of your hair. No one would even know that its not your hair.
* Silk Top Wig or Jewish Wig- They say that this is the most natural looking scalp compared to all wigs. Most high end wigs use silk top as the knots are hidden under a second piece of material which gives an illusion of flesh tone. There is some flexibility in the top of the crown only. You can not wear this in a high ponytail or off the face. Machine made wefts are in the back of the cap and it also has combs and straps if needed.
* Half Wig- a half wig is just what it says. You would cover this wig by leaving you front hair line out from ear to ear. Most of the time people use these wigs for fullness for the crown. These wigs are also secure with combs or a strap for security. This option is for those who don't want to cover their full head. If you have thinning hair in the top, this would not work.
* Monofilament Wig- these wigs are for those with alopecia or no hair. It allows you to see your scalp as if its your own hair. These wigs have a plastic strip around them, which easily sticks to your head without adhesive.
* 360 Wig- These wigs have lace all the way around the perimeter of the wig. You can also sew or glue these wigs on to make them look natural. They are machine made with wefts in the crown part of the head. These are the most inexpensive lace wigs on the market.
Installing a Wig
Here are some tips.
* Make sure your hair is clean and braided down.
* You can also choose to put on a wig cap. This will help to protect your hair even more.
* Always secure your wig by sewing down or using the straps. I prefer not to tell my clients to use the combs that are in the wig, because it could cause breakage to your hair. Remember we are trying to protect and grow or hair.
* These wigs are all adjustable with straps, although we mostly carry custom wigs and will do a consultation that includes measurements, so it will be made just for you.
Caring For You Wig
* When shampooing use good products as for you want your human hair wigs to last a long time. We recommend using our products at www.deglamshoppe.com
* Its best to allow your wig to air dry, yet it can be blown dry as well.
* These wigs can be worn weeks or months at a time, although I tell my clients to where them for a month and then start over fresh.
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