Whether it will be your first time putting on a wig or hair extension, or you are trying to achieve a completely brand new look for yourself, there are plenty of quick and easy methods you can use to achieve your best look. Depending on the method of how you choose to wear your wig or extension, as well as the specific type of wig, extension, or attachment, it might take a little practice getting used to, but you’re sure to be able to consistently achieve your ideal style in no time.

Placement of Wig or Hair Extension

Regardless of the type of wig or extension, one of your top goals will always be to achieve the most natural and seamless look possible. To help you achieve this, you will typically always want to wear your wig directly on your natural hairline. For the most part, this is typically about the width of four fingers above the eyebrow.

Before you even put on your wig though, you will want to first gently remove it from the protective hair net that it should come with. (Be sure to save this hair net for future use, such as when you condition your hair or store it when you’re not using it so as to maintain its original color, shape, and feel.) After you remove the wig from its protective wrapping, it is a good idea to gently shake out your wig. This will help to liberate any loose fibers, which will give your wig a smoother and more refined look. In addition, some wigs, especially synthetic hair wigs that are custom made to deliver a particular style, need to be gently shaken or agitated in order to release and unveil their full, intended style.

How to Achieve Desired Look with Your Wig

Wearing a wig is quite often very similar to the real thing. But since it obviously does not grow back, you will want to make sure to use hair accessories such as bobby pins to achieve the length and positioning you desire instead of cutting.

However, if you know that you will always want to wear your hair shorter, then you can actually take your wig to a salon or hair stylist to have them cut it to your desired look. If you know that you will want to have the flexibility of wearing your wig in different styles, then you will likely want to choose a natural, human hair wig. That’s because this type offers the most versatility when it comes to styling. Just like when real hair loses its style due to temperature differences or when your hair treatment, such as hair spray, wears off, you can simply reapply the treatment. In contrast, synthetic hair wigs should be bought in a particular style versus trying to style them on your own since the artificial fibers are not made to be easily manipulated.

How to Get the Right Fit with Your Wig

To optimize the beauty of your wig, hairpiece, or extension, you will want to make sure it’s the right fit. You can either measure your head and select the size of your wig accordingly or you can find adjustable wigs that feature easy snaps, Velcro, or drawstrings that allow you to conveniently change the size of the wig to get the best fit. You can choose from whole head, partial head, or top of head designs to meet your needs.

If you still have a significant amount of your own hair, and have gotten a wig or extension to supplement your existing hair or to achieve a more luxurious look, you will want to make sure you tightly pull your existing hair back and up. This will allow your wig or hairpiece to sit as flush as possible on your head. It will help to prevent a clumpy look while delivering a seamless integration of your new style.

How to Wear Extensions

Hair extensions can be used to either fill in spots on your head that are thinning or balding. You can also use them to add a stylish contrast either through a fancy braid that is different than the rest of your hair or a completely different color for a fun and sexy contrast.

Simply plan out which part of your hair needs help, fancying up, or more volume and apply your hair extension there. You can choose from a wide variety of hair attachments, such as drawstrings, pressure sensitive clips, toothed clips, and toothed combs, that make it easy to apply extensions to any type of hair and any particular style you already have or want to achieve.

Synthetic Versus Human Hair Wigs

You can choose from synthetic hairpieces, extensions, and wigs for a more budget friendly and premade look. Synthetic tends to be better for extensions and partial hair fill-ins. On the other hand, human hairpieces and wigs tend to provide a more natural look and feel. These tend to be the best for whole head wigs.

The wig cap construction will also determine how you wear your wig. Look for 100 percent hand-tied caps for the most comfortable and natural look to wearing a wig. If you want something that is a little less expensive, a single monofilament or double monofilament will also provide a natural and comfortable fit for your wig.