Here at Ultimate Looks, we LOVE wearing both synthetic and natural human hair wigs. But if we're honest, we would rather not have the whole world know when we’re wearing a wig. The whole point of wearing a wig is to feel just as beautiful and confident as you did when you had a full head of natural hair, and that is hard to do if you’re worried about strangers whispering, “Is that a wig?” at the grocery store or while you're in line at the bank.
Luckily, there are some things you can do to make sure your wig is your best-kept secret. And, no, that doesn’t just mean going out and buying the most expensive human hair wig possible. Buying a high quality can go a long way towards creating a natural look, but if you don’t attach, style, and care for that wig properly, it will look just as unnatural as $50 synthetic costume wig.
Here are our cosmetologist’s 8 top tips for making your wig look like natural hair:
1. Replace Your Wig Regularly
The best way to broadcast to the world that you’re wearing a wig is to wear an old smelly wig.
Unfortunately, no one has invented a wig that grows new hair yet, so we’re stuck with wigs that lose their quality over time. No matter how hard you wish, no amount of wig styling products or cap adjustments can save a wig that’s past its prime.
Plan to replace your synthetic wigs every 3 to 6 months and replace your human hair wigs every 6 to 12 months.
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2. Two Words: Rooted. Colors.
Unless you naturally have very dark hair, it’s unlikely that your hair is just one color.
Most people have shades of color and gradients throughout their hair.
Your stylist calls those gradients “dimension.” We call them “the reason wigs dyed with one flat color look really fake.”
Wigs with rooted colors, on the other hand, mimic the natural gradients in bio hair by blending several colors.
Can’t find a wig that you like with rooted colors? Look for a wig that is a ‘blend’ of two colors or ask a stylist to give your wig highlights and lowlights two shades away from the wig’s base color.
3. Look for Lace Fronts and Monofilament Tops
Keira Knightley wore wigs on set and at red carpet events for years, and no one knew she was wearing them until she spoke publicly about her issues with hair loss.
How did she keep everyone in the dark about her hair?
With lace fronts and monofilament tops.
Lace front wigs create the illusion of a natural hairline, making it look like your wig hair is growing right out of your head.
Monofilament tops do the same thing, but for the wig’s part. Each hair of a monofilament top wig is individually sewn into the wig, rather than being machine applied. This allows the wig hair to move freely and lets you to part the wig anywhere you want.
4. Mess Up The Part
When something looks too perfect, especially with wigs. It’s usually a sign that that thing is fake. Apparently, wig companies haven’t learned this yet.
Most wigs come out of the box with eerily perfect parts that scream, “This isn’t my natural hair!” when you wear them.
As soon as your new wig arrives, take a pair of tweezers and carefully pluck out a few strands. Then, using baby scissors, cut a few strands so that they look like they’re just growing out. Last, choose a couple of hairs to place on the ‘wrong’ side of the part.
Imperfection never looked so perfect.
Check out this quick video on how to make your wig look real!
5. Trim Your Wig
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a woman in want of a great hairdo must wait for at least two weeks after her haircut for her hair to grow out a little,” - Jane Austen Ultimate Looks
Typically, we aren’t completely happy with a new haircut until our hair has had the time to grow out a bit. To mimic that natural, grown out look, take your wig to a stylist and ask her to use a razor to cut in some layers or jagged edges.
6. Blend it Out
Lace front wigs are great at mimicking a natural hairline, but they’ll never beat the real thing. If you’re lucky enough to have some natural hair, try ‘blending’ your natural hairline with the hairline of a lace front wig.
How to Blend Your Natural Hairline With a Lace Front Wig
- Step 1: Place your wig an inch or two farther back on your head than you typically would, exposing your natural hairline.
- Step 2: Fully attach the wig.
- Step 3: Spray a little dry shampoo into your hairline and along the part of the wig, and use your fingers to tease everything together.
TIP: Ultimately, the key to a flawless installation is maintaining perfectly-manicured edges. if you have long baby hairs, your wig should probably have them, too. Mimicking your own edges is one major key to achieving a flawless illusion. It keeps people guessing.
NOTE: If you’re going to try this trick, it’s super important that your wig color matches your natural hair color.
6. Know Your Size
Finding the right size wig for your head will make your wig feel more comfortable, it will also help your wig look more natural.
To figure out your wig size, take out your tape measure.
Starting at the front of your hairline, wrap the measure behind your ear to the nape of your neck, around to your other ear, then match the measuring tape back to the other end at the front of your hairline.
To make sure you measured accurately, repeat the process to make sure you get the same number each time.
If you’ve measured a few times and still aren’t sure, ask a friend for help!
After you’ve figured out the size of your head, use this chart to figure out your perfect fit.
P.S. If you’re worried about buying something that’s too small for you, keep in mind most wigs have a strap (usually velcro) that will let you adjust by half an inch either way.
8. ALWAYS Line Up Your Wig With Your Natural Hairline
If you don’t line up your wig with your natural hairline, your wig will never look natural. That’s why it’s super important that each time you put on your wig, you take the time to line it up properly.
To correctly line up your wig with your natural hairline, first put your wig on your forehead just above your eyebrows.
Next, slowly slide the wig back over your head, adjusting as you go, until the bottom of the wig hits the nape of your next.
Last, slide the wig forward just a bit until it hits your natural hairline, secure the straps, and style away!
Conclusion
Now that you’ve learned some of our favorite tips and tricks for making your wig look natural, go ahead and try some of them out!
Do you have a technique you love for making your wig look “real” that we didn’t mention? Let us know in the comments!
To learn more about caring for and styling your wigs, read Everything You Need to Know About Wig Maintenance and How to Store Wigs.
Great post. Its very interesting and enjoyable. Its must be helpful for us. Thanks for sharing your nice post.
Lyn – have you tried a wig with bangs? Alternatively, you could use root spray if it’s a large area or an eyebrow pen if it’s smaller? Hope you find something!
If your wig has too much hair, don’t ruin it by cutting the hair off. Instead, take a fine crochet needle and work the hairs to the underside of the cap. That way, if you mess up, it is reversible.
If your hair is pretty close to the wigs color, style and length (but is thin, which is the reason you have a wig) cut small slits in the wig, and with a pointed object (like a pointed comb or pencil), pull up your own hair through the slits. I got a perm so my natural hair would not go straight in the rain, because the wig had some curl to it. Also, your natural hair pulled through keeps the wig from slipping.
Try combing out your natural hair along the sides, then pull the hair back with combs, so the roots are visible.
Just got a new wig. It is too shiny so I dabbed some face powder on it. No matter how I tried the top “part” looked wiggy, so I made a scarf into a thin band and tied it so it covered the “part”. Had my bangs cut a little thicker (on my natural hair) and comb them down so they blend with the wig bangs. Looks very natural.
I wore wigs for years. Even my husband could not tell. He looks at old pictures and says, "Wow, you had a lot of hair when you were younger.