Human Hair Wig & Topper Care

Human hair wigs and toppers are the best...

You can dye them, highlight them, trim them with hairdressing scissors, use heat on them, touch and feel them just like your bio hair....but better. They feel great on and can male you feel a million dollars!

But I never said they were easy...

Human hair wigs and toppers are said to last around 1 year but I know lots of ladies who have looked after theirs beautifully and still wearing their wigs 3 years into their journey.

So what's the big deal...?

Conditioning, oiling, intensive treatments and regular split end removal....after all - they're just like OUR hair because THEY ARE! Imagine if we went out every day after using harsh detergents, no conditioner, in all the wild Scottish weather, never getting a haircut - would our hair look and feel fabulous...??

So what do we do...?

When you get your human hair wig or topper, don't delay....BUY PROFESSIONAL WIG AFTERCARE PRODUCTS

If you don't do it then, you'll put it off then you'll be wondering what you did wrong.

And yes I can tell the difference if you haven't been oil your ends since you very first got your wig - it doesn't feel as nice as if you had....

Here's what I do...

1. BUYING - Buy topper or wig. Buy wig friendly accessories as above, including collapsible wig tree/stand (for drying), wig friendly wide tooth comb (JON RENAU do a lovely one but I got a really nice generic CANTU one from Tesco/Superdrug). Be cautious when buying a human hair wig - they should be around £900 upwards depending on the length. If it's cheaper it's likely either a blend or straight up not human hair and you're wasting your money. I've seen wigs at £3,000....and more. You really do get what you pay for and there are tests you can do if you're not sure.
   

2. LONG HAIR - If your wig or topper is long - spray the wig friendly conditioning/care and repair spray in it daily to detangle and ONLY USE a wig brush or wig friendly wide tooth comb. Seriously. They tend to tangle from your neck area down where clothes rub and cause friction.
   

3. WEATHER - If you're going out and its Hurricane 2000 outside - try to use a protective hairstyle whether loose braid, pony tail, hat, sombrero.... You're trying to stop tugs and your fibres losing moisture just like your own hair does. I can't shout about this ENOUGH!! Be careful with wool scarves etc which can pinch your hair earned moisture - try lined ones instead or switch to a less thirsty fabric. Remember to oil your ends regularly - the need extra help and conditioning, especially now.
   

4. COMBING - Ok....we're back home...we've done the shopping...put the Weetabix in the cupboard...TIME TO DETANGLE! Remember our hair is weakest when wet and that is true of human hair wigs and toppers too so be gentle and NEVER comb from the roots. These beautiful pieces are hand tied and no good comes of un-doing those...
   

5. STORAGE - If you're not wearing around the house, store a wig on an appropriate stand such as a collapsible wig tree, storage box or similar. DO NOT store it on a mannequin head because it'll stretch the cap. A topper can be stored similar or draped gently over something if dry. Wherever, keep it dust-free and out of harsh direct sunlight in case of photodegradation....the posh word for fading....
   

6. WASHING - Hair wash day? I tend to say wash your wig or topper after about a week of wearing, even if the hair isn't 'dirty' you want to wash the cap to get rid of dirt, oils, old skin cells, maybe some itch...definitely if you have any scalp condition or dandruff. To wash - wash with cold/tepid RUNNING WATER, follow the flow of water and never hot, massage a little wig shampoo in gently for a few minutes then rinse through. Avoid steeping in the sink or your wig will tangle and matt. Do the same with your conditioner but avoid the roots next to the cap. Rinse and think about styling - always use a leave-in conditioner and heat protection spray.
   

7. CONDITIONING - Regular deep conditioning treatments! Check in with your wig specialist for bespoke conditioning treatments specifically for human hair wigs and toppers. When applying, I try laying the cap to the side a bit to stop too much conditioner getting into the knots and un-doing them. Rinse. Gently squeeze the water out lengthways, double up with a microfibre towel to remove more moisture effectively. You might want to swap this step out sometimes with a more intensive conditioning balm to rejuvenate your thirsty locks - it'll thank you!
   

8. PROTECTION - Ideally just gently rake with your fingers after leave-in conditioner and leave to dry on a wig stand. My favourite is MEDICEUTICALS DEFEND because it's UV protectant, thermal protection, protects against environmental pollutants and it smells really nice. I use it on my own hair - it's definitely a favourite! If you're feeling fruity then blow dry with a hairdryer on a low setting. Just because it's human hair doesn't mean you have to blow dry it - it's just an added option. But don't skip the leave-in conditioner/thermal protection/UV protectant especially in summer... (I remember Summer...it was a Tuesday this year)
   

9. WIG STANDS - If you want to style, it can be easiest to now introduce a mannequin stand or a wig styling block head on a stand, pin the piece on carefully with T-pins and get 360 degree access, making styling really easy and you can style in in advance of going somewhere special. You can use this with synthetic or human hair wigs and toppers - definitely a plus! Just don't dry wigs on it, you don't want anything get mildew or mould....and it slows the drying time down too...
   

10. STYLING - OK we're at the drying stage, now is a good time to use wig friendly styling products. They're lighter than normal hair products so don't build up so much or damage hair. ELLEN WILLE STYLING MOUSSE is nice, so is their HAIRSPRAY. But here's the important discovery....WIG TIP LIQUID. Yes, yes, yes as Meg Ryan did once declare! This is similar to us oiling our ends, we're sealing the ends to stop split ends. Meg...? Are you there...? YES YES YES!!! I do this on my own hair every day using hair oil and space out my haircuts because it prevents split ends....and when we get a split end the only way to fix it is to cut it...and that wig ain't gonna grow back....
    

11. TRIMMING - Trying to fend off a haircut for a wig but seeing the start of split ends? Get a split end cut or learn to do it yourself on Youtube. Basically it's when you see the wee split ends appearing on hairs of different lengths - you bend the hair over your fingers til the hair with the split end pops up isolated and you snip it with hairdressing scissors. Don't use the kitchen scissors - they'l just cause more split ends... By regularly doing this when you see them you can avoid having an overall 'proper haircut' and the same goes for your bio hair if you're trying to grow it. Oil your ends - I can't tell you this enough. Your new hair doesn't get natural sebum to moisturise ends so give it TLC just like ou would hair extensions. If it's your own hair you can get away with 3-4 haircuts per year if you really have your haircare down to a tee.
    

12. DAMAGE - Sometimes wigs get damaged - don't try to be a hero. Get a professional to refurbish or repair your wig and keep it tip-top for even longer. The same goes for dying or highlighting it - get a professional, it's too important to play DIY with and have it go wrong. ever had a bad haircut and had to grow it out? Wigs don't grow....
    

13. Have I missed anything? Message me at info@higlandtrichology.co.uk or Comment if you'd like more help with synthetic wigs, toppers and everything from measuring, buying to aftercare. We have wigs to try on and place orders weekly.